After my recent studies of the different philosophies of education, I have come to the conclusion that I may be a bit eclectic in my own personal philosophies of education. While I tend to lean toward the views of the essentialists, agreeing wholeheartedly that students must learn skills necessary to live well in our society, I also side with the progressivists in seeing the importance of educating the whole child. Let us teach them to read and write well , to understand math and the sciences that are so critical in today's world, but let us also show them the importance of problem solving and how to deal effectively with others.
Children are different.
They come from different backgrounds and live in different circumstances. They learn in different ways. Some learn by doing, others by seeing how things are done, and still others can fully grasp a concept simply by discussing it. There are so many ways to tap into a child's interests in learning. To do this we must be effective teachers.