Teaching Philosophy
When I was growing up I wanted to be everything I could think of from an astronaut to a doctor. You name it and I wanted to be it. I could not make up my mind and even as I started college no decision fro my major was made. I waited two years until coming to the realization that I would like to teach. A small girl in Wal-Mart helped me come to this realization. I did not even know who she was, but somehow she caught my attention. The first time I looked at her I saw nothing, just an ordinary girl, but something made me look again. When I did the girls’ face was glowing like she was an angel and then she just smiled. The smile filled my heart with such joy that from that moment on I realized that I
…show more content…
The person most responsible for the success of progressivism was John Dewey. This approach stimulated schools to mold education to the needs and interest of the students. After the launching of Sputnik progressivism was looked down upon to go back to traditional instruction with defense-related subjects. Progressivism came back with renewed popularity in the 1960’s and 1970’s, however; in the 1980’s and 1990’s traditional approaches dominated the nations schools again.
I intend to have classroom management, the curriculum, teaching methods, and ways of evaluating my students all following the progressives approach. I believe that the classroom should be student centered so they feel free to make decisions on their own. After all, education is for the students so they should have some say in how they want to
…show more content…
I will plan a lesson that arouses the students’ curiosity and then push them to a higher level. I will take the children on educational trips that will let them interact with nature or society. Also, I will stimulate interest with thought provoking games. Such as a form of monopoly, which will make learning easier to grasp.
There are several different methods for teaching the curriculum properly. They are scientific investigation, decision-making, problem solving, critical thinking, cooperative learning activities, and the project method. I believe that every one of these is important to the different learners. I will incorporate all of these teaching methods in my classroom because every student learns differently. I do not want to leave anyone out.
Evaluating the student is very important, because you have to know what the students have learned. Evaluations can range from tests to observations, either way they need to be given
Progressive education was a movement based on an emphasis of learning by doing. This style of learning was more about hands-on projects and more experimental learning with groups that will help sharpen social skills. It was a style that allowed teachers to teach the content areas around the needs of the students. John Dewey was a huge supporter and promoter for progressive education. Dewey stated in his journal My Pedagogic Creed, “I believe that the true education comes through the stimulation of the child’s powers by the demands of social situations in which he finds himself.”(Vol. 54 p.77) He believed that all learning took place based on the social situations a kid was presented. Dewey started schools in Chicago that were based on the progressive movements. The school actually combined to teach future teachers this style and approach to education. Dewey stated “This process begins unconsciously almost at birth, and is continually shaping the individual’s powers, saturating his consciousness, forming his habits, training his ideas, and arousing his feelings and emotions.”(Vol.54 p.77) He believed that the set-up of schools should be designed and taught around the real-life and occupational based on community surroundings. Along with the help of other school reformers such as Ella Flag Young, they tried to change school systems throughout the country.
In order to continue this, progressivist’s views and ways of teaching need to be taught to upcoming teachers. As teachers it is important to attend to the students as a whole, not only making them better learners, but also better people showing not only intellectual growth, but growth in other things such as social skills. Making the child “the center of gravity” will lead to students getting a better understanding of learning and will help them grow intellectually (Alfie Kohn). Meaning since each student is so different from one another it is important to see what works best for each student, and meet their needs before anything else. Having a largely progressivist approach on teaching will greatly benefit
Thornton puts a stress on the need to implement this curriculum on a more conceptual level rather than a contextual approach (which in lines up with progressive ideology). Progressive education is a twentieth century pedagogical approach, which was designed to develop students in different ways than anything previous. The term "progressive education" has been used to describe concepts and practices which are intended to create a more meticulous student in the society he/she is a part of. Although there are numerous differences in styles/points to highlight, emphasis amongst progressive educators, like Thornton (even Engle, Hess et...
Progressivism also considers the interests of the students to help improve society and the students individual. It organizes schools around the concerns, curiosity, and real world experiences of students. Teaching in a progressivist classroom will help students reach their full potential causing them to feel capable of doing more complex subjects in their future lives. By creating this feeling in the students as a teacher I would feel accomplished because my students are now going to overcome any problem in the world with confidence and
Kohn, A. (2008). Progressive education: Why it’s hard to beat, but also hard to find. Retrieved from http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/progressive.htm
Today’s classrooms are more diverse than ever. A teacher must know that each student is different and possesses various learning and working skills. As a future teacher who is aware of this need for individuality, I plan to bring a progressivism philosophy to my classroom. I want to encourage all my students to learn and this can only be done through a variety of teaching techniques. I not only want to prepare my students for the future, but encourage them to expand their knowledge everyday after they finish school as well. By preparing my students for the future, I will be preparing them for a life-long learning experience.
Children are our future and it has been a dream of mine to guide them into the right direction by the way of a good education. Having two children of my own, and preparing them for school, prompted me to want to achieve my goal of teaching. Watching their faces beam with pride as they learned something new, made me so proud. Teaching them preschool activities required research in knowing what I should teach to prepare them for elementary school. I used workbooks that I purchased from stores and I printed out worksheets from the Internet to help them learn. I considered myself a traditionalist; I directed the activities and had emphasis on a core curriculum that I planned for daily. After seeing them succeed from my teaching efforts, I decided I wanted to help other children succeed.
My plans of educating will begin with the basics, but then as the children start to grasp these ideas, I want to help them use their knowledge in different ways. In this society, people have to be able to think on their feet. They have to be able to take a situation and look at it from many different angles to decide how to change or fix it. By teaching children to learn in different ways, they will have the opportunity to obtain these skills.
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.
Progressivism allows the child to be a free-thinking individual. My teaching method will let the students become critical thinkers who can use their knowledge in the “outside world”. To accomplish this I will use praise as the main source of reward. Telling a child they are doing well, will encourage them to do better. My students will be allowed to voice their opinions without being judged.
I believe that learning and teaching is an equal process between teachers and students. Teachers learn just as much from students as students learn from teachers. When I become a teacher, I will most likely adopt the philosophy of pragmatism. I believe that knowledge is an instrument for adapting to reality, and therefore is an essential part of life. I want to become an educator in order to motivate children to receive knowledge and use it to better their lives. I dream of helping young children learn to read and write and I anticipate the moment that they look up at me and smile because they understand. I want to be an educator because educators are the most important force in the working world today. Without educators, there would be no doctors to treat the ill, no lawyers to defend the innocent, and no policemen to protect us from harm. There would be no accountants, nurses, psychologists, there would be no one with professional educations and degrees without teachers.
It is beneficial to teach real world lessons and inspire student discovery and problem solving. The curriculum focuses on the interests of the students and establishes a fine balance between valued content and interactive learning activities. The curriculum is important because it has the ability to reach students on different levels and what appeals to them. When students are interested in the subject matter, they want to learn and do not feel forced to learn. The instruction and delivery of this philosophy is very important because I believe active engagement, constructivism, and cooperative learning will enhance the students life skills and what they will carry with them in the future. As a progressivist teacher I believe it is important to to think outside the box and know how to go above and beyond to fulfill the potential of my
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 ...
After reading all the different types of philosophy, I have decided that I agree with progressivism. The man most responsible for progressivism is John Dewey. His main point in starting this progressive schools was to offer students with a broaden curricula. This put education more to the needs of the students and made school more enjoyable as well. I think these are two very important points with education. One of my main goals as ...
Is it possible when you are a child to know what you want to spend the majority of your life doing? I believe that some people know what path they will choose even at a very young age. I found that I am one of those people since I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. Teaching is a unique, demanding profession that I have chosen since I enjoy being around young people and helping people understand new concepts. I have chosen to teach math and business. I want to teach math because I have been in so many math classes in which students have struggled and I want to be able to help students who struggle understand and apply the concepts. I want to teach business because technology and business has become such a significant part of society and I want to prepare young people for that aspect of their futures. In order to provide my students with the best education I can offer, I will focus on the philosophies of progressivism and existentialism.