A Question to Ponder…
Who is your educational guru? This is a question that crosses the minds of all educators at some point throughout their career. I have thought about this question many times since first coming into the education department at Millersville, and I have realized that there are many people who come to mind when I think of those who inspire me in the field of education. There are teachers from my past, professors, cooperating teachers, and many others. However, there is just one person, who I know personally, that I would consider my educational guru.
Who is it?
For privacy reasons, I will call them Susan*.
I began working with Susan almost two years ago at a daycare. When I first started working there, everything was new to me and I had to learn many things. I would float from room to room to gain experience and knowledge of each classroom and the children, but one room made me very uncomfortable to be in: The Pre-K room. Now, believe it or not, it wasn’t the lack-of-knowing that made me uncomfortable, but the teacher that was in there. Susan had been a teacher in this Pre-K classroom for many years and was very knowledgeable about her job. It was intimidating to be in a room where I felt that I couldn’t be of any help because this teacher knew what they were doing better than I did, and were obviously more experienced than me. Over time, I became more comfortable with the Pre-K children and their routine, but I still felt a bit intimidated by Susan.
One day I realized that Susan actually had full trust in my teaching capabilities. I realized that I had no reason to feel intimidated by her. If there was anybody in that building willing to help and teach you to be the best teacher you can be, it was Susan. She is someone who is dedicated to their students, dedicated to keeping themselves educated, and dedicated to helping others. Susan is my educational guru because she has (knowingly and unknowingly) taught me so much about teaching and continue to do so today. I look up to her and write down every technique and strategy that she uses for everything. She is extremely knowledgeable in many topics, and includes this knowledge in the classroom to teach her students about things they may not learn in a regular classroom. I have personally learned many “engagement” strategies from her, and it has benefitted my teaching in many ways. Whenever I feel a slump in our day, I just use some of the strategies I learned from her to perk up and engage all of the students.
Teaching Approaches and Strategies
Susan tends to follow a more holistic and natural approach to education. This type of teaching was brought to light by Maria Montessori. Montessori believed that children are individuals and are not “one size fits all” when it comes to learning. Interaction and exploring is widely used in a Montessori education, and Susan tends to use lots of interaction and exploring in the classroom. She doesn’t have the students sitting at a desk or on the carpet for long periods of time. Instead, they are up and moving around through different centers, exploring new things, and interacting with their peers while doing so.
Along with the approaches brought on by Maria Montessori, Susan also teaches through play. This type of teaching technique was brought to light by Jean Piaget when he observed his own children playing. He realized that play provides a relaxing environment where learning takes place in the play. Susan uses many play-based learning activities with the children that allows them to have fun and communicate with their peers, and to learn through group or solo play. This type of approach is great for students who struggle with sitting and focusing for too long. Allowing them to be up, moving, and engaged is an excellent way for them to learn in a different way.
To Wrap it Up
Without the experience that I’ve had, and continue to have at this daycare with Susan, I would not be able to grow as an educator. She has inspired me, encouraged me, and even taught me more things than some of my professors have (just kidding… maybe). Susan is my educational guru and I hope one day I can use what I have learned from her in my own classroom.
To learn more about Maria Montessori and Jean Piaget’s Educational philosophies, click the pages below.
What is the Maria Montessori Philosophy of Education? – DigiNo
Maria Montessori philosophy of education is applied to classrooms across the world, but what exactly does it entail?
Jean Piaget: Theory of Play | What is Psychology?
Jean Piaget was a highly influential Swiss biologist and psychologist who developed a controversial model of child development and learning-Jean Piaget Theory of Play-based on careful observations of