Educational Philosophy
“He who dares to teach must never cease to learn.”
--Richard Henry Dann
It is impossible to ever cease to learn because complete knowledge can never be attained and it is the nature of human beings to constantly seek new information to better understand the world around them. As Aristotle simply stated, “All men by nature desire knowledge.” It is not solely by our own initiative that we obtain knowledge, but it is also attained through the direction of other people. This therefore places an enormous responsibility for certain individuals to step up as the primary sources of knowledge to further human understanding of the world. These individuals, the teachers, are given the responsibility and privilege of determining the future by educating its inhabitants, the children.
My personal desire is to be able to not only become a teacher, but to become an effective teacher capable of understanding the needs of my students to better educate them. I want to be able to effectively relate information to them in a way that they will not only understand it, but will be able to apply it later in life. My desire is to motivate students to want to learn and extend their own knowledge base. While this was my primary goal in my original philosophy statement, I have modified and more narrowly defined my philosophical views of learning and teaching as I have gathered more information of the two. My philosophy of education is most closely compatible with that of Essentialism, a school of thought which focuses on the necessity of traditional subjects before any other disciplines. Essentialism is characterized by the teacher as the center of the class and the ultimate authority figure. It...
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...that the student is actually understanding and thinking on their own as well. The student will then be able to use this information to accommodate situations in the future.
By keeping in mind that “He who dares to teach must never cease to learn,” I hope to become an effective educator who is able to learn from her students in order to better teach them. My plans for the future include furthering my education at Concord University and obtaining my Bachelors and Masters Degree in elementary education. Because I believe that a strong elementary education is crucial for further education, I want to teach children anywhere from first to sixth grade, preferably in Southern West Virginia. In educating students while they are so young, I hope to instill them with knowledge that I consider not only useful, but necessary to enrich and guide their future.
I believe that learning is a journey that both child and educator set out on together. This journey is a privilege that I take seriously, realizing that a child’s early years are a key formative time in their life. I believe that it is during this time that important foundations are being set in place that will not only impact them in the present but will also influence them later on in life.
I believe that teaching and learning is both a science and an art, which requires the implementation of already determined rules. I see learning as the result of internal forces within the person student. I know that children differ in the way they learn and grow but I also know that all children can learn. Students’ increased understanding of their own experience is a legitimate form of knowledge. I will present my students with opportunities to develop the ability to meet personal knowledge.
Teachers help us expand and open our mind by giving us skills throughout students’ early life to help students when they are older. By learning information from teachers, students become better people, in a couple of ways. Besides inquiring knowledge from their teachers, students learn to work with one another, open their mind to other peoples’ thoughts and ideas, respect one another, and learn different techniques for life’s issues.
Teaching has always been an honorable and valued profession. With teaching you instill the knowledge and values that the student will take with them throughout life. I have volunteered at the elementary school with my children and have enjoyed watching the encouragement and nurturing of these teachers towards their students. I felt that I have the ability to nurture and share in the wonderment of the knowledge that prevails around us. To achieve this goal I will strive to give these students the understanding, love, and confidence that they need to prepare them for their journey in life.
Ever since I was a little girl I had this dream of being a teacher. Whether it was making up “pretend” tests or having my younger brother sit through my instruction, I knew that I was a born teacher. And now that I have grown and matured into a responsible young woman, I feel that my place in this world is in the classroom. I feel that the children are our future and we should teach them everything we know to the best of our abilities. Every summer since the age of 13, I have been babysitting for local families in my small hometown of Pineville. In fact, 2 years ago I had been babysitting for a Optometrist and his wife and they were expecting their second child. As an honor, they asked if they could name their second daughter after me. Kara Nicole was born in June of 2001. As a matter of fact, I have found that my feelings on education often reflect the song The Greatest Love of All by Whitney Houston. She states in her song that she feels that the children are our future and I must say that I agree completely with her sentiments on the education of our youth. When I came of age to enter college, there was no question in my mind as to what field I wanted to enter. Elementary education was the only option for me. One of my favorite quotes, although I do not know the author, says that “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world” and I must say that this reflects my philosophy on education. To me, this quote reveals every compassionate thought I have on education alone. Teachers in some small way or another can be the sunshine in a child’s life. In my opinion, teachers, play many roles; mentors, confidants, sources of inspiration, and disciplin...
Teaching is a complex occupation that requires as much empathy and emotion as it does educational skill. I had always dreamed of becoming a teacher, and realized after having my own children, that I would not truly be fulfilling my purpose in life if I did not pursue this dream. As a volunteer at the elementary school in my community, I loved the environment and took tremendous joy in watching the children learn. I felt that I had the ability, along with the dedication and desire, it would take to become a full time educator. To achieve this goal I will strive to give my students a positive beginning, provide confidence in their individual abilities, and prepare them for different aspects in life.
Most of the teachers that have taught me in my time as a student have come across as positive role models to their students. When I look back at my experiences with those teachers, I want to be like them. I want to help my students just like those teachers have helped me. Those teachers that made a positive impression on me are the reason I want to be a teacher.
I did not spend my adolescent years contemplating what career I was going to choose and changing my mind every other week; I have wanted to be a teacher my entire life. I do not know why I originally made the decision, but, currently, I want to be a teacher so I can give back to the world. Deciding what subject to teach took a little consideration, but I made the decision fairly easily. I began comparing subjects I enjoyed and came up with math, psychology, and home economics. After researching the job market, the choice to make was clear. This country is in need of math teachers, and therefore, that is the path I have chosen. I plan to achieve my Bachelor’s Degree here at Concord, and then proceed in education until I obtain a Master’s Degree.
Teaching is complex. It often requires educators to juggle multiple tasks and goals simultaneously and flexibly. It is not a profession, but a calling. Behind every great man and woman, is an educator who inspired them. There is no place I’d rather be than in the classroom. “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” – Henry Adams
Philosophy of Education As I begin my education to become a teacher, I am beginning to make decisions on things such as how I would like my teaching style to be, ways to deal with discipline problems, and how I would like my classroom to be set up. However, I cannot put my ideas into one philosophy. I feel that using many styles of teaching is better than just using one. Some students may learn better with one style of teaching, while others may learn better with another.
Education is a very important aspect of our lives. It is our education that makes us who we are and determines what we become. Therefore, education is not something to be taken lightly. As a teacher, my goal will be to provide the best possible education for my students. Every student is unique. I must see students for who they are individually and respect their ideas and opinions. Each student has a different learning style. I must take this into consideration because I want to provide a constructive learning opportunity for every student. I believe that every student has the potential to learn.
My beliefs and values about early childhood education is based upon understanding that all children are unique individuals who need a caring, nurturing, and secure environment in which to grow and develop socially, emotionally, cognitively, and physically. Children under the age of three are in critical stages of development, it is my belief that a quality child care environment will have a positive impact on a child’s development and make a significant difference in the life of a child and his or her family. My philosophy of early childhood education and the elements I believe are necessary in developing a developmentally appropriate child care environment is rooted in my views and beliefs about experimentalism, progressivism, multiculturalism, and the influence of philosophers such as Dewey, Piaget, Montessori, and Vygotsky. Furthermore, I believe young children will thrive and grow in developmentally appropriate child care programs that possess the following elements: (1) teachers who see themselves as intentional, responsive and respectful facilitators of learning, (2) the ability to build a community of learners, (3) implement an effective curriculum that allow children to explore their natural curiosity about the world.
My theoretical perspective on teaching and learning reflects of those of John Dewey way of thinking. I believe that children learn by doing. He also felt that letting children explore their question taught them to make real-life connections. He felt that true education should come from children's natural curiosity and should be guided coming from the teacher (Dewey1900). Learning needs to be relevant to the children. Children should be able to relate to what is being taught to
Everyone’s witnessed a teacher in action in one form or another. Whether they sat in the classic classroom learning their numbers from the chalkboard or were engaged in an individual activity guided by a mentor in the field, every time there is a teacher present. Growing up, this was my perception of teacher, that everyone could be one. And while I still believe there in truth in that statement, my own studies and setting off on the path to becoming an educator have shown me that some of the finer details of teaching have been glossed over from the student’s point of view. Being a teacher requires self-reflection and development of a philosophy of education to guide and focus the responsibility and decisions a teacher has to make. With new information every day, as a future educator, I am developing my own perspective on the philosophy of education, the purpose of education, an individual pedagogy and thoughts on the relationship I
In a society where kids must go to school up to the collegiate level, teaching is an impactful career choice. Teachers help contour the minds of future leaders of the world. Furthermore, teachers play a crucial role in guiding students to the knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to succeed in life, and teachers lead students to make informed decisions on any topic the meet in the future. As a teacher, a person must relinquish their knowledge onto students. Finally, they must prepare their students for all the obstacles they will face later in life.