Passionate leaders such as Bev Bos help motivate and remind us why we work in early childhood. This course will discuss the philosophies of prominent leaders in the field of early childhood, and help identify your personal teaching philosophy.

1. Like a Bos: Bringing your Best
Audrey Rowland
www.greenspacetx.com

2. Plan
• Talk about our mentors
• Harvest some wisdom from the field of ECE
• Define our teaching philosophies
• Learn from one another
• Set some goals

3. Identify your mentors/models
• Who has influenced your teaching practice?
• What have you learned from co-teachers?
• Which of your own teachers do you remember positively?
• What resource do you most often turn to for ideas or assistance?
• Is there a philosophy or theory of early childhood that you feel
influences your practice?
• Who inspires you?

5. Maria Montessori
• Child-centered environments
• Real tools
• Accessibility
• Beauty and order
• Competence and responsibility
• Children are allowed responsibilities
• Large blocks of open-ended time
• Observation
• Follow the child

6. Principles of Montessori
• Respect for the child
As a rule, however, we do not respect children. We try to force them to follow us without
regard to their special needs. We are overbearing with them, and above all, rude; and then
we expect them to be submissive and well-behaved, knowing all the time how strong is
their instinct of imitation and how touching their faith in and admiration of us. They will
imitate us in any case. Let us treat them, therefore, with all the kindness which we would
wish to help to develop in them (Montessori, 1965).
What is respect?
How do we show it to others?

7. The Teacher’s Role - Montessori
• Make children the center of learning because, as Montessori said, “The
teacher’s task is not to talk, but to prepare and arrange a series of motives for
cultural activity in a special environment made for the child” (Dr. Montessori's
Own Handbook).
• Encourage children to learn by providing freedom for them in the prepared
environment.
• Observe children so as to prepare the best possible environment, recognizing
sensitive periods and diverting inappropriate behavior to meaningful tasks.
• Prepare the learning environment by ensuring that learning materials are
provided in an orderly format and the materials provide for appropriate
experiences for all the children.
• Respect each child and model ongoing respect for all children and their work.
• Introduce learning materials, demonstrate learning materials, and support
children’s learning. The teacher introduces learning materials after observing
each child.

8. Pause and Reflect

9. Jim Greenman
The Child’s Job The Teacher’s Job
Make Sense of the World Provide a sensory-rich and orderly environment, real life and natural
materials, interesting, and with cause/effect
Learn to Communicate fully Offer physical contact, eye contact, modeling, verbal and non verbal
communication, ‘real’ conversations, time to socialize uninterrupted
Discover bodily powers Places and space to move, heavy and interesting work, autonomy and
time to do it themselves
Understand how everything works Environment conducive to experimentation and action, tools for
dramatic play, real work, open-ended exploration, access to resources
Deeply connect with people Prime times, high-touch environment for infants/toddlers, encourage
peer connection, set up activities for cooperative, small group or single
play

10. Jim Greenman – Environments

11. Pause and Reflect

12. Lilian Katz
• The Project Approach: Constructivism
• Research effort focused on finding answers to questions
• Chosen by interest of the children, the teacher, or both
• Goal is to learn more, rather than find right answers to teacher-driven
questions
• Complementary to the set curriculum
• Not a subject (like mathematics) but opportunities for application of subjects
• https://vimeo.com/84735541

15. Pause and Reflect

16. Bev Bos

17. Bev Bos
• Wonder
• Discovery
• Experience
Loose environments rich
in raw materials and the
illusion of risk

18. Pause and Reflect

19. Mission Statement/Teaching Philosophy
• Examine the practices of others
• Mentors
• Co-teachers
• Your own teachers
• Leaders in the field
• What characteristics do you admire?

20. Mission Statement/Teaching Philosophy
• Determine your ideal self
• Define the role of a teacher
• What is your favorite part of the day?
• What would you like to do more of?
• Clarify your aptitudes
• What are your talents/skills/strenths?

21. Mission Statement/Teaching Philosophy
• Consider your legacy
• Determine a purpose
• Define specific goals
• Craft and Refine

22. Teaching Philosophy
• Define a preschool teacher’s role
• Discuss the child’s role as a learner
• Address special needs, different learning styles and diversity in the
classroom
• Define your curricular orientation
• Describe classroom and conflict management
• Address family inclusion in the classroom