Understanding Preschool Teaching Philosophies

Understanding preschool teaching philosophies can seem daunting. They are all focused on respecting the child and what is developmentally appropriate for them though. No two philosophies are the same, but there are quite a few repeating themes throughout many of them.

HIGHSCOPE

HighScope is a research based and child focused method of teaching young children with a plan-do-review process. It was created through the Perry Preschool Study in 1962. It is rooted in the philosophy of “active participatory learning”.

Teachers are supportive of children’s learning, but it is the students right to choose what materials they will engage with. The plan-do-review process allows children to make decisions about what they will do and then emphasizes self reflection afterward. The teachers who use HighScope collaborate with their students to share in the planning process to encourage problem solving and critical thinking skills.

MONTESSORI

The Montessori teaching philosophy is based on Maria Montessori’s idea of the development of the child’s potential and a deep respect for children. It is a truly unique approach to education.

When you are in a Montessori classroom the teacher is not the focus. Instead, the teacher is more of a quiet observer, guide, and assistant as needed. In fact, in Montessori schools the teacher is actually referred to as a guide. The guide introduces the children to activities, and is there to guide the children through discovery. It is ultimately up to the child how their exploration progresses though.

Children in Montessori classrooms are free to explore their environment, as long as they respect the boundaries previously set by the guide. The Montessori approach is very much experience based and self-paced. Montessori guides use observations of their students to create opportunities that build on their skills and their sense of independence. This exploration is completely child-led though and because

Montessori classrooms have a mixed age group the children are able to learn from each other through collaborative play. All of this is to work towards the ultimate goal of empowering the children and to ensure a strong sense of independence.

PARENT CO-OP

Parent co-ops, or parent cooperative preschools, are a lot like any other preschool children might attend. There is one major difference though. Parent involvement is not just encouraged, it is required. Typically, parents are expected to actively participate in the classroom at least once a month. Some co-ops even require parents to be in the classroom as often as once a week.

This level of parent involvement helps provide a high quality early education to young children by allowing children to learn through their natural interactions with their peers and adults. These interactions provide ample opportunities for scaffolding children through their play experiences to support their social/emotional and cognitive skills.

PLAY-BASED

Young children, and probably adults too, learn best through play. It is the hands-on experience that makes it real for the children. Naturally, when a child is able to relate to and engage with something they are far more likely to absorb it. There is a lot of intentional planning put into preparing the environment and play experiences for the children in play-based preschools.

Intentionality is something that experienced teachers of play-based programs focus on throughout their planning process. Everything about the classroom environment is intentionally planned to set the children up for success. Then, the teachers put out open-ended invitations to play for their preschoolers to explore. They do this without giving any explanation to their preschoolers or any expectations as to how they will engage with the materials. This is why you do not see crafts or process art in true play-based classrooms.

Through this exploration and freedom to truly play children build their skills in all areas of development. The teacher is there to facilitate play and scaffold.

REGGIO EMILIA

The Reggio Emilia philosophy, originating in Northern Italy, is a child centered and child directed approach with a strong belief that learning must be meaningful to children. Meaning that they must have a connection to it and be able to relate to what is being taught.

Teachers using the Reggio approach use observations to direct their next steps in facilitating their preschoolers’ learning. They use these observations, and their conversations with their preschoolers, to gain an understanding of their interests in order to inform their curriculum planning.

In the Reggio approach, teachers collaborate with their students in order to use an emergent curriculum that promotes inquiry. The learning that happens is completely individualized as it is based on the child’s interests and strengths. There is a strong emphasis on the importance of experiential learning and projects are created by following the child’s interests, ideas, and experiences.

WALDORF

The Waldorf philosophy and method of teaching comes from Rudolph Steiner’s approach to meeting the developmental needs of the whole child. This means the body, mind, and spirit. For those who follow the Waldorf philosophy it is not just an approach to education though, but a way of life. Education does not begin or end, but is a lifelong journey.

The Waldorf philosophy recognizes that children go through different stages of development and create opportunities that are developmentally appropriate for those stages. A Waldorf education is very hands-on and practical in nature. All of the children learn how to grow their own food, how to sew and knit, and how to care for animals.

It is a non academic preschool environment. The teachers do not teach the alphabet, numbers, math, or reading. Instead, they teach with an emphasis on storytelling, songs, poems, and rhymes in order to build a foundation of comprehension.

With storytelling, a child can pull something new from the stories each time they are told, which is why in Waldorf schools they repeat the same stories for weeks at a time. Storytelling, instead of reading, also gives a greater emotional connection to what is being taught through the stories. Using storytelling also builds vocabulary and pre math and pre reading skills.

Waldorf schools are also unique in that they limit technology uses. They limit it so much that there is no technology used through grade eight. Parents are also encouraged to follow this at home as well. This lack of technology in the schools keeps the children open to real social interactions.

As you can see, there are a lot of different preschool philosophies. They all look a bit different when implemented in classrooms. However, they are all rooted in the desire to meet children where they are and lead them through learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate.