Introduction to Contexts of Learning 'Reflective Blog'

This reflective blog will explore contexts of learning that have been studied by the Education Studies, first year students at Swansea Metropolitan University (SMU) between September and December 2013.  The four contexts that these reflective posts will focus on are the Montessori method pioneered by Maria Montessori in the early 1900's, Summerhill 'free' Schools established by A.S. Neill, Forest Schools which encourage outdoor learning in the Early Years and finally philosophical thinking in children.  Throughout this assignment the following labels have been used to guide the reader through the posts with ease: Assignment, Caroline, Contexts of Learning and Reflective Blog.
 

Summerhill School

Summerhill School, as documented in the YouTube clip above, is unlike any other school in the world.  In 1921, Suffolk England, A.S. Neill created a school where children are in charge of their own learning. Whether they want to play outside, attend a lesson, sit in the library and read or even write on the graffiti wall, it is their choice.  There are lessons available for pupils to attend should they so wish.  Likewise at school leavers age it is the pupils decision as to whether they sit final examinations.  Many students opt to take GCSEs at this point (Summerhill, 2012)

As pupil, James Friis-Lawrence said in the documentary; of course children want to play, however at some point they all realise that something is missing.  That missing element is learning, reading and writing, all of which can be just as exciting as playing outside.

Pupils of Summerhill live at the school during term times, they do not have anyone to tidy up after them, this is their responsibility, although they are not forced to do so (Neill, 1960).  Although it is a ‘free school’ it is not without rules; there are over 150 rules at the school derived collaboratively from what pupils, teachers and parents believe the school should look like (Summerhill, 2012).  Following the death of A.S. Neill in 1973 his daughter, Zoe Redhead became Principal of the school enabling her to continue her father’s work, started over 80 years ago.

Over the years the school has received its fair share of negative press for being ‘too free’ and for their non-conformation to the way society views education.  The most high profile incident taking place in 2000 when the Labour government and Ofsted fought for the closure of the school; the legal dispute was resolved in the schools favour following a High Court ruling (BBC News, 2000).

All things considered, Summerhill School clearly works as a context of learning.  Looking at the school’s alumni it is evident that they have produced a multitude of brilliant minds who have proved successful in their various fields over the years.  Professors, doctors, actresses, artists and authors are amongst the esteemed graduates.

References

Neill, A., 1960. Summerhill: A Radical Approach to Child Rearing. New York: Hart Publishing Co..

Summerhill. 2012. [Film] Directed by Arvind Gupta. s.l.: YouTube.

The Independent, 2011. Summerhill Alumni: 'What we learnt at the school for scandal'. [Online]
Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/schools/summerhill-alumni-what-we-learnt-at-the-school-for-scandal-2373066.html [Accessed 08 January 2014].

Google Images, 2014.  Rebecca De Mornay. [Online] Available at: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=rebecca+de+mornay&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=_cTPUpWkEMaRhQeP_4C4DA&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=673#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=T2L9GcTZ2GmvyM%253A%3BAaKLPN7T1-qCpM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.palzoo.net%252Ffile%252Fpic%252Fuser%252FRebeccaDeMornay.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.palzoo.net%252FRebeccaDeMornay%3B399%3B610  [Accessed 10 January 2014]

Google Images, 2014.  Storm Thorgerson. [Online] Available at: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=rebecca+de+mornay&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=_cTPUpWkEMaRhQeP_4C4DA&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=673#q=storm+thorgerson&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=rpDjsSa4eZcTDM%253A%3ByLYhSFQq3hNixM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fshockthebadger.co.uk%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2013%252F04%252FStorm-Thorgerson.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fshockthebadger.co.uk%252Fstorm-thorgerson-1944-2013%252F%3B470%3B312 [Accessed 10 January 2014]

Google Images, 2014.  John Burningham. [Online] Available at: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=John+Burningham%E3%80%80&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=McfPUqK0MJTB7AaB_oD4DA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=673#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=i2Eb3CfNkt4krM%253A%3B49ANa8jNPnkZDM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.walker.co.uk%252Fwalkerdam%252Fgetimage.aspx%25253Fclass%25253Dperson%252526id%25253D1656%252526size%25253Dpowerpoint%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.walker.co.uk%252Fcontributors%252FJohn-Burningham-1656.aspx%3B268%3B380 [Accessed 10 January 2014]

BBC News, 2000. Summerhill closure threat lifted. [Online] Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/688152.stm [Accessed 10 January 2014]

Philosophical Thinking in Children

Philosophical thinking in children is about enabling pupils to think for themselves, think about what they are being taught and the world around them and question it rather than blindly accepting it.  If we want our children to truly lean they must adapt the ability to explore deeper meaning.  By questioning what they learn they will gain a greater understanding of a subject. 

With regards to philosophy for children, it is not suggested that they study the life work of great philosophers; the focus is on questioning, reasoning, thinking for themselves and developing debating skills.

In the short clip below, Doctor Sara Goering explains that there are three key learning outcomes derived from philosophy in children:

• Cognitive Thinking enabling our children to think critically about a topic and build a valid argument for or against it.  Evaluate a situation using logic enabling pupils to respond articulately to objections of their peers by using creative counter examples.
• Behavioural Skills which enables children to hold conversations with fellow pupils by listening to others and responding either in agreement or disagreement without conflict.
• Philosophical Awareness.  Our children will understand what a philosophical question is and how to answer it.  Knowing they can work through the difficult philosophical questions and expand on them they are able to use this in other areas of their education enabling them to go into depth when it comes to answering exam questions.

Philosophy without doubt has a place in the education system, although I am unconvinced that Philosophy, as a subject, should justify space within the timetabled day.  The skills and thought process should be encouraged throughout the national curriculum.  Pupils should most definitely be taught to think for themselves rather than taking what they are being taught as gospel.  When answering questions in lessons all pupils should be asked to expand and explain why they believe that is the correct answer, allowing others to convey their counter arguments.

References

Cam, P., 1995.  Thinking Together: Philosophical Inquiry for the Classroom. Marrickville. Southwood Press Pty Limited.
Fisher, R., 2008.  Teaching Thinking: Philosophical Enquiry in the Classroom Third Edition.  London.  Continuum International Publishing Group.

Forest Schools

The following film gives an insight to Forest Schools, explaining the importance of outdoor learning for children in the Early Years.  There are many reasons why Surrey Council, as well as other areas throughout the world, believe that outdoor learning has such a huge importance to the development of young children.  It is suggested that Forest Schools provide pupils with a variety of life skills that they would not gain through a structured lesson in a classroom.  You will see in the short clip how children are given responsibilities beyond their years, for example using work tools like knives to whittle and hack saws to cut branches.  Tools that ordinarily, we may view as too dangerous for children of such a tender age; the difference is, these children are being taught the hazards of the tools whilst simultaneously learning how to safely use them within the environment and gaining life skills in the process; building fires, whittling, making camp etc.  These skills can be linked to the national curriculum where appropriate.  The teacher may ask the children what is need to fire to make the fire that they are building; heat, oxygen and fuel.



 

 

 

This style of learning encourages pupils to think for themselves, explore what is around them and use their initiative rather than being influenced in what they should learn.  The teachers and Forest School Leaders are there to support, encourage and supervise what the children are doing as well as demonstrating safe use of the tools and environment. 

 

 

If they are conducted in the correct manner there is definitely a place in Early Years education for Forest Schools, perhaps beyond.  In my opinion, the way Stroud School conduct their outdoor learning goes against the main principle of Forest School; the pupils are not using their initiatives, on the contrary, they are guided towards the way they should play.  This is evident in this video clip; they instruct the children to start a band using the natural materials around them. The main reason for removing children from a classroom is to enable them to structure their own learning, not to be set a lesson plan as they would in a conventional learning environment.  For Forest Schools to make an impact in the child's curriculum they must be encouraged to think for themselves and learn from their surroundings with minimal input from the teacher.  

The Montessori Method

 

Maria Montessori, a trained doctor from Anacona, Italy, pioneered a new approach to the way children were taught, giving them the freedom to take responsibility for their education and enabling them to choose which activities they would like to work on each day.  The first Montessori Children’s House was established on 6^th January 1907, when Montessori was invited to set up an educational institution for the children of a newly build housing estate in a slum district of Rome.  The basis of the Montessori approach was to provide children with a safe environment whereby each child was nurtured so they could achieve their full potential.  The theory was that children were active learners; give them a favourable environment and they will want to learn.  The new approach to education was developed using her medical background as well as knowledge in the fields of anthropology and pedagogy (Isaacs, 2012).  The structure of the Montessori approach follows the principles that children can and will learn without fancy technology, they can learn from what is around them.   When teaching children about the difference between hot and cold, it is more effective to use experience; taking the children outside from the warm, into the cold will demonstrate the temperature fluctuation.  Whilst out there the pupils can learn other lessons from their environment, if it has snowed then they can learn about the structural forms of water; the initial snow that they see, take it inside and it will melt and turn to water, put the water into the freezer and they will learn that the water doesn’t return to its original snow form, instead it creates ice.  They will have learnt all of these things by simply using their surroundings (Montessori, 1965).

Although the Montessori method does not follow the traditional structures of learning that we would normally recognise there is an impressive list of Montessori educated success stories that would support the effectiveness of the education method; including: 

 

(MariaMontessori.com, 2014)

As with any other education system, there are some Montessori schools that have their shortcomings.  In 2013 Discovery New School, Crawley was threatened with closure following an inspection that highlighted its many shortcomings.  The school are currently in talks with consultants to improve their failings, however the future of the school is still very much unknown (BBC News, 2013).

 

References

BBC News, 2013. Discovery New School action plan after closure threat. [Online]
Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25323625
[Accessed 09 January 2014].

Isaacs, B., 2012. Understanding Montessori Approach. Oxon: Routledge.

MariaMontessori.com, 2014. Montessori Graduates. [Online]
Available at: http://mariamontessori.com/mm/?page_id=571
[Accessed 09 January 2014].

Montessori, M., 1965. Spontaneous Activity in Education: The Advanced Montessori Approach. United States of America: Shocken Books Inc..