Where are you going?
Are you looking for answers
To questions under the stars? (Matthews, 2002)
First, let me explain where I'm headed on this road trip, or at least where I intend to be. Where am I going? Where is Educare?
I've been looking through online definitions of the word "education" and this definition from Wikipedia is one that I think makes the most meaning for me:
"Education in the largest sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind, character or physical ability of an individual."
The word "education" is derived from the Latin word educare, which means "bring up". This is related to educere "bring out", "bring forth what is within", "bring out potential" and ducere, "to lead".
So that's where I want to be: in a state or place where I can bring out the potential in others, namely my students. Yes, I know it seems like a very broad definition of education but I really do believe that we are all learners and educators.
I think my beliefs about learning lean towards the constructivist theory: that we learn by constructing knowledge and meaning from an interaction between our experiences and ideas. Since everyone goes through different experiences in their lives and we all generate different thoughts and ideas, then it follows on that learning is unique to each individual. I think this relates very much to Article One of Dewey's Pedagogic Creed: that education is life; the experiences that we have starting at birth and that it is the school's role to organise these experiences in a way that is meaningful to the students. (Dewey, 1897)
I'm still learning about how I learn... but I don't think this means that I am not able to teach. Educare is both my journey and destination, through education I am learning about myself, how I learn and how I can bring out the potential in others.
So that's where I want to be: in a state or place where I can bring out the potential in others, namely my students. Yes, I know it seems like a very broad definition of education but I really do believe that we are all learners and educators.
I think my beliefs about learning lean towards the constructivist theory: that we learn by constructing knowledge and meaning from an interaction between our experiences and ideas. Since everyone goes through different experiences in their lives and we all generate different thoughts and ideas, then it follows on that learning is unique to each individual. I think this relates very much to Article One of Dewey's Pedagogic Creed: that education is life; the experiences that we have starting at birth and that it is the school's role to organise these experiences in a way that is meaningful to the students. (Dewey, 1897)
I'm still learning about how I learn... but I don't think this means that I am not able to teach. Educare is both my journey and destination, through education I am learning about myself, how I learn and how I can bring out the potential in others.
Reference List
Dewey, J. (1897). My pedagogic creed. Retrieved October 26, 2010 from http://dewey.pragmatism.org/creed.htm
Education. (2010, November 1). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16:35, October 26 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education
Education. (2010, November 1). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16:35, October 26 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education
Fenwick, T.J. (2000). Constructivism. Retrieved October 26, 2010 from http://methodenpool.uni-koeln.de/situierteslernen/fenwick3.pdf
Matthews, D. J. (2002). Where are you going. [Recorded by Dave Matthews Band]. On Busted stuff [Online video]. California: Recording Plant Studios.
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