What Is Progressivism And Constructivism?

When the word philosophy is mentioned, we often think of the three Greek philosophers, Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato; each constructed their own philosophies on life and learning. These philosophies left an impression on education in the ways teachers reach students. An effective teacher builds a philosophy on how to teach and how students will learn to their fullest potential. From the moment you enter my classroom, it’s apparent how the environment centers on the students. From the furniture, to the interactive bulletin boards, the students’ surroundings support learning. Two educational philosophies I model my beliefs and teachings from are: progressivism and constructivism; both student- based theories. Also, I base my philosophy from

111). Evidence of this theory is found within the Montessori practices where children problem solve through reason. Maria Montessori (19870-1952) was an educational philosopher who’s well known for her contributions, such as child-sized furniture and specially designed learning materials. The American Montessori Society explains the Montessori approach, “ The teacher, child, and environment create a learning triangle” (amshq.org). Today, you can visit Montessori schools and witness her theories first-hand. The student guides himself or herself through an activity, while a teacher monitors their learning through modeling and observations. The classroom design welcomes children to explore in centers such as science, sensory play, and writing. Present materials and tools in centers allow children to explore and create. Children should actively engage in their schoolwork through problem solving experiences. Their classroom environment should not only meet the needs of the students, but engaging in their own learning. I present hands-on materials such as fine motor toys (manipulatives), puzzles and science experiments. The philosophy of progressivism aligns with Maria’s beliefs by presenting the children with a problem and then