Philosophy Statement: My Image of the Child as Curious

An image of the child strongly influences how adults interact with children, thereby supporting children's growth, and development. I paint the image of the child as curious. Curiosity lays the foundation for healthy development giving the child intrinsic motivation to experiment, question, and explore. It is not a product of teacher-led lectures, group pressure or colourful worksheets; rather it comes naturally. I believe that curiosity is like a plant; the child’s sense of wonderment can only flourish under the right conditions, like a plant can only grow in the right environment. 

I believe students learn best when they use their innate curiosity to co-construct learning alongside their peers and teachers.  Loris Malaguzzi’s work inspires my image of the child; he draws the child, peers, educators, and family into a team that works together to ensure that children’s interests and curiosities are at the center of learning (Dietze & Kashin, 2024, p. 32). I believe listening to students’ innate curiosity demonstrates their potential and depicts the child as respected and capable. These values align with the Reggio Emilia pedagogical approach, which integrates a pedagogy of listening (McNally & Slutsky, 2016, p.1929). I feel strongly about this approach because it allows me to learn from my students and foster a safe environment where they can lead their learning. In turn, the students will see themselves reflected in the environment and develop the social skills, autonomy, and confidence to participate in social settings. Reggio Emilia explains that learning is not defined by achieving predetermined outcomes; rather it emphasizes curiosity/interests as a driver of educational paths (McNally & Slutsky, 2016, p.1933). I believe co-constructing diverse paths, personal to the child is vital to fostering an inclusive classroom. 

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My approach to inclusive kindergarten education is unique. It uses student curiosity to break down labels that limit students’ learning experience and give children multiple opportunities to express themselves. From my experience, some parents and educators fear that neurodiverse children with developmental delays will fail in mainstream classrooms. I disagree with this and draw on Lev Vygotsky’s view of inclusion and contributions in Reggio Emilia to support my claim (Smith, 2007, p.28). Vygotsky emphasizes that all children are capable of equal achievements. However, teachers must scaffold diverse paths and different hands-on opportunities for children to attain these achievements (Smith, 2007, p.28). I believe embracing children’s innate curiosity is vital to supporting their growing identity. 

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