Assignment task 1:
Respond to at least two of your peers' posts on why you agree and then focus on quality over quantity. In your response, respectfully provide further suggestions on how each peer can organize or further develop their philosophy statement. Finally, provide further reasons why having a well-written philosophy of education is important. (A Minimum of 200 words)
Discussion 1 (Roberta):
Specific strategies used to incorporate social justice into teaching practices:
- Create an inclusive learning environment- In early childhood education, it is essential to create an equal and accessible learning experience for all children, regardless of their abilities or cultural backgrounds. By doing so, educators can build trusting relationships by getting to know the students as individuals rather than just learners.
- Understanding cultural differences-An inclusive learning environment includes culturally diverse students. It is crucial for students to self-discover their culture while also learning to accept and embrace other cultures. Educators can foster cultural differences by celebrating traditional holidays and birthdays, encouraging families to participate in reading stories, and creating posters of cultural murals.
- Fostering open communication-Early learners have a voice that needs to be heard and valued. Educators can foster open communication by creating a welcoming classroom environment and engaging in meaningful conversations. Students must be expressive and active listeners, able to listen to their peers and adults with an understanding of others' feelings.
- Support language development-A language-rich environment fosters open communication and a sense of belonging. Language support builds self-esteem and confidence to engage actively with peers and adults. Educators can promote and scaffold the linguistics of culturally diverse children by providing visual aids such as objects they connect with in real life. Displaying pictures can also help children follow instructions and understand routines.
- Understanding individual learning styles-Educators must recognize that students come from diverse backgrounds. Therefore, they have different ways of learning and processing information. Educators should get to know the students on a personal level. This will allow educators to learn about their culture and learning abilities. Through observations, educators can modify the pedagogy according to the individual learning abilities, such as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners.
- Summation: Developmental Stage and Strategy Implementation
As an early childhood leader and educator, I plan to implement these strategies with children ages 3-5. During this developmental period, cultural relevance and inclusivity are critical to the intellectual development of young learners. According to the developmental milestones chart, children ages 3-7 should be developmentally able to discover the world around them through imaginative play and role play. I will scaffold their developmental and intellectual growth by creating an inclusive learning environment to support all learning abilities. Each learning area would consist of materials to enhance fine and gross motor development, books, and audio devices to support language development. I encourage respect for others by recognizing and accepting diversity, allowing them to thrive as individual learners and deal with real-world experiences.
Reference:
Krauss, S. M., & Herrera, M. S. (2023). Whole child, whole life: 10 ways to help kids live, learn, and thrive. Corwin Press.
Assignment task 2:
Respond to at least two of your peers' posts on why you agree and then focus on quality over quantity. In your response, respectfully provide further suggestions on how each peer can organize or further develop their philosophy statement. Finally, provide further reasons why having a well-written philosophy of education is important. (A Minimum of 200 words)
Discussion 2 (Susan):
Specific Strategies - Social Justice
Ways to Include Social Justice in Education
Education Free from Prejudice
- Focus on lessons that are aware of different cultures and free from bias.
- Show respect for both personal and group backgrounds.
Encouraging Thoughtful Questions
- Promote students to think critically and ask questions actively.
- Create a classroom where discussing different viewpoints is important.
Environmental Awareness
- Teach about the environment to increase understanding and care for it.
- Tie social justice topics with environmental protection.
Working Together in Class
- Make a classroom where teamwork and respect for each other are important.
- Have students work on projects that need cooperation and group problem-solving.
Lessons Linked to Real Life
- Connect what students learn in class to real-world social justice topics.
- Use recent events and social issues to make learning meaningful and effective.
Diverse Learning Materials
- Create a learning plan that features different people and their ideas.
- Make sure the books and tools used show many different cultures, life stories, and ways of thinking.
Kindness and Understanding
- Help students develop a caring and sympathetic attitude.
- Give students chances to show kindness and be understanding in their daily interactions.
Community Involvement and Support
- Motivate students to take part in activities in their neighborhoods.
- Educate students on how to support causes and how they can help make society better.
Summation:
I intend to teach young children between five and nine years old who are just beginning to think and understand the world around them. To help these kids build defenses against challenging experiences they might face early in life; I will teach them to respect differences to help them feel good about who they are and where they fit in. I will also encourage them to think deeply, making them more curious and able to handle difficulties.
I will work on helping them get along with others and manage their feelings by making our classroom a place where everyone works together. By connecting what they learn to real life and including everyone in our lessons, I will help the children learn to value different people and cultures. This will also help them feel kind and caring, which improves their emotional health. All these methods are meant to make our classroom a welcoming place where the children can feel strong and ready to deal with problems.
References:
Dell'Angelo, T. (2014, September 29). Creating classrooms for social justice. Edutopia.
Krauss, S. M., & Herrera, M. S. (2023). Whole child, whole life: 10 ways to help kids live, learn, and thrive. Corwin Press.