Education is not a group of classes containing a series of facts to be used on a test and then forgotten. Education is a series of tools that students use every day in the classroom and in the real world. The English language is the primary language of the United States and people use it to communicate throughout the world. Yet, many students have difficulty using the language properly. As an educator, I would like to make a difference and help students write better and use proper grammar and punctuation. All students are capable of learning and learning about language does not mean students simply learn a series of rules. Using the language is the key to understanding it.
Like many teachers, I prefer an eclectic approach. I see rows and columns of seats, filled with students. The rows would be changed into small circles for group work, which would be a part of my approach to teaching. Signs on the wall address the rules for the classroom and the consequences for those that break the rules. I would use a combination of essentialism and progressivism in the classroom, as defined by Teachers, Schools, and Society, written by Myra Pollack Sadker and David Miller Sadker. Lectures, textbooks, and written assignments would be part of my teaching style. Certain subjects lend themselves to progressive assignments, but English should be taught so that students learn the rules of the language and how to apply them. This would be essentialism in action.
Writing is undervalued in many English classes. Instead of writing a report about a short story, students could write a short research paper on a topic that interests them.
By using proper grammar, they would be learning to use the rules of the language and become stronger writers. A...
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...y during the summer of 2014 and I observed in Education 210 and 305 during the fall of 2014, so not much has changed about my methods or my expectations. I still believe an eclectic approach is best in the classroom because different students require different approaches to material. A wonderful observation I did gain during my experiences teaching lessons was the light bulb flicking on in students’ minds when they understand material and the joy of experiencing this. My observations affirmed my decision to go back to college and become a teacher and I sawmodels of instruction put into practice by my supervising teachers. It is good reinforcement when students can experience what books teach in a real classroom. My philosophy may yet change and evolve and if so, that is good. A philosophy that does not change means the person who wrote it has not experienced growth.
Children were taught to speak in a proper manner and because they were taught to speak correctly they wrote in a proper way as well. As technology evolved and texting came more profound grammar was becoming a lost art. In Dana Goldstein’s article ,‘Why Kids Can’t Write’, she talks about what teachers are doing about grammar. The teachers are not doing much about the grammar issue in schools.
A teacher’s personal philosophy of education is a critical element in his or her approach to guiding children along the path of enlightenment. Hence, there are five key educational philosophies recognized in the field of education. These include, Essentialism, Perennialism, Progressivism, Existentialism, and Behaviorism (Sadker & Sadker, 1994, p. 382-83). Each carries both positive and negative tenets, at least in my opinion. Therefore, I prefer an eclectic discernment in my quest of an educational philosophy. Because, my idea of the perfect teacher is one, who inspires learning in addition to just relating the required facts. A certain amount of creativity, enthusiasm, and motivation is required of the teacher. Certainly, this is a tall
The purpose of this assignment is to explain the impact of English language learners in the classroom. As a foreign student, English language learner in the United States faces multiple challenges for achieving academic success. To successfully complete a task, they need to master both English as a language and how it is used in core content classes especially when they are an adult. When trying to assist in instructing English language learners, they usually have many concepts and language abilities that they need to master, as do the teachers that are trying to teach them. With the incorporation of the concepts and approaches to identify and assess the issues and concerns that we have learned in our classroom instruction, such as lesson preparation,
In the first draft of my philosophy, it states that I see myself as a teacher with an “eclectic” view on teaching children. Although I still believe in my “eclectic” ways because it gives the students and me a variety of ways to learn, it has “evolved” into a more specific, eclectic philosophy. For example, I stated that in my classroom the children would be involved with as much of the classroom decisions as possible. In contrast, I now believe that the instructor is the primary decision-maker allowing the students to give their input on certain situations and keeping their concerns in mind when making the final decision. Why do I feel that way now? I have observed two different schools and two different grade levels – an 8th grade classroom and a 12th grade classroom. What works in at one level does not work at the other, meaning, observing a teacher who incorporated the student government, so to speak, in her classroom did not always succeed in getting anywhere in the end. I have learned that the students are not as diplomatic as I once believed, followed by the fact that the students do not always know what they want or what is the best for them as a class.
...l survival in our society. I work as a counselor each summer at a sports camp in Philadelphia, and each summer I encounter very intelligent students who are placed in lower tracks or labeled as ìlearning deficientî because of their language. This disturbs me because as a speaker of both Black Vernacular speech and Standard English, I know that students can learn to use Standard English just as I have. Unfortunately, many students are not privileged enough to have the same educational opportunities that I was given by my parents, therefore, it is my responsibility to teach these students Standard English the way that I have been taught. But I must learn more about teaching students and dealing with the issues that plague the educational system, and I am looking forward to receiving more of this knowledge during my pre-student teaching and student teaching experiences.
While thinking about my personal philosophy of education and such questions as "What is the purpose of education?' or "What is the role of the teacher?" I have come to realize that my personal views can only be described as eclectic. I find that I agree with some (but not all) of the tenets of many of the major philosophies so far as education is concerned. My personal belief is that there is no single "way" of educating or education that is correct for every child, and as a future teacher I believe that I must be willing to be flexible and adaptable to any given situation , utilizing my knowledge of the various philosophies of education to create an approach to education that will provide each student with a learning environment and a learning experience that is best for him or her.
As a child, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always said that I wanted to do something to help other people. I realized that even though teachers do not get a lot of respect, or money, they have the greatest job anyone could ever hope for. They help children become adults. All children are inspired by someone to be what they will become in the future. Teachers inspire those of all professions; police officers, firefighters, secretaries, carpenters, bankers, trash collectors, actors, truck drivers, fast food workers, scientists, inventors, doctors, lawyers, even the president. Imagine how it would feel to know that you are the reason someone developed something to benefit mankind, saved a life, or became the first female president of the United States of America. Hopefully, as a teacher I can inspire a child to fulfill all of their dreams.
In today’s educational system, multiple philosophies exist. Each teacher instructs based on what they think is most effective. The five philosophies that are mostly used today include the following: Essentialism, perennialism, progressivism, social reconstructionism, and existentialism. A significant amount of teachers teach in their own styles involving one or multiple of the philosophies mentioned above. My personal philosophy of education involves a student centered classroom. What is covered in class should be the interests of the students’. Doing this will keep the students focused on the material being taught. When students are not taken into consideration during the creation of lesson plans, they tend to be distracted with other things
In my opinion, a variety of instructional options are necessary for teachers and students to be successful. There are many different approaches available in doing so, a few of them include: the behaviorism, essentialism, and progressivism philosophies.
I believe students feel daunted by all the rules that the teachers are trying to teach them with grammar. However, writing classes are encouraging the students to release their barriers with writings and encourage their inner thoughts to be released as well. In the study from Patrick Hartwell’s article, he mentioned that, “So Grammar 1 is eminently usable knowledge—the way we make our life through language—but it is not accessible knowledge; in a profound sense, we do not know that we have it (Hartwell).” This article encourages our grammar knowledge, which we have stored unknowingly, be brought out and one way that this could be is if we let the students hand in their writing unedited to the teacher to look over their mistakes but not to make any corrections. Then the students use a red pen to correct their mistakes and edit their paper themselves so that the teacher has an understanding of what grammar errors students can correct on their own. This way students’ strengths and weakness in grammar are considered more than teaching the rules of grammar. In order to learn and gain an understanding of grammar, it must be a part of students’ education since it helps students correct their overlooked mistakes and for professionalism’s sake. Grammar is needed as Christensen’s article summarizes when she says, “We must teach our students how to match subjects and verbs, how to pronounce lawyer, because they are the ones without power and, for the moment, they have to use the language of the powerful to be heard (Christensen).” Grammar is important for our writing, nevertheless; grammar shouldn’t be the focus of how we write instead our thoughts should
My belief in Perennialism, the second philosophy of my choice, is not as strong as Essentialism, although I feel that I will use a few aspects, such as discussion in the classroom and writing of essays. I feel students are more open and opinionated when asked questions and may feel comfortable knowing that they can ask questions and discuss their answers freely. Two key points of this philosophy I find myself using even now within the classes I attend are time on task and precision. Dividing my time appropriately and allowing enough time to complete work, as well as goal of completion. Also setting a schedule so I know when I need to attend to certain tasks. The same idea will expectantly reflect on my students as they see that I set dates as a guideline to manage my time appropriately, as well as their classroom time.
I would not be considered your typical college student in search of an education degree. I am a 31 year old male, married, with two children, and working on my second career. My previous life consisted of working in the coal mines till I was injured. My injury, however, is considered a blessing in disguise. My injury has leaded me to the world of education.
Now that I have seen three different classrooms as part of my practicum observations, I still believe that there are several acceptable approaches and no universally correct teaching methods. However, my thinking has changed because I have seen that everything done ...
My philosophy of education is a combination of essentialism and progressivism . I feel that knowledge can be learned from a textbook, but I also want my students to use other means of knowledge. I fell in certain times, I should be the center of the classroom and other times, the students should be the center. Education is about the students and I am there to guide them through their journey. I think it's important to let children learn by exploring. By doing this, they choose what information is important and should be retained. When it comes to learning, students should always be in the center. The teachers are only there to mentor and improve upon a child's skills. In my mind progressivism with a mix of essentialism is the best philosophy for me to follow.
The one belief I had about teaching that has changed since I began this unit, is that all teachers, more or less, taught in the same way. Perhaps this is a belief that I had formed from my own time at school, where all my teachers taught in the same way; some were more or less effective, but I wasn’t aware of them using theories or methods as such, more that they were or weren’t kind people. This belief has changed and it has really opened my ideas to the many creative models, and instructional methods a teacher can use.