My Philosophy of Education

Over the years I’ve come to appreciate the magical power of metaphors to promote understanding of otherwise incomprehensible information. In so keeping, I structured the PSY 245, Human Growth and Development, course around the metaphor of a life-long journey. You’re invited to come along with us on our journey, which acquaints you with my philosophy of education specifically applied to PSY 245.

At the outset of our first class meeting we present the class metaphorically as a journey, a life-long journey. We warmly welcome our fellow travelers in our journey and share something of the journey itself (increased understanding, appreciation, and application of life-span development). We share the value in making the journey as we learn more of ourselves (common traits with all mankind, shared familial traits, and unique attributes) and others making the life-span journey.

After sharing about the journey, the participants need to become acquainted with their guide (with a brief introduction of relevant experiences to our journey) and something of the guide’s mindset. Along this line, the guide assumes a personal trainer approach throughout the journey. Specifically, our relationship is a partnership with our sojourners (students) committing to undertake the journey and the guide (instructor) leading and encouraging the sojourners.

Prior to setting out on our journey, we need to make sure everyone is ready to make the journey through team building activities. We share the rationale for engaging in team building activities to promote group cohesiveness, enhance productivity, and increase the likelihood of everyone completing the journey. We engage in team building activities, beginning with a small group ice breaker, followed by introductions to the rest of the sojourners so we can begin to learn the names of all the travelers. Then we present the five randomly assigned learning groups with the Broken Square exercise to promote some understanding of group dynamics. After which, we identify the various task and maintenance roles which promote group functioning, contrasted with the self-serving roles that are detrimental to group functioning. At which point, we express enthusiasm over everyone’s readiness to make the journey followed.

We further define the life-span journey and then identify four distinct trail markers (ages and stages, Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, temperament, and attachment/parenting styles). We briefly discuss each trail marker, each of which we’ll become more familiar with in turn along our journey. We explain that we are structuring our journey (the class) around these four trail markers, each of which essentially serves as a hub with related information being spokes off the respective hubs. We encourage the travelers to know the four trail markers well and then link related information to the associated hub.

Right before concluding our time, we distribute the maps (syllabus) encouraging our fellow travelers to familiarize themselves with the map, take the syllabus quiz, and raise any questions at our next stop along the way (our next class meeting). Finally, we encouraged everyone to begin the journey and we’ll catch up along the trail next week. Prior to our next class meeting, we send an e-mail to the group encouraging them in their journey.