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Educational Philosophies/ |
Example 1 |
| My philosophy of education is rooted in the meaning of the Latin
word educare, from which our English word education is derived. Educare
means ‘to draw out’, in the sense of leading out that
which is innate. It relates to the mental sphere, thus its full meaning
might be taken as ‘to draw out the innate contents of the mind’.
It is surely obvious to anyone that even identical twins can have
widely differing aptitudes and abilities from the earliest age, to
say nothing of brothers and sisters or children from different families.
Therefore, when considering young people as individuals, an education
based on this definition is the only one that makes sense.
In this style of education, the young person is not seen as a blank slate to be written upon with whatever is prescribed by the social order of the day. She is considered to be an active participant in her own course of learning, acting upon and developing her own innate curiosity about the world and her place in it. My primary focus is to enable S to investigate her fields of interest as fully as possible, thus enabling her to discover her innate aptitudes and abilities. These aptitudes and abilities will then form the basis of her education. Personal experience shows that when driven by one’s own interests learning happens almost effortlessly. Many other ‘subjects’ are covered, which may not have been considered in connection with one’s original motivation. My ultimate aim is that S should reach adulthood fully equipped with the skills and flexibility necessary to make her way in a modern society. I do not say here that I undervalue the skills that are valued in today’s society. Obviously, skills like reading, writing and maths are vital for success in day to day life. One of the most important skills to be acquired is that of knowing where to go to find information when required. By allowing S to make her own choices about her education and setting her own goals, she will be developing both self motivation and self reliance. She is free to learn at her own pace, rather than being forced to learn at the pace dictated by a class of 30 other children and the needs of the state education system. She can continue to work at a problem until it is solved to her satisfaction, with one to one support when necessary. S’s education is not divided into separate, compartmentalised areas. I regard all S’s interests and activities as having an educational value, and I am encouraging her to embrace the same view. Life and learning are ongoing and inseparable processes and learning is full-time, in the literal sense of the term. Formal tests are not applicable and I will not be enforcing them. As an observant and interested parent I can easily see whether S is making progress or not and formal testing is simply not necessary to confirm this. Any work S produces is her private property and she is not required to date it or share it with anyone. If she is unhappy with any piece of work she has done, it is up to her whether she keeps it or not. I am not going to create a timetable which would arbitrarily limit the time S could spend on an area of study. When S is ready to think about her future career, she will be encouraged to find out what qualifications (if any) are necessary. If she decides to go into higher education, again she will be encouraged to ascertain the necessary requirements. I will then contact the relevant examining boards to find out about the requirements for independent candidates. The resources available to S include but are not limited to; computer with internet access and interest specific software; the library; a wide range of books; TV programmes; audio equipment; visits and outings that support her interests; continuous support and positive interest and encouragement from me. S socialises with other adults and young people as a part of everyday life without the artificial divisions created by the school environment. She continues to see friends from school, and has already made new friends from the home educating community. I am a member of Education Otherwise and in regular contact with other home educators via telephone, visits and the internet. |
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