A Personal Philosophy of Education

When I started my career as a high school science teacher, I had no idea of the extent to which it would impact me and the path it would drive my life down. Many years before, I developed a love for science that began during my sophomore year of high school in chemistry. My teacher was a once-in-a-lifetime teacher that took a subject many found boring finding ways to inspire and motivate. This single class was the true starting point of the long, winding journey to medicine. As I moved on through my high school and college education I searched for a way to stay within science and continue to grow. The clear and only visible answer to me at the time was to be a teacher.

The foundation of my philosophy begins with defining schooling and education. Schooling is the basis of acquired knowledge and skills that shapes one’s mind. Schooling has the focus of content and is essentially used to get you where you need to be. Moreover, education is a life-long process of applying knowledge to the real world. It is the process of learning and improving yourself. Figuratively, schooling is

The definition of curriculum can be as mysterious as the curriculum itself. Oliva (2013) described the hunt for the curriculum as being similar to “efforts to track down Bigfoot, the Bear Lake Monster, [and] the Florida Everglades Skunk Ape …” (pg. 2). All of these elusive beings have left tracks, yet there isn’t a single photograph to prove their existence—just like there isn’t one tangible definition for curriculum. Sure, there’s a binder labeled “curriculum,” but that doesn’t mean it’s merely a set of plans. Initially, I believed the curriculum to be something elusive; I loosely interpreted it as the information that should be taught in a given subject and the corresponding objectives or learning intentions. I believed that the “curriculum [could] be conceived in a narrow way as subjects taught (Oliva, 2013, pg. 3). What I was unaware of was the interdependency of curriculum and instruction. I learned that the curriculum is just as reliant on instruction as instruction is on the curriculum. One is “the what” while the other is “the how.” Now, I view the curriculum as more than just a framework of content and standards. It includes “all the experiences that the learner encounters under the direction of the school” (Oliva, 2013, pg. 7). The curriculum is transient. It can be molded, shaped, and restructured to meet the needs of the children

Currently, I am responsible for managing the science instructional programs and personnel in a chartered middle school. As a supervisor for the department, I develop/source curriculum materials for teachers and collaborate with them to plan and implement instructional lessons daily. I manage the financial resources for the department and constantly monitor the teaching practices that will impact our organizational goal and vision.

While attending North Carolina Central University, I have taken classes that helped me develop the teaching philosophy I want for my future classroom. My philosophy is that no matter their background, all children have the opportunity or learning. Personally, I would love to see students reaching their fullest potential while in my class. It would be my dream to allow children with different learning levels, to be able to work in the same classroom together. This will require heavy amounts of group work, something kids need to learn for the real world. My classroom environment will be a judgment free zone. This will allow for students to freely express themselves and learn at their own pace. When teaching young children one must be prepared for all the frustrations, responsibilities, and challenges. Personally, I believe that all children are capable of learning anything, if they have the appropriate materials and motivation and direction from their teachers. It is up to me to ensure that my students are motivated and excited about learning new things.

My philosophy of education is for every student to reach his or her full potential. This is by inspiring all students and helping them realize how much they can achieve. I believe every student can become a great person with the right motivation and support by parents, friends and a teacher.

The learning experience should be that of a collective nature where students are able to indiscriminately relate to the information, re-teach the information and have a balanced incorporation of all the learning centers in society; including the home and the church. The goal of this incorporation is to create a balanced learning environment that facilitates holistic development in the young mind. As professionals entrusted with the shaping of young minds, teachers must facilitate learning and personal, spiritual, ethical and academic development. My philosophy for education is a multi-part philosophy that encapsulates the idea of holistic and inclusive learning. The philosophy caters for the overall shaping and development of the young mind and includes aspects of balanced training, incorporated teachings and it generally focuses on training students to become teachers.

I personally believe that education is one of the most important things to achieve in life. No matter what it can never be taken away from you. From my observations and experiences in the classroom each child is unique in his or her own way. Students inside a classroom needs a teacher who will make them feel secure, comfortable and in a stimulating atmosphere. These aspects help to attain growth, mature emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. It is my desire as an educator to meet the needs of my students in any way possible, so that they are able to meet their fullest potential in life. Children are the future, so as a teacher I need to take all the necessary steps to get them to their fullest potential. I believe that the teacher should act as a guide, allowing the child's natural curiosity to direct his or her learning, and promoting respect for all people are conductive to establishing productive students of tomorrow.

My philosophy of education is based on my nine years of teaching. Each year, I have been faced with difficult situations. Education has not changed that much too me. When I started teaching, I believed all students can learn. As I continue to teach and research, I realized that all students can learn; yet they learn at different paces, settings, and levels. I also realized that my job is a way to meet each student where they are and to challenge their possibilities.

When understanding education there are many different ways which the purpose of education may be applied and defined. My personal philosophy of education is, 'educators must nurture/guide students within the academic field, to that the aims, goals and results during this task of educating or being educated are achieved '. This philosophy is used to understand that both teachers and students play an integral role in education. Academic performance, classroom methods/practices and also meeting the requirements of both the senior secondary Australian Curriculum Framework and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers Framework are examples of these roles. This essay will discuss in detail how my personal philosophy of education, reflects on the role of teachers and learners, the aim of education and the methods and practices used in the classroom. Jean Jacques Rousseau, Paulo Freire, Locke, and Plato/Socrates are the four theorists that shall be used within this essay, to support claims and justify statements regarding this philosophy. John Dewey and A.S Neil are two non-supporting theorists that shall be used in contrast to justify this philosophy.

I believe the role of school in society is to teach children the knowledge they need to be successful in life. I believe this knowledge includes not only academic skills, but also emotional skills, such as citizenship, responsibility, and manners. I believe that students applying these academic and emotional skills in their lives is the purpose of education. Using this knowledge gained in school will prepare students to become responsible, productive citizens. I teach six and seven-year-old students in my first-grade classroom. I believe that beginning this education at such an early age gives students the opportunity to build these skills and values into a way of life. It is also the responsibility of schools to assure that all students are served well. I believe that the most important way a school can accomplish this is by making sure each child is receiving their education in their least restrictive environment. Not every student is served best in a regular education classroom. For some, their least restrictive environment is in a special education classroom, an alternative learning classroom, or even in remediation small groups. It is up to the schools to determine the correct learning environment, and work with the students’ parents to ensure they receive the best education possible.

To be a teacher, it takes a special type of person. I do not believe that just anyone can become a teacher. When making the decision to become an educator, it says something about who you are as a person. It gives you a firm reassurance that you are influencing and changing the lives of our future leaders, police officers, doctors, etc. A teacher is a friend, a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, as well as a parent at times. To be a great teacher, you must possess the following traits and be able to perform the following actions needed to successfully shape the lives of your students: Professionalism, curriculum, teaching methods, classroom management, and assessment.

I believe that through education a person can get the vital skills and tools that are necessary for the person to build a life that is successful and prosperous. In education, the learners make good use of what they learn in the classroom and help students solve their problems outside of the classroom which relates to progressivism. Progressivism is when students are challenged to discover or construct knowledge about the environment (Powell, S.D, (2009), PG. 276). These are the skills that the children need in to order to solve their daily problems and to also prepare them for their daily lives. We as teachers need to make sure that learning takes place in a clean, safe and supportive environment, and that students learn the aspects that they need to develop positive attitudes and respect. There are three elements that I

Education is defined as the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university (Education, n.d.). My philosophy of education is inspired by my mother’s experience as an educator. My mother used to give attention to each student and treated each student with love and care. Students used to share their personal and professional problems with her because she used to understand her students. Students used to love my mother’s method of teaching, and my mother respected every student and peers, because she believes that to be respected by everyone, you must give them respect too.

It is important to be aware of students with exceptionalities, students from diverse cultures, religions, and backgrounds etc. As a future educator, I would make sure all my activities are inclusive to all students e.g., race, ethnicity, sex, physical ability, culture, language, gender, background etc. I would also make sure I support the achievement for all my students, ensuring that students backgrounds and circumstances do not stop them from achieving full benefits. As an educator I will apply what I learned in this course into my teaching practice. Therefore, my hopes and dreams as an educator is to make sure I fulfill all curriculum requirements, but I also teach students the critical skills they need.