Artifact Three

Artifact Commentary

My philosophy outlines several of the core tenets of my approach as an educator of young children and includes description of what I believe to be the purpose of education. In my philosophy, I focus on equity in education and the need to integrate sociocultural and environmental ways of learning and knowing with the cognitive, including building learning cultures focused on relationships, valuing an individual’s right to interculturalism, and approaching learning and differences with a “researcher mindset,” meaning with openness, curiosity, respect, and a lifelong-learner perspective. I am an advocate for providing all children with rich, developmentally-appropriate, meaningful learning experiences that guide them in making sense of the world around them.

This artifact exemplifies my passion for inquiry through both my teaching and my own learning. In my synthesis paper, I make the argument that inquiry, or the “researcher mindset” I describe in my philosophy, is the foundation to creating change towards achieving a more equitable education system and society (Standards 1 & 4; Goal 1). I believe an inquiry-based approach lends itself to equity, for through inquiry we find curiosity and the desire to grow in our thinking and perspectives as individuals who are part of an interconnected society. The work of Labaree (1996) and Sobel (2004) provide theoretical perspectives to ground my philosophy and thinking about the issues in our education system and how I can support the work happening to not only face those issues as an educator, but also to guide change for the better of all (Standard 3).

During the process of writing my philosophy, I was experiencing my own professional challenges leading me to experience feelings of disempowerment, shared by many teachers experiencing biases, pressures, and restraints. For this reason, empowerment was a thread of inquiry through my work and learning at the time. It led me to reflect on the aspects of my work that have caused me to feel empowered. This exercise brought to light several ways I can ensure I am empowering the families, staff, and children I serve through my work. These include providing working and learning experiences that create a sense of ownership and that are meaningful, playful, and allow for creative flow, building deep connections among people and to places, and generating the understanding that we are contributing to something greater than ourselves. Such experiences have the power to transform individuals and communities. Thus, these ideas wove their way into my philosophy. I now carry greater awareness of their importance, causing me to be intentional about integrating these ideas into my thinking and approach as an educator and leader.

References:

Labaree, D.F. (1997). Public goods, private goods: The American struggle over educational goals. American Educational Research Journal, 34(1), 39-81.

Sobel, D. (2004). Place-based education: Connecting classrooms & communities. Great Barrington, MA: The Orion Society.