Philosophical Education Models

Philosophical Education Models

Democratic Schools
This philosophy is particularly appealing to me, based on the skills I see lacking in the current and future generations of today's students.  Long gone are the days of playing kick the can in the street with the neighborhood kids until the street lights come on.  Instead helicopter parents are paving a road for their children, when they should be preparing their children for the road.  Students are lacking in problem-solving, independence skills, grit, rule following, among other necessary skills needed to be a successful person.  While I agree that if not properly put in place a model as such could go array,  I do believe that its strengths lay in the push for students to independently solve their problems, and build rules that will work for them as a community.  I would guess that most critics of this philosophy have little faith in children's ability to choose what is best for them as a whole or a group, but I find that is the very opinion that cripples our youth: the lack of confidence in their abilities.  If anything, this model gives students ownership of their choices, which they are more likely to follow than if they are told to follow because a teacher told them they should.  Like any philosophy, I think that the democratic philosophy may be more successful for some than for others.  As a teacher with experience working in a low-income, urban neighborhood, I would guess that this model could be an absolute disaster with this demographic of students.  The most successful teachers in the school where I taught had the most structure and the most strict rules to follow.  These students need the structure and expectation of appropriate behavior, especially when it is lacking in their home.  Classrooms without strong behavior management in this school turned into boxing rings.  I would put my child in a democratic school if I thought it was the right environment for their learning needs. 

Pedagogy of the Oppressed
The idea that students are "banks" that we fill up with knowledge, is not an idea that bothers me.  I think we should always be filling their little minds with knowledge.  The problem is not the filling of the bank but the way that it is being filled.  Are we filling their bank by cramming memorized facts into their banks, or are we exposing them to experiences that encourage growth and fulfillment.  The teacher should not be a dominating figure in a students' life but a guide and resource of knowledge.  Teachers should always view their students as a source of information as well.  The teacher should be able to see their students as a teacher, and the students should view their teacher as someone that is willing and interested to learn from them.

Flipped Classroom
While I can see the benefits of the flipped classroom, I worry that it could be a huge disadvantage to students that don't have a home environment that is conducive to learning.  I believe that students in this generation would be motivated by learning through technology and would appreciate the ability to pause and re-wind for clarity.  I am concerned that students are unable to ask questions or have discussion during the learning process.  It also appears that watching a video is also not experiential learning and might not be conducive for all learners.  As always I have a fear about the amount of screen time that children are exposed to already, do they really need to stare at a screen for any more amount of time.  I think that videos might be a great addition to in class instruction but I don't believe it should replace in class instruction.
Montessori
As a young teacher I was very intrigued by the Montessori philosophy.  I went to observe a classroom out of pure curiosity.  I was amazed to see not just a classroom, but a community of students that demonstrated a mature sense of care and respect for the people and things in their environment.  The teacher was a calm and dedicated guide and resource for the children but presented no sense of dominance, control, or holder of knowledge.  There are some very appealing ideals in the Montessori philosophy that I will remain to find beneficial to all children: appreciation of nature and natural made items, learning through experience and discovery, the power of choice, and then element of community and peace.  I find this method to be very beneficial to a certain type of learner but not all learners.  Montessori is choice based and it is heavily dictated by the lead of the child.  While this can be a powerful method for a student that is driven and naturally curious, it might be ill-suited for a child that needs structure and motivation to be successful.  I have also heard from many people with experience in the Montessori setting that although they encourage tolerance, there is little in the curriculum to support those in need of modification, accommodation, or behavioral support.  I would send my child to a Montessori school if I found that was the most fitting environment for their learning style.

Waldorf
I wrote an entire research paper on the Waldorf philosophy.  I also went on an interview with a Waldorf school, which essentially turned into me interviewing them about their intriguing philosophy.  There are some methods within the Waldorf philosophy that I find to be beneficial and unique, but this philosophy has come with some heavy criticism due to its heavy roots in anthroposophy.  Critics claim there are racial undertones in the Waldorf curriculum that are projected in their creative use of story telling as a teaching method.  Waldorf schools also disclaim their religious affiliation, while maintaining extremely spiritual routines and rituals.  Lack of discipline and behavior management is also discussed as students are meant to work out their own problems, while although ideal, teacher intervention should occur when particular limits are reached.  While many of these issues question what really goes on inside a Waldorf school, there are also a lot of progressive and appealing methods that take place.  Waldorf is a whole child approach.  Their head, heart, and hands are incorporated into their learning.  In a generation of children that are expected to complete highly academic tasks that are developmentally inappropriate, I can appreciate their approach to delay academic instruction.  Young children have many developmental tasks to master before they are ready to fully emerge themselves into an academic arena.  I think the early academic push is presenting a lack in social skills, life-skills, and problem-solving skills.  I appreciate their stance on mastering these developmental skills before introducing academic subject matter.  Another method of teaching that I appreciate is their admiration for outdoor play and discovery.  Waldorf students have a deep connection the outdoors, and learn many of their skills with the use of the outdoor classroom.  Waldorf also considers extra-curricular subjects as an integral part of their curriculum, and seen as modalities that can be used in many life scenarios.  While there are many unique and beneficial methods in the Waldorf philosophy, there are also some questionable rituals and spiritual undertones that would question my child's attendance in their schools.

Glen Urquhart
Based on their website the Glen Urquhart school appears to me a dream come true!  Their focus on experiential, place-based curriculum, is pivotal in building the skills students need to be curious life long learners.  Their curriculum appears to make the world around them the classroom.  What better place to learn, than the environment and community around you.  Their emphasis on making their students contributors in their community is an ideal that I think is often lost in this generation of children.  It has been proven that social-emotional health is a critical piece for success in our students.  Their emphasis on social-emotional learning encourages me to think that we will care not only for a child's academics but their heart too.  Another method they integrate into their curriculum is life-skills.  Life-skills are necessary for students to be successful both inside and outside of the classroom.  The only downside I can see from this philosophy is that is comes at a cost.  This appears to be the type of school I would love to send my child to, but can I afford it?

Reflection
All philosophies have their pros and cons.  Ideally, when it comes down to choosing a method, it should be based on which philosophy is best suited for the child and their learning style.  Not every philosophy is fitting for every student.  So the question should not be which philosophy is the best, but which philosophy is best suited for my child?  In most cases a blend of philosophies will work best for each child.  Technology in my opinion is not a key component in the blending of these philosophies, but a beneficial tool that can be integrated into each philosophy in its own way.