Introduction
Education is a complex process that goes beyond giving instructions and teaching. Educators have an essential role in establishing a child’s desire to learn and acquire information. Moreover, they play a significant role in constructing the basic principles of democracy, freedom, and equality.
However, various opinions exist concerning the role of education and educators, generating debates on the subject’s philosophy. Existing literature highlights multiple approaches that can be applied to child development and teaching. Locke, Dewey, and Montessori are four philosophers with contrasting views on the traditions, aims, and tools for educating the younger generation. In this paper, the role of teachers will be examined based on the existing literature reflecting on debates of various theories and frameworks. Examining research will illustrate the complexity of the methodologies concerning teaching as well as the perspectives on the topic.
Research Aims
The research aims to determine existing theories in regard to the role of educators in child development. Namely, the objective is to acquire relevant information on opposing evidence-based ideas developed by philosophers on the topic. For example, there is a debate on whether teachers are to promote skill-based instruction or encourage academic literacy as a primary objective (Hallett, 2021). Such contrasting points can be highlighted from the philosophical perspective that is highlighted in existing research papers and articles. Thus, the goal is to become familiar with the role of educators concerning the existing viewpoints reflected upon by philosophers and individuals directly involved in the segment.
Methodology
In order for the information to be valid and reliable, a search strategy is developed. Namely, the journals that are selected for the assessment are to be scholarly and reputable. The following databases are included:
- Research Gate. “An essay: John Locke’s views on education.”
- SAGE. “Development of John Dewey’s educational philosophy and its implications for children’s education.”
- Taylor & Francis. “Vygotsky, Education, and Teacher Education” and “Dewey’s education through occupations as being-doing-knowing: An introduction to teacher planning with Creative Learning Units.”
- Frontiers. “An association between Montessori education in childhood and adult well-being.”
Several inclusion and exclusion criteria are applied when selecting content. Articles that have been peer-reviewed, published within the last five years, and included in reputable journals are prioritized. Articles and research pieces that are excluded are those published before the aforementioned timespan and without a peer-reviewed title. As a result, older information that may have been contradicted in later publications, as well as unreliable or invalid findings, are omitted.
Findings of Literature Review
The literature review has generated findings correlating with the debates on the role of education and, as a result, educators in child development. Namely, three thematical approaches were assessed based on how they are covered in relevant studies and reports. The theoretical perspectives of Locke, Dewey, and Montessori were exemplified in the relevant literature, and findings were highlighted as a result of said search.
John Locke
John Locke’s theory is based on the notion that the role of the educator is linked to shaping the personality, values, and character of the child (Nacua et al., 2020). The philosopher argued that teachers are not merely sharing information but have a major impact on how the child develops to see and interact with the world. Thus, the educator is essential in highlighting the difference between the good and the bad and encouraging the student to choose the good when operating or making a decision.
The debate that will be further developed is the role of discipline and the ways in which it is used. Namely, Locke emphasized the importance of discipline as a tool educators are to apply to achieve the desired outcome when it comes to interacting with the students (Nacua et al., 2020). Other educators, however, highlighted the importance of other elements besides the importance of overcoming desire through logic and being disciplined in the direct sense that Locke uses.
John Dewey
John Dewey has developed another tradition that correlates with the role of educators. Dewey was a proponent of the idea that educators must encourage democratic views through the establishment of democratic classrooms. For example, they have to integrate discussions about social issues within the course material (Ye & Shih, 2021). This is a tradition that is highlighted as essential in creating important conversations linked to relevant social phenomena and issues.
Furthermore, the philosopher contributed to the debate about whether teachers should focus on knowledge or imagination and creativity. Dewey believed that educators have to allow children to learn and develop through occupations (Quay et al., 2022). This implies that students find their preferred actions and subjects by interacting with different objects and directly being involved in physical processes such as games and group activities. Educators, on the other hand, learn alongside students and have the role of supervisors or moderators. An unexpected finding correlates with Dewey’s belief that the objects and tools educators might use in different scenarios do not necessarily need to be used as intended, and children can use their creativity to apply said objects in contrasting scenarios.
Maria Montessori
Last but not least, the literature illustrates Montessori’s addition to the debate on the role of educators. Maria Montessori, in contrast to the theories developed by the previously mentioned philosophers, believes the educator’s main role is finding an individual approach to every single student (Lillard et al., 2021). Literature highlights that the approach is based on the idea that children learn through experience rather than studying (Courtier et al., 2021). Thus, teachers are to establish multiple practical experiences that align with the preferences of each child to encourage and motivate the desire to acquire new knowledge.
Conclusion
The literature has highlighted three theoretical frameworks that contribute to the debate on educators’ roles in child development. Locke, Dewey, and Montessori agree on the vitality of creating an experience rather than solely sharing information, but the philosophers differ in their approaches. Locke highlights the importance of discipline and teaching to overcome desire, Dewey illustrates the significance of creating a democratic classroom, and Montessori emphasizes the focus on individuality. All approaches can be implemented in classroom activities by educators, yet they correlate with different implications. A recommendation generates a complex approach encompassing all three theories.
Reference List
Courtier, P. et al. (2021) ‘Effects of Montessori education on the academic, cognitive, and social development of disadvantaged preschoolers: A randomized controlled study in the French public‐school system’, Child Development, 92(5), pp. 2069–2088. Web.
Hallett, F. (2021) ‘Contradictory perspectives on academic support: Beyond linear logic’, Frontiers in Education, 6. Web.
Lillard, A.S. et al. (2021) ‘An association between Montessori education in childhood and adult wellbeing’, Frontiers in Psychology, 12. Web.
Nacua, A.E. et al. (2020) ‘An essay: John Locke’s views on Education’, GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 5(3), pp. 098–100. Web.
Quay, J. et al. (2022) ‘Dewey’s education through occupations as being-doing-knowing: An introduction to teacher planning with Creative Learning Units’, Journal of Curriculum Studies, 54(5), pp. 632–646. Web.
Ye, Y. H. and Shih, Y. H. (2021) ‘Development of John Dewey’s educational philosophy and its implications for children’s education’, Policy Futures in Education, 19(8), pp. 877–890. Web.