Learning isn’t something that begins when a child enters school and then ends upon graduation of high school or college. Rather, learning is a lifelong process with no end. 

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“There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning"

(J. Krishnamurti, 1976).

     

I have recently had to rethink or reframe my thoughts around learning. As a teacher, I am aware that I’m in a constant state of learning but I haven’t had the passion for learning that I once possessed. As a working mother, life always felt too busy to want to learn more and really enjoy it. I had always loved learning and would read or take online courses in a variety of subjects just for the pure joy of learning. But when I started teaching and my perpetual plate became overly loaded, it extinguished my learners mindset. Now that I have decided and committed myself to obtain my Masters degree, that spark for learning is there and I must now ignite it into a full flame.

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“If you are longing or yearning to change your learner’s world and do more than just prepare them for tests but prepare them to embrace the opportunities of the future then adopting a learner’s mindset is what you need to do” (Harapnuik, 2021).

     

It has been sometime that I had to learn something and really think about how I learn or how I could make my learning more effective. As I reflect on this, my mind jumps back to the late 90’s when I was in college. Times and circumstances were different but I think my way of learning or how I preferred to learn hasn’t changed much. I am still a hands-on learner. I retain information better when I am doing and not just watching or listening. I feel my personal learning strategy falls under Jean Piaget’s Constructivism theory. “According to Piaget (1964), learning is modeling, transforming, and understanding the way in which an object is constructed” (Johassen, 1991).

     

How I learn is influenced by myself and those around me. The prior knowledge and experience I bring to my educational journey impacts how I learn. Teaching isn’t something that is done to me. Rather, I am an active participant in the learning process, engaging with my environment and asking questions. For me reading and writing go hand in hand. When I read a book for educational purposes, I have to write while doing it and this helps me to ask questions about the things I don’t fully comprehend or ideas I want to learn more about. This is also how I participate in my learning when I am listening to lectures or videos.

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“To ask the ‘right’ question is far more important than to receive the answer. The solution of a problem lies in the understanding of the problem; the answer is not outside the problem, it is in the problem” (Krishnamurti, 1971).

     

Another aspect of my learning philosophy and in creating significant learning environments where the student is at the center of the learning is the COVA framework. I have learned and agree that creating these learning environments where students are given choice, ownership, and voice through authentic leaning puts all the pieces of education together.

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"Rather than allow the learning and environment to come together inadvertently and respond reactively to the learning dynamics that arise I suggest that educators become proactive and create significant learning environments that inspire, foster, and facilitates deeper learning" (Harapnuik, 2021).

     

My Innovation Plan for switching out the Leadership Notebooks for ePortfolios would offer the students the opportunity to have their voice heard through the creation of their ePortfolio. It would provide authentic learning experiences through self reflections and connections with their peers.

My belief about the relationship between teaching and learning stems from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and that we have to teach the whole child. I truly believe that the heart of learning is in building trusting relationships with my students. As an elementary art teacher, I feel I have a unique opportunity to do this as I typically have had the same students for the past 4 years. The fifth graders I teach today were in second grade when I began my career and I have been teaching my current second grade class since they were in preschooler. Once they feel safe in the learning environment I have created for them, the teaching and learning can flourish. But teaching is more than me standing in front of a group of students and telling and showing them how to draw or paint. I give them artistic knowledge but then I must also cultivate a want for them to be able to practice the skill. It's not enough for me to simply show them how, but why art will help them in their future. 

     

“Answering the “Why” question is really addressing what the intrinsic motivation for the learner will be” (Harapnuik, 2021).

     

When I think about a teaching philosophy versus a learning philosophy I believe that a teaching philosophy outlines the teacher’s beliefs and approaches about how teaching should be conducted. It reflects the educator’s values, goals, and methods. The learning philosophy on the other hand centers on the learner’s perspective and beliefs about how learning occurs and reflects on the learner’s understanding of effective processes.

     

Ultimately, my  goal is to create a classroom environment where learning is seen as a lifelong adventure, filled with endless possibilities. By nurturing a learner's mindset in myself and my students, I aim to cultivate a culture of curiosity, resilience, and joy in learning. It is through this shared journey of discovery that we can all grow and thrive, both as individuals and as a community.