Educational Philosophy
Ever since I was little and starting my education I have wanted to become a teacher. It is a lifelong goal of mine and I hope someday I can fulfill this goal. This past summer my dream of becoming a teacher was further strengthened. I had the opportunity to coach a peewee football team and this decision turned out to be very instrumental to me as a person. I realized many things about myself and I realized where I wanted to go in life. I found out that I loved to teacher kids things I love as a person. I truly found out that I wanted to make kids my life and more specifically I wanted to become a Physical Education and Health teacher. It was just as Sputnik turned America’s light bulb on, that this summer turned my light bulb on.
Throughout my education I have learned a variety of techniques and ideas that have been effective and not so effective in my own education. I have found that the teachers who sit behind the desk bore you till no end are not as effective as those teachers who have a hands on, enthusiastic learning environment. Thus, this brings me to my philosophy of education.
First, I believe as a teacher you should be a true enthusiast. I know from past experiences if a teacher brings enthusiasm to their work it will enhance their classroom and also the ability of their students to learn. As this type of teacher I want to display a positive and enthusiastic attitude that hopefully will diffuse through my students like a wildfire. A positive attitude will get positive results and that will translate into enthusiasm for both the students and the teacher. Though I will act in a professional manner, I want to become as one with the students. I want my enthusiasm to enable the students to experience the best environment for learning and experimenting with the curriculum.
I also want to display a progressivist attitude in my classroom. I believe that hands on learning is the most effective way of teaching a student new, unfamiliar subject matter. Being in a Physical Education environment, I believe this will be the most effective philosophy in my classroom.
The writer however, feels that it was a wise decision for Socrates to simply condemn the jury and accept his fate. In a statement the writer states, “Socrates had agreed to abide by whatever Athens required of him in return.” Analyzing Socrates commitment and obligation to Athens is vital. However, his decision not to escape and flee are reasonable, but his acceptance of his unjustly sentencing is not. Therefore, Socrates’ decision to not act on an illegitimate sentencing was foolish and as a citizen he should have appealed his
Secondly, assisting Socrates’ escape is an injustice against the Laws because Socrates will be asserting an equal status with Athens through criticising and retaliating against his prescribed punishment, when Socrates has been dependent on Athens and the Laws since birth. As a citizen, Socrates has benefitted from Athens’ Laws. The Laws have “given [him] birth, nurtured [him], educated [him]… given [him]… a share of all the good things we could” (Crito, 51d). Similarly, parents and masters are figures who provide their offspring or servant with necessities and benefits to ensure their growth and development and increase their well-being. Hence, Socrates can be seen as
Socrates, though dauntless as it may seem possible for someone in his situation, wants to avoid causing himself any unnecessary suffering. He showed this in both paragraphs 13 and 22. “Why should I offer to live in a prison, slaving away...” (13) is during a part where he is almost ranting about his pride and his punishment. Socrates could very easily suggest a punishment such as this, but he is of old age and will meet his end soon regardless. It makes no sense to cause extra pain for himself in order to attempt to prolong his death. In a later paragraph he says that, “...nothing evil can befall a good person either in life or in death; and the god will not neglect his or her fate” (22). Socrates has been very careful not to harm anyone and to try and keep his name clear of actual crimes. He knows that he has consistently been a good person. If there is a god to judge him after he passes, he is confident that nothing negative will come to him. All in all, he has come to accept the idea of death enough not to go out of his way to prevent it. Although Socrates could easily give in and plead for a ...
	Thus, in conclusion I believe that Socrates was correct to disregard the opinion of the majority. Socrates accepts his fate, for this reason alone he is not a coward. Socrates disagrees with retaliation and has faith in the government of Athens. Although Socrates may not agree with the decision of the assembly to put him to his death, he realizes that he was done wrongly by the assembly rather than the laws of Athens themselves. I believe Socrates feels this way because he has lived under the laws of Athens for 70 years and he has raised his children under the same principles. Socrates accepts the fact that being a member of society demands a certain respect and obedience. Without the rules and punishment system Athens would not be able to function properly. As Socrates decided to become a citizen of the state of Athens he also takes along with him the responsibility of being a citizen of that state. In following the more reasonable people I believe Socrates is merely following the path in which the Gods intended.
Socrates’ argument that citizens enter an agreement or promise to obey the laws are to persuade the laws and making it an agreement. Socrates has three arguments for Athens and facing death. First, he believes that he will be received in Hades warmly if he abides by Athens' law. Second, Socrates argues that he has made a tacit agreement with the laws of Athens that he cannot justly break. Finally, he states that it is wrong to retaliate against those who have done you wrong, and thus it would be wrong to retaliate against Athens by escaping.
In Plato’s: The Apology Socrates was charged and put on trial for impiety, as well as accused of committing many other crimes. I will first explain the most important issues of why Socrates was sent to death. Then I will argue the position that Socrates is innocent, and should not be have been found guilty.
Socrates was being guided by his moral beliefs when he decided not to escape from prison. Socrates informs us of his principle when he says, “[…] my first principle, that neither injury nor retaliation not warding off evil by evil is ever right.”(1). Retaliation and injuring other people is what Socrates did not lived by. For this reason, Socrates knew that if he were to escape, the state would prosecute his family and friends. Consequently, Socrates was afraid that the state would harm his family by depriving them of property or citizenship. His principles obligated him to stay in prison in order for him not to violate his principle of harming others.
Socrates claims that just acts contribute to the health of the soul, while unjust acts contribute to the corruption of the soul (Plato 50). Injustice should never be committed since a life with a corrupted soul is not worth living (Plato 50). Therefore, you should never act with injustice, not even for revenge (Plato 52). Ethics should be obtained at all times. Once this is proven with Crito, Socrates brings attention to the Laws and Commonwealth of Athens. The Laws put forth arguments for the assertion that Socrates would be committing an injustice if he were to escape his sentencing. The first argument states that a citizen has an obligation to his or her state; this obligation should be stronger than that of a child’s obligation to his or her parent. Athens acts as a parent to its citizens by nurturing and educating them. Since the city of Athens has given Socrates many benefits, he feels as though he has an obligation to his city. Socrates does not want to reap the benefits, without providing his loyalty to Athen...
This paper will argue that during “The trial and Death of Socrates”, Socrates could have given better arguments for his defense. First it will outline the prejudices or accusations Socrates has to face during his trial. It will then show how Socrates acted as tough he wanted to lose the case and finally it will conclude explaining the arguments Socrates could have given in order to be acquitted.
He feels that an unjust action against the State, would do more harm to himself and the State, than any good that could come of it. Leaving and breaking the law, would in fact make him guilty of the charges set against him. He would then be a corruptor of youth, setting out to bring down the State that he loves so dearly. Referring back to the concept of rational reflection, Socrates feels that is bound by his agreements, whether the outcome will cause his own death.
Furthermore, the dialogue “Crito” describes the argument between Crito and Socrates in his prison cell, about the arrangement to help Socrates escape from prison. Socrates chooses to stay because it would be unjust to the law and that he must stay and die to prove he is innocent. His argument concludes that prejudice cannot be solved with prejudice, though he is not content with the law he must endure it....
The first and most important of the three formal educational philosophies that have been major influences on the formation of my own philosophy is progressivism. Progressivism is based on the belief that people learn best from what they consider to be relevant to their every day lives. In other words, students learn best from personal experience, hands-on experiments, and from interacting in groups with those around them. However, for these small groups to be entirely effective, they must be chosen at random; basing the groups on race, gender, sexuality, or social background will defeat their main purpose.
To begin out of the countless professions one has to chose from in the world today I have chosen to become a teacher. I have chosen to become a teacher because I myself am a product of some whom I consider to be the best teachers in the world. As a child in North Carolina I was inspired by a wonderful woman named Mrs. Hollyfield. Mrs. Hollyfield taught me that no star was too far out of reach, if I put my mind to accomplishing my goal I could make it. Mrs. Hollyfield inspired me to be the best I could be at anything I wanted to be. As I have grown I have had other important teachers, some whom I am surrounded by daily whom inspire me to set out to accomplish my dreams. These wonderful inspiring people in my life have led me to the decision of becoming a teacher.
Becoming a teacher has been the ultimate aspiration for myself since the first day I walked into kindergarten. As a very timid student, it was a difficult task transitioning from being with my mother everyday, to being part of a classroom environment full of strangers. However, my kindergarten teacher helped me through this transition smoothly, and adequately. I very quickly learned to love school. Soon after, I knew I would aspire to become a teacher. I would spend countless hours at home with a blackboard, acting as a teacher to my imaginary students throughout my elementary school years.
I have not always wanted to be a teacher. I always knew that I wanted to work with children in some way, but I was pretty sure that teaching was not for me. I was well on my way in my junior year of college working toward a biology degree so that I could become a pediatric physician’s assistant. I still cannot explain what happened, but one week I was a biology major, and the next I knew that I have always been meant to teach children. I suppose I just took the longer route to get there than most people do. The two main reasons that I have chosen to become a teacher is that I believe that teaching is extremely personally rewarding in many ways and the fact that I can actively make a difference in someone’s life.