Teaching Philosophy | Professional Growth | Honors | Associations
These approaches share a holistic, integrated outlook on learning that features the children and teachers as capable learners with the ability to self-regulate and take responsibility for being part of a democratic classroom, while having the ultimate desire for a peaceful world. Each approach brings a passion and uniqueness to how this outcome could best be achieved.
I believe that IB will continue to be a beacon for educators in international education, because of its inclusiveness and instructivity for all national curricula. The transdisciplinary inquiry is beyond any discipline-based curriculum, with an aim to take up the challenges of 21st century, way beyond any individually-focused system. IB has already become a major inspiration for national curricula in both developed and developing countries, including the Next Generation Science Standards in the USA, Cambridge IQTS curriculum, the alignment research in Australian National Curriculum, Chinese science currciculum and kindergarten guidance for inquiry-based curriculum. With an increasing number of educators entering IB system from all over the world, a significant rise in innovative fruits will be gained through collaboration by teachers, students and the learning community. This will ensure IB’s leadership in international education.
https://psychologenie.com/john-dewey-theories
Dewey’s theory about the responsibility of the school for bringing forward positive social change is evident in IB mission statement to “develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world”.
His notion about inquiry as the process of sensing something indeterminate or out of balance (i.e. a problem) with subsequent analysis of relevant elements resulting in adjustment to restore balance (Larry A. Hickman, 1997) is the core element of IB PYP methodology as “an authentic way” for students to make meaning with the world around them (IBO, 2018, p. 40). The attribute of IB learner profile - inquirers also involves nurturing inherent curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and sustaining love for learning (IBO, 2018) . In his notion about reflection in experience, he emphasized the importance of thought or reflection in making meaning from experience ( Dewey, 1938, p.66), which is reflected in the attribute of LP -reflective.
He believes the learning process is how students relate the new knowledge with prior experiences (Talebi, 2015, p. 5) and thus co-construct new learning through social intercourse instituted in school (Dewey, 1938, p.12). The learning in early years of PYP is also featured with play co-constructed between students and teachers (IBO, The Learner, p.11), and “students co-construct knowledge with peers and teachers in a social-constructivist environment” (IBO, The Learner, p. 29).
References:
IBO, 2018, PYP Leaning and Teaching
IBO, 2018, PYP The Learner
John Dewey, 1938, Experience and Education
https://www.schoolofeducators.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/EXPERIENCE-EDUCATION-JOHN-DEWEY.pdf
Larry A. Hickman, 1997, Inquiry: A Core Concept of John Dewey’s Philosophy
https://secularhumanism.org/1997/03/inquiry-a-core-concept-of-john-deweys-philosophy/
Talebi, K. (2015, September). John Dewey- philosopher and educational reformer. European Journal of Educational Studies
7(1). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED564712.pdf
- IB PYP and Montessori
As an established philosophy for preschool and primary education, Montessori fouses on developing students who are capable, accountable, knowledgeable people who have the strong sense of self they will need to thrive in the real world. One of its key elements is child control, whose echo can be found in IB’s agency and self-efficacy, but the difference is the roles of teachers in the two systems, where Montessori tends to downplay teachers’ guidance while IB emphasizes the cooperative learning between teachers and students with more positive outcomes since relationship plays a crucial part in the effectiveness of learning.
The five great stories in elementary Montessori can be integrated into the IB PYP's transdisciplinary framework featured with the six transdisciplnary themes.
References:
American Montessori Society, The eight major principles of Montessori
https://amshq.org/Families/Why-Choose-Montessori
Cornerstone Montessori Elementary School, Five Great Stories of Montessori
https://www.cornerstone-elementary.org/elementary
IBO, 2018, PYP Learning and Teaching
- IB PYP and Reggio Emilia
https://thereggioapproach.weebly.com/reggio-philosophy-and-principles.html
John Dewey’s approach to inquire about open-ended materials through joint learning in a community of learners can also be found in Reggio Emilia principle (Edwards, Gandini, Forman, 1998, p.185). According to Arleen (Dodd-Nufrio, 2017), Reggio Emilia educators found inspiring many of the basic ideas that originated in the United States. Valentine (1999) further connected *Dewey’s influence with the classrooms and community of Reggio Emilia.
Problem-based learning is also a well-known Reggio Emilia approach that is actually Dewey-inspired, for the approach’s definition that through the facility of “project work, peer collaboration, social intimacy, assuming responsibility, and self-documentation of their own learning process”, children “co-construct and negotiate knowledge” (Cockrell et al, 2000, pp. 347-363).
Reference:
Arleen Theresa Dodd-Nufrio, 2017, Reggio Emilia, Maria Montessori, and John Dewey: Dispelling Teachers’ Misconceptions and Understanding Theoretical Foundations
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10643-011-0451-3
Carolyn Edwards, Lella Gandini, George Forman，1998, The Hundred Languages of Children
Christina Shala, 2019, A Reggio-inspired Approach to the IB's Primary Years Programme
https://shala-books.com/education-blog/a-reggio-inspired-approach-to-the-ibs-primary-years-programme
Cockrell, K.S., Hughes Caplow, J.A., & Donaldson, J.F. 2000, p. 347-363. A context for learning: collaborative groups in the problem-based learning environment. The review of higher education. 23(3).
Valentine, M. 1999, The Reggio Emilia approach to early years education
- EYFS in Montessori Setting
- EYFS Reforms- Creating a Balance between Montessori and Reggio Emilia
EYFS practitioners are expected to use children's interests to ignite learning so children feel valued, confident and motivated to learn.
Like Reggio and Montessori, Development Matters supports the idea that children must learn at their own pace. The document is split into age ranges that are less specific than before and practitioners are expected to support a child wherever they are in their learning rather than moving them on before they are ready.
EYFS: 4 Characteristics of Effective Learning and 7 Areas of Learning and Development (revised 2021)
Adapted from https://birthto5matters.org.uk/overview-characteristics-of-effective-learning-and-areas-of-learning-and-development/ and
- IB Approaches to Learning
References:
Claire Hewson, 2021, EYFS Reforms- Creating a Balance
https://www.earlyyearseducator.co.uk/features/article/eyfs-reforms-creating-a-balance
Gumiko Monobe, Martha Lash, 2016, Seven Wonders of the Early Childhood World, Childhood Education
https://www.academia.edu/25559536/Childhood_Education_Seven_Wonders_of_the_Early_Childhood_World
- Cambridge Learner and Approaches to Teaching
According to my instructor of the introductory course for Cambridge Assessment International Education Primary English, UK is trying to move away from high-stake tests that have been widening the achievement gap between low-achievers and high-achievers. I believe from the course material, IB principles have been serving as an illumination for the educatinal reform in UK.
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