EDDN 625
Module 2 Discussion: Introduction
First, introduce yourself on the Discussion Board and write briefly about your experience in Early Childhood Education and Special Education and what you would like to learn from this course.
Second, the reading for this week presents a lot of useful information about early childhood education. Choose 1 fact or takeaway idea from the materials and write about it. Comment on a minimum of twice on a minimum of 2 different days – focus on deepening the conversation by asking a question, for clarification, or reflecting on your experience as it relates to the topic.
Example:
My name is Stephanie Magnus and my experience in Early Childhood Education is minimal. I am a mother of four so I believe that counts since I raised them and contributed to their education at home. I’ve also spent some time volunteering in a Pre-kindergarten class. Some of my children have a learning disability called dysgraphia so I have some experience with special education children but not any in a classroom setting. In this class I would like to further my understanding of young children and the best ways to teach them. I would also like to learn the best way to combat bad behaviors and the most effective way to correct bad behaviors.
Something that I read in Mooneys book “
Theories of childhood, second edition an introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Piaget & Vygotsky. Redleaf Press” and found very interesting was his guidelines for education and what’s considered “miseducation”. I am a big fan of Dewey and found it so interesting to read and learn more about Dewey and how he describes miseducation. In the book it explains what a miseducation classroom would be like. It says “teachers set up the learning environment and then turn children loose to explore without offering any guidance or suggestions, or randomly set up experiences without providing any unifying theme, continuity, or purpose.” Mooney(2013) I agree with Dewey that teachers should have lesson plans set up in these hands-on experiences so they have a purpose. Although I do also believe children need to have their own experiences and sometimes these experiences don’t always need to be planned, sometimes learning experiences that are sporadic or random can also be beneficial to their students. For example in the Pre k class I volunteered in, students had center time where they could go to whatever center they wanted and explore the toys they wanted to. Although there was organization there wasn’t a set way to play or explore and the toys although educational there was no set way to play. I do like the questions Dewey provides for teachers to ask themselves while creating a lesson plan. These questions include, How does this expand on what these children already know? How will this activity help this child grow? What skills are being developed? How will this activity help these children know more about their world? How does this activity prepare these children to live more fully? After asking themselves these questions, the teacher would know if their lesson plans are sufficient in the children’s learning plans. I actually found these questions useful and will be using them in my own lesson plans when I create them for my students.
Questions:
Stephanie Magnus
1. What is something you learned from the reading you will now be implementing in your own teaching style or classroom.
2. What is something you read and found that you currently already do in your own classroom?
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