This blog will include four different education contexts. These contexts will include:
Foundation Phase
Summerhill School
Steiner Waldorf Education
Montessori
These will be written about in more detail in their sections, where it will explain what each context is, about the creator and how its is used and has influenced today education system.
The Foundation Phase is a statutory curriculum for all 3-7 year olds in
Wales introduced in 2008. Children are given the opportunity to explore the
world around them and taking part in practical activities to understand how
things work. Children will have a more hands on educational experience (Welsh
Government, 2014.)
The foundation Phase is modelled after the early years teaching practice in Finland, which is said to have the highest literacy rate in the world (Shipton, M, 2014.)
Children learn through first-hand experiential activities with a an
emphasis on ‘play’ being the provider. Through play children play with ideas,
experiment, take risks, solve problems and make decisions individually, in
small and large groups.
The development of children’s self-image and feelings of self-worth and
self-esteem are central to this phase.
“ A Child’s explorations are the
engine of the expanding mind. It matters little what he learns, provided he
understands it and knows how to use it.” – Rousseau, Emile. 1762
Practitioners should offer choices, challenge children with care and
sensitivity, encourage them and help move their learning along. Through
careful observation and interaction with the children, teachers should focus on
their achievements and development along a learning continuum. Future planning
is based on their prior accomplishments and current achievements (Government,
2009, p.2.)
There are 3 major factors within schools that affect their achievement, these are:
Social class
Race
Gender
Therefore it is important for children to be educated to promote equality. In the classroom children are encouraged to learn about the differences and similarities during discussions, reading sessions and active learning (Warren, S, 2009, p.50-57.)
Teachers seem to think that the transition from the Foundation Phase to Key Stage 2 is relatively easy to adjust to. Due to the last year in the Foundation Phase preparing pupils for the transition
Foundation Phase 2014.
Reference:
Government, W. A. (2009). Foundation Phase Child Development Profile Guidance. Cardiff, Crown Warren, S. (2009). An Introduction to Education Studies; The Student Guide to Themes and Contexts. London, Continuum International Publishing Ltd.
Hudson Park Primary . (2014). Foundation Phase 2014 . Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18d_w2v6juQ. Last accessed 11/12/14. Shipton, M. (2014). Concern over literacy but praise for the Welsh Government’s early learning Foundation Phase in new report.Available: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/concern-over-literacy-praise-welsh-7074714. Last accessed 11/12/14. Welsh Government. (2014). Foundation Phase . Available: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/earlyyearshome/foundation-phase/?lang=en. Last accessed 11/12/14.
Summerhill School was
founded in 1921 by A. S Neill, it is situated within the town of Leiston, in Suffolk. Summerhull
is a democratic, self-governing school where adults and children have an equal
status and first names are always used. It is a personal choice school where
students ages 5 – 18 can decide each day how they will use their time forming
their own motivation and desire to learning.
The school was set out to in which to allow children freedom to be themselves with
the main idea: “to make the school fit
the child”
Neill believed that children were innately wise and
realistic and if left to themselves without any adult suggestion, they will
develop as far as they are capable of.
“Summerhill began as an experimental school. It is no longer
such; it is now a demonstration school, for it demonstrates that freedom works”
– (A.S Neill, Summerhill1970.)
All lessons are optional children can go to them as they
please – or not step foot in the class for years if they wish. There is a set
timetable, but only for the teachers (Summerhill and A. S Neill, 2006.) Each sign-up student is given a blank
timetable at the beginning of term where they write their own lessons on. The
timetable is changed from term to term depending on the choices and subjects
offered to the children. The timetable allows students to make informed choices
within the structured day. The children know what is available therefore can
decide how to use their time (Summerhill School a, 2014.)
Manual skills and
creativity are considered just as important as English and Mathematics within
the curriculum and resources are made available at all times. Pupils can take exams early if they wish and most pupils
take some GCSEs before they leave, which are optional and pupils don’t have to
take any if they wish (Summerhill School b, 2014.)
The average day at summerhill consists of:
·Breakfast: 8-8:45am
·Classes begin at 9:00am
·Mid-morning 20 minute tea break
·Lunch is served from 12-1:15pm
·Lesson finish between 3-5:00pm depending on the
pupils day (Summerhill School c, 2014.)
After a bad report from OfSTED inspection in March 1999 in
which it demanded changes to the Summerhill philosophy. There were concerns
about the provision of instruction and training, however childrens GCSE results
were better than average and the rates of improvements were rapid despite the
majority having English as a second language (Brown, 2002, p.64.) In March 2000 the school won a historic
legal battle against the DfEE. Due to this Summerhill is now the most legally protected
school in the country and is the only school that has a direct input into its
inspections through legally appointed experts.
In 2002 the school received its first inspection or registration visit not a
reported visit since the case., which went smoothly (Summerhill School d, 2014.)
Reference:
Brown, K. (2002) The Right to Learn. Taylor & Francis.
Neill, A. S. (1970). Summerhill
– A Radical Approach to Education (Pelican). Penguin Books Ltd.
Summerhill School d, (2014). Summerhill's fit with the UK
Government. Available: http://www.summerhillschool.co.uk/summerhills-fight.php.
Last accessed 10/12/14.
RudolfSteiner was an Austrian philosopher born in 1861. Steiner established a way of
thinking that he applied to different characteristics of what he thought it
meant to be human. Over a period of 40 years, he formulated and taught a path
of inner development or spiritual research 'anthroposophy.' From what he
learned, he gave practical suggestions for nearly every field of human venture.
Art, architecture, drama, science, education, agriculture, medicine, economics,
religion, care of the dying and social organization - there is almost no area
he did not touch (Bamford, C Utne, E. 2014.)
The first
Steiner school opened in Stuttgart in 1919 for the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette
factory workers children. It was Enil Molt who asked Rudolf Steiner to found
and lead the school in its early stages (What is Steiner Education,
2014.) Now there are more than 900 Waldorf schools in 83 different
countries. In North America Waldorf education has been available since 1928,
and there are now over 250 schools and 14 teacher training programmes.
Steiners
lower school is split into 8 classes for children aged 6-14 years old. The
lower school builds on active body and mind, which then get taken into the
upper school for 14+ year olds where the curriculum challenges the pupils and
still holds onto the principles from the lower stage.
Waldord
education is based on understanding of human development that addresses the the
needs of the growing child. Teachers strive to education the 'whole' child,
which echo the views of Piaget:
Hands - children need to
grasp their world
Heart - emotional period
Head - developing intellect
(Micheal Hall - A Steiner Waldorf School)
The
priority of Steiner ethos is to provide an easy-going and creative learning
environment where children can find the joy in learning and experience the fullness
of childhood rather than early concentration of academic hot-housing. (What is Steiner Education,
2014.)
By allowing children to make sense of the world at their own pace. The children
are left unhurried and shadowed from the anxiety and expectations of exam and
testing results. From this children are free from being labelled at a young age,
an age where they should be enjoying school and get excited by new experiences
and people (Oldfiels, 2001, p.115.)
“Education as a journey – not a
race” – (Oldfield,
2001, p.117.)
Within Steiner
education the adult acts as a model for the children, where they learn throught
imitation and examples set by the adult.
It is natural to children to imitate and be active. Steiner teachers can be
sure that anything they begin to do will be happily imitated by the children,
therefore the teacher acts as a focus point for the children and encourages
movement (Oldfield, 2001, p.61-62.)
“The child reveals a trusting
willingness to imitate the adult-world” – (Oldfield, 2001, p.60.)
"When approached by the news media and asked the question, - "What did Waldorf Education do for you?," Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg replied, "It encouraged me to always strive to become a better human being."
Reference:
Oldfield, L. (2001). Free to learn: introducing steiner Waldorf early childhood education. stroud: Hawthorn. Anon. (2014). What is
Steiner education . Available:
http://www.steinerwaldorf.org/steiner-education/what-is-steiner-education/.
Last accessed 10/12/14. Bamford, C Utne, E .
(2014). Waldorf Education . Available:
http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/02_W_Education/rudolf_steiner.asp. Last accessed
10/12/14. Michael Hall School, (2008). Michael
Hall - A Steiner School. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1j3Shs1eig. Last accessed 10/12/14. Stoltenberg, J Norwegian
Prime Minister (no date). Available: htp://www.whywaldorfworks.org/01_WhyWaldorf/quotes.asp.
Last accessed 10/12/14. Why Waldorf Works - About
Rudolf Steiner, 2014. Available: http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/02_W_Education/rudolf_steiner.asp. Last
accessed 10/12/14.Why Waldorf Works -
What is Waldorf Education?, 2014. Available: http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/02_W_Education/index.asp.
Last accessed 10/12/14.
The creator of Montessori was a woman called Maria Montessori, she became the first female doctor in Italy after graduating from University of Rome medical school.
A key feature in Montessori education is the, development of the whole child. For Montessori is was unarguable that everything worked according to the laws of nature, with regular cycles for all things - including human life. The Montessori approach is based on the recognition of the unique nature of each individual. It is the child who decided when it was time to learn and the learning was spontaneous
“And so we discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being.” – Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori's main aim was to help each child's natural development using four planes of development. Described by Montessori as:
Birth to 6 years (sub divided into 0-3 years & 3-6 years): An absorbent mind
6-12 years (sub divided into 6-9 years & 9-12 years): A conscious mind
12-18 years (sub divided into 12-15 years & 15-18 years): Abstract thinking
18-24 years: Adulthood
These planes became the basis for multi-grouping in Montessori education. She noted that "We must consider the human personality as one at all stages of development.." (Montessori, 1974 p.5)
Maria Montessori opened her first school; Casa dei Bambini in 1907 the results were so exceptional, it caused a huge amount of interest in both Italy and around the world. Simple activities such as caring for the environment and care of self were emphasised. Montessori is all about the activity of the child. The role of the teacher is to provide the right kind of circumstances so that children can be guided to discover what they need from what is on offer. Children learn to become active learners and are able to reach their individual potential because they're learning at their own pace. Montessori provides:
For continual learning, Montessori believed that home and school should provide similar living conditions. The Montessori curriculum involves six key areas:
Practical life activies
Sensorial
Mathematics
Language
Creative expression
The cultural curriculm
A Montessori Morning
Reference:
The Biography.com. (2014). Maria Montessori. Available: http://www.biography.com/people/maria-montessori-9412528#synopsis. Last accessed 8/12/14. Anon. (2013). What is Montessori. Available: http://www.the-childrens-room.co.uk/about/about-montessori/. Last accessed 8/12/14 YouTube. (2014). A Montessori Morning . Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09Y-huCMjIc. Last accessed 8/12/14. Isaacs, B (2012) Understanding the Montessori Approach. London: Routledge. O'Donnell, M (2013) Maria Montessori A Critical Introduction to Key Theories and Debates. London: Bloomsbury
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