“There is a direct relationship between people’s basic beliefs and how they view such educational components as the nature of the student, the role of the teacher, the best curricular emphasis, the most efficient instructional methods, and the social function of the school (Knight, 2006, p. 41).” Worldviews make up the foundation of human beliefs, and as a result, human action. Our worldview shapes everything that we say and everything that we do. As teachers, it is vitality important that we recognize our deepest philosophical beliefs as they guide how we interact with students, how we interact with our colleagues, what we teach, and how we teach it. We impact our students, not only with what we say or teach, but even more so with how we teach it. Without consciously meaning to, we convey to our students what our educational philosophy is by conveying our values each and every day. Even as a teacher myself, I have been influenced by those who taught me.
In elementary school, I attended public school and most of my memories of my teachers are positive. I was a conscientious student and did well at learning in a traditional setting. At the time of my schooling, standard worksheets were the norm. Desks were in neat rows and everyone worked on everything at the same time. This never bothered me, however. I was an introvert and preferred to work quietly and by myself. In fifth grade, however, I had a teacher who worked outside of the norm. We switched classrooms for math and readings, in what I assume looking back were ability-based groups. Every Friday, we had “Fun Friday Math.” This consisted of students in small groups working to solve logic puzzles and other applied math problems. Our desks in the classroom were arranged in small...
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...fluence my students. My hope is that as I have grown in my own understanding of my teaching philosophy and my Christian worldview, I can teach students in a way that ultimately reflects the nature and worldview of God above all other influences. I want every interaction, relationship, decision, and method to reflect that we are uniquely made in His image to worship and know Him.
Works Cited
Feldman, R.S (2008). Development Across the Life Span. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Gutek, G.L. (2011). Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Education. Chicago: Pearson
Knight, G.R. (2006). Philosophy and Education: An Introduction in Christian Perspective. Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press.
Miller, P.H. (2011). Theories of Developmental Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers.
Yount, W.R. (2010). Created to Learn. Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group.
Cowan, S.B., & Spiegel, J.S. (2009). The Love of Wisdom: A Christian Introduction to Philosophy . Nashville, Tennessee: B&H Publishing Group.
Humanity is made in the image of God. Therefore, all people have unique and valuable gifts to contribute to society. Every individual is also a sinner in need of redemption through Christ’s death and resurrection. Developing a relationship with Christ is the foundational purpose of my Christian educational practice. Instruction must be differentiated because each student is a unique creation. Effective differentiation is impossible without the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the use of research-based instructional methods and formative evaluation. Powerful teaching constantly modifies instruction to best address the needs of the each student and provides a foundation of love that recognizes each child as a gift from God.
Marples, R. (2010). What should go on the curriculum? In Bailey, R. (Ed.), The philosophy of education: An introduction (pp 33-47). London: Bloomsbury
Lawhead, William F. (2013). The Philosophical Journey, An Interactive Approach, 6th Ed. McGraw-Hill Education. New York .
"Amy, you are really getting great at memorizing you times tables," said Mrs. Field, my first grade math teacher, "here is your sticker, and I will put a star next to your name for finishing the 3's times table!" I loved receiving my stickers and I especially loved getting a star next to my name. These small acts made me feel so special, that I had really done something great. This is how I remember my teachers from kindergarten until the fourth grade. Every teacher I had was encouraging, loving, and supportive of each student that they taught. If one student fell behind, the teacher made extra sure to teach and re-teach the subject until it was understood. Once I entered the fifth grade and into middle and high school, each teacher that I had tried to be encouraging, loving, and supportive of their students; however, my teachers often had too many students to give the individual attention that so many children need. When I began to fall behind in certain subjects, my teachers tried to help but were often unable to teach and re-teach, because they had no choice but to continue on with their lesson plans. I continued to fall further and further behind; therefore, I had to spend many hours after school working on my homework problems with my parents. Up until the fifth grade, I attended private school with about 15-20 students in my class; from the fifth grade on, I attended public school with about 30-35 students in each of my classes. This high number of students in my public school classrooms had a negative effect on my learning experiences.
Ed. Michael Goldman. Teaching Philosophy 36.2 (2013): 181-82. Print. The.
Garner, Richard. The Experience of Philosophy. Ed. Daniel Kolak, Raymond Martin. Belmont California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1996.
The statement “philosophy of Christian education” contains much information to be unwrapped. The term philosophy literally means, in the Greek, “love of wisdom.” In this case, the study of philosophy involves a “critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a particular branch of knowledge” (Philosophy). My understanding of Christian education is what I hope to unveil in this brief document. A high-quality education of children must embrace a student’s intellect, spiritual nature, social life, emotional growth, and physical health. I see evidence for this in scripture as Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52). The goal of education should be the training of children, in every area of their life, for adulthood. What makes my philosophy of education different from the secular world is the distinctively Christian biblical worldview. It is this biblical worldview that sets apart Christian education from the public schools in our culture because we address the spiritual dimension of children that the secular humanistic education denies.
Rauhut, N. C. (2011). Ultimate questions: Thinking about philosophy. (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
A philosophy of Christian education encompasses many aspects that overlap areas of a child 's life that could not be nurtured and molded in a public school setting. Therefore, the Christian philosophy of education must include so much more. The Bible must be used as the basis for the education of children. A child should be taught in a way that will best benefit the individual that God created. He should be trained in his own way, the way he learns best. In order to do that, teachers must be able to assess their students in a manner that will reveal the learning styles that best fit each child. By doing this, the best possible education can be given to each student. Proverbs 22:6 states, "Train up a child in the way he should go..." The ways
I could go on at length, discussing all aspects of my praxis as an educator, however, that would lead to a paper of excruciating length. These aspects of my teaching pedagogy that are delivered in this praxis statement are those that I feel strongest about upholding. It is important for educators to value their students and the perspectives and cultures they bring to the classroom. Student-centered education is what I find to be the key to great teaching, and overall, is the greatest way to allow students to value and grow through their own self-exploratory and self-directed education. Valuing and appreciating each of your students is what makes teaching such an enlightening, uplifting profession.
When analyzing contemporary issues in education, it is very important to ask why and how the issues arise. Some of these problems are obvious to the mass public, and some require a more in-depth analysis. One of the less obvious issues in education is the current philosophy in the classrooms. One may ask the questions, “Why is the philosophy of education important? And, why does it matter to me?” To put it simply, the philosophy imbedded in the goals of education and teaching methods in a classroom affects the students’ futures. This topic was chosen because the philosophy in schools is often overlooked as the absolute core of educational issues. Many students understandably struggle with sitting in a classroom, uninterested. In addition to the constant stress and pressure of having good grades, students often ask why the given curriculum must be learned.
In the context of Christian education, the teacher performs his role by using lessons culled from the Bible and communicating them through lectures, seminars, or discussions. However, in order to be an effective teacher, I should expand on these lessons by providing real-life examples and hypothetical illustrations in order for the student to find relevance in the lessons taught. I should provide good models for the student to imitate, and in fact, I should also make sure that I am a good model myself by knowing and taking to heart all the lessons I teach. In other words, the instruction must be thorough. To ensure that I am fulfilling my role as teacher, I must provide an opportunity for the students to respond to the lesson. According to the Richards and Bredfeldt, when a student discovers a relationship between himself and the lesson, the “pathway to personal response stands open.” By making the lessons individually applied, decentralized and student-centered, but teacher-oriente...
When thinking of a philosophy of teaching, four major issues need to be considered. Those issues are one’s views on education, the role of the teacher, teaching and learning, and on the children. This is something that someone entering the teaching profession needs to give serious thought to and realize the importance that this will hold in the future. The following essay will express my philosophy of teaching.
Pike, B., & Bradley, F. (1997). The philosophy of teaching: Developing a statement that thrives in the classroom. Clearing House, 70(3), 125. Retrieved October 6, 2011 from http://library.gcu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9703092460&site=ehost-live&scope=site