Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori was born on August 31, 1870 and died on May 6, 1952. She was a physician and an educator, and she was best known for her educational method which bears her name. There are schools called Montessori schools which focus specifically on young students and how they can learn in the best ways possible. She focused on students maturity and readiness to learn particular skills and certain ages. Using these findings she developed her teaching methods and used materials designed to help children discover new things. I chose her because I think she was really amazing, especially for her time. She thought about every one's abilities and gave everyone a chance to learn. That's the kind of educator I would want to be if I decide I want to teach. I would never give up on anyone, and I would look for new ways for everyone to get the most out of their education. She is inspirational and I hope, whether I am a teacher or not, that I always remember that people learn differently and it could change their life if you have the patience to figure out what is best for them.




Where I got my information:-Education and the Practice and Profession of Teaching by McNergney
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Montessori

Should Parents with Disabilities have Special Rights?

Absolutely. Parents who have disabilities should be accommodated for when it comes to the education of their children. If they want to participate in the education activities that goes on at their child's school, that is a great thing and should be something they can take full advantage of. In Rothschild v. Grottenhaler (1990), the United States Court of Appeals ruled that a public school system receiving federal financial assistance is obligated to provide a sign language interpreter, at the school district's expense. This provides the most fair and proper opportunities for a parent. If the parents had to pay for these accommodations themselves, then it would be unfair because they should be able to have the same rights as everyone else. How could someone deny a parent the right to participate in activities related to their children's education? Some parents just don't care or do not want to put in that extra effort; so any parent that does want to be involved should be able to no matter what the situation is.

Will Children Be More Engaged in a Classroom If They Feel Emotionally and Physically Safe?

Classrooms should seek to make childen feel comfortable, safe, significant and cared about. These feelings are made by both the teacher and other children. But do children actually engage in discussions and other work more when they are comfortable? I couldn't find any information that did not support this idea. It would be a nit absurd to think that a child would share honest thoughts and opinions when they are uncomfortable. The best environment is created by teachers and students together. They can create a "community of conscience." I have always been a person that thinks deeply about pretty much everything and in doing this I have ideas and opinions. I would never share my views in an environment where I don't feel physically and emotionally safe. Having comfort from the teacher and other students creats a warm and safe place that I would be willing to share my opinions in. As a child I had this and always felt cared about. I think that feeling this way is what led me to doing well academically. It causes a person to feel free of stress and judgement so there is more room for positivity.

Humanism

Humanism is a philosophical theory that I agree with. Humanism wants everyone to give and recieve respect and kindness. Although the idea was brought up through religion and continued to grow during different religions periods, I see it as more of an idea that was created by people who had good morals and intentions behind there thoughts and actions. I say that because I do not believe in God, but I do believe that everyone should be a good person and live in a place where all are respected. I like this theory because it believes students can evaluate themselves and do not need judgment from peers or teachers. Students have a lot of stress and anxiety when it comes to the work they are doing, and they usually judge themselves harsh enough that they do not need anyone else to help out with it. If they feel like they are being judged then they may not perform to the best of their ability because their minds are not in the right place. In our text book, it states that, "students' emotional well-being is of critical importance for learning" (Page 122). This is so true! When I was in school, I would not learn  a single thing if I were upset. My mind would be on what was bothering me and nothing else. So being content makes a huge difference and it is nice the humanists recognize that. Learning and emotional well-being hold a great importance that go hand in hand in an educational setting.

Education is like a Rainbow!

I believe that education is like a rainbow. There are different aspects to it that all combine together to make something spectacular. Each color is like a part of education that comes together to make a whole. One color by itself, while still important, does not seem nearly as whole as it would with other colors. That's how education is too. Every part is important, even seperately. But what makes the biggest difference is when it is all together. Another reason that education is like a rainbow is because of the mystery in it all, especially for a child. It makes a person wonder about where it came from, and it causes the imagination to go free! I think that's an important part of education for a child. They can use their imagination to think about how things work. Sometimes they can make up a fantasy story, like the pot of gold at the end of every rainbow; or it could be them thinking about the scientific aspect that caused the rainbow to appear. I think that education is still being figured out and thought about, just as a rainbow is. There are methods that are being tested and used in classrooms and it will continue to be something that is observed forever.