A Reflection of My Teaching Philosphy

The purpose of education is to transmit both knowledge and skills needed to live in our modern world. Learning, such as critical thinking, should light a flame within the students that is a desire to learn, instead of smothering this desire through rote memorization. Just as Plato proposed that people must emerge from their caves of their own reality, students need to be brought forth out of their caves and into the sunlight by their guides who are teachers. Education is the process by which students learn more about themselves and about the world around them. Aristotle proposed that the purpose of education should be to help a person reach his or her potential. Without education, learners may not reach their full potential; they may feel that they are missing something from their lives. Though education may not lead directly to happiness, as Aristotle postulated, it does open the door to many possibilities that a person would not have had before. Education is important for a society because it creates an environment for ideas to be discussed, discovered, and decided upon properly. Not only is education important for a society as a whole, but it is a keystone to a healthy democratic society. A society without an emphasis on education will stagnate.

Education is essential not only for humanity, but for democratic society. A democratic society needs educated people. Students need to be educated, not only because they may be called upon to make important decisions that affect their societies, but because through their education they may be able to keep their government from becoming corrupt. Thomas Jefferson stated in his Notes of the State of Virginia that: “Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the p...

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...best, education should be a way to prepare students for the world and for their own lives. Each person has a great potential that only needs fostering from a knowledgeable teacher and a nurturing environment that can be provided. Education is not only a means for discovery, but also for a democratic society. Democracy can only flourish if people can understand what their decisions mean and have the ability to curtail a government’s corruption. Students learn in a variety of different ways as each student is an individual. Learning must not be done through rote, but through students’ own actions. Often students need to be given a motivation for learning, if they do not have one already. The ideal teacher that fosters this kind of learning must be a guide on the students’ paths to potential, both nurturing and knowing how to bring out the best in the students.