Philosophy
Why I want to teach:
Children are far more likely to smile and laugh than grown ups. Their giggles and humor tend to be contagious and so I love to be around them. They have a tremendous capacity to learn but still manage not to take things too seriously. I admire that and would like to spend my career helping them.
My education philosophy:
Each of the major philosophical approaches to education has merit. However, to strictly employ only one philosophy is limiting and hampers all possibility for improvement. Essentialism, progressivism, perennialism, and existentialism all contribute valid ideas to the teaching profession. I will choose to use aspects of each in varying degrees as is appropriate to different students and situations. Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences must be considered when planning lessons for students with different aptitudes. In addition, it is important to keep an open mind about the many different methods available for teaching any given subject in a manner that is best suited to students with different intelligences.
The merit of essentialism is evident in its name. Essentialism aims to teach essential skills and subjects. There are unarguably certain subjects which are necessary as a core and foundation to all other learning. Reading, math, and natural science are subjects that will be built upon from day one of a students school career. I agree with essentialists that these subjects should be taught to every student in addition to history, literature, and other social sciences. Essentialism also holds that teachers should teach a respect for duty and authority as well as consideration for others. Personally, I agree with this idea and believe that a respect for author...
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...ifficult to apply the best parts of each of these philosophies. In fact, it may be impossible to apply them all simultaneously. My goal is to maintain an awareness of each of them so that I can employ the best philosophy for each situation. As an elementary school teacher essentialism and progressivism will be most appropriate in most situations. However, as part of my professional development, it will be important to maintain and add to my knowledge of all educational philosophies. My greatest challenge will be discovering the best method for effectively teaching students with so many varied interests, aptitudes, and cultural backgrounds. I feel confident that Concord College is giving me a strong foundation to build these skills upon. I consider my field experiences an invaluable opportunity to test and improve the educational philosophies I am learning in class.
I believe that Philosophy is the study of different ways of thinking. In philosophy, you should question everything and never take anything for face value. There are always two sides to every coin as there are different ways of looking at things, is what philosophy teaches us. In philosophy, you must throw off all the limitations you have set on yourself when dealing with how you view things and how things seem to be.
It would be wonderful to put back into the community a well-rounded individual that may make a difference in the life of someone else. The philosophy of essentialism is important to me, although I feel students can still relate to school in a positive way. Students can learn the core subjects—reading, writing, arithmetic, and science—by learning the important aspects of each subject.... ... middle of paper ...
All six of the major educational philosophies Perennialism, Progressivism, Essentialism, Existentialism, Social Reconstruction, and Behaviorism are in my opinion feasible in the classroom. However, I have chosen Essentialism as the primary philosophy I would like to employ in my classroom for several reasons. Although I think all six would result in learning, which is the primary purpose of education, I think that Essentialism is superior to the other five for my classroom. I feel this way because it embraces the purpose or original goal of public education, it allows lessons to be gauged to all different learning styles, and finally because essentialism employs methods of teaching and discipline that I believe work exceptionally well with my content specialization.
In closing, implementing only one theory of learning can be limiting to the success of students in a classroom setting. A more effective approach would be “draw from two or more theoretical perspectives… to better capture the complex nature of human thinking and learning” (Ormrod, 2012). According to Howard Gardner, there are multiple intelligences in human individuals that are based on biological and cultural elements (Brualdi, 1996). Since each of the intelligences work independently of each other, but also complement each other individuals learn, teachers should teach accordingly (Brualdi, 1996).
My philosophy at this point is progressivism. William James and John Dewey are accredited for developing the characteristically American philosophy that is progressivism. Progressivism relies on the theory that the student should be the focal point. By adjusting the curriculum and teaching techniques to reflect the student’s needs and interests, the teacher is encouraging the student’s desire to learn. Another theory of progressivism is that of a democratic system. Students will fare better in life if they are exposed to the ideas and cultures of different ethnicities and personalities early. By encouraging group work, instead of solo work that will lead to competitions, the students will be more open minded and will be better prepared for the diverse world.
Of all the philosophies that I have been taught and researched in my Education classes, I feel that I will probably use Essentialism, the most dominant and widely accepted philosophy currently in classrooms today. For example, I think that after a lesson is taught each student should have to take a test to evaluate how well they have understood the information, and hopefully, be able to demonstrate to me how well I have taught the information. Mastery of the material should be practiced in the classroom. The student may not go any further in a lesson until the proposed idea has been taught and mastered.
Each person needs to learn to respect, have integrity and be unique in their own way. One will learn that through struggle and a lot of effort to overcome different situations. I think that like me the world needs a balance where some need to be more than others, for example some people need to be kinder in contrast to cruelty to learn from each other to either be a better person or stay the same. This world needs people who are open to accept changes to change themselves and how they live, because for this world to be a more healthy and happy place we need to start changes within our own.
Considering the traditional teaching methods and the abundance of test-taking in schools, it is evident that the philosophical theory, Essentialism, has a strong presence in classrooms. Although Essentialism affects policymakers, parents, and the mass public, it most importantly affects the students. By deeply analyzing the issue of an overwhelming Essentialist presence in education, one can conclude that Essentialism is the root of contemporary issues in education.
Before taking my philosophy self-assessment, I was sure my highest score would fall somewhere in humanistic or social change. I was surprised when I saw that all of my scores fell within six points of each other in all five of the philosophies. After thinking about this, I have determined that I have come to see the benefits of each of the philosophies of education and have drawn pieces from each one in order to shape my own philosophy of education and teaching. Behavioral, progressive and humanistic are the three philosophies that I scored highest in and I will attempt to show how my philosophy relates to ethical teaching of each in today’s classroom. In Nodding’s Philosophy of Education he says, “Thoughtful people continue to examine the old responses, to generate new ones induced by changing conditions and to reflect on current responses in the interest of making education as good as it can be.”
Essentialism is Essentialism refers to the "traditional" or "Back to the Basics" approach to education.
“Education is a social process; education is growth; education is not preparation for life but is life itself.” John Dewey describes and supports progressivism, an education philosophy that I professionally identify with. Progressivism is a student centered philosophy that focuses on experiences, opportunities, and values that enhance a student 's learning and life. The role of the teacher is to act primarily as a facilitator of learning, they encourage and guide students to explore and promote individual development. As a future educator I believe it is important to involve students and allow them to take responsibility for their own learning and achieving their goals. The role of the student is to discover, engage, and express themselves.
I think it is extremely important that students maintain their individuality all throughout childhood and carry it through them into adulthood. Both of these philosophies promote individuality. Progressivism promotes individuality because it encourages the student to come up with conclusions on their own, in ways that makes most sense to them so they can grasp the content in the best way possible. This provokes deeper, more meaningful ways of thinking. Existentialism is important for students because it encourages them to be unique in thought and action, to embrace who they are deep down inside and to not let their individuality fade as they grow older. I believe that these two philosophies are the most important ones when it comes to the student’s individual uniqueness, which can bring such great things into this world. Not every child thinks the same, so not every child learns the same. Consequently, if we allow children to learn as they wish, as long as they put towards an effort, their minds will grow to a greater degree than if we teach one specific way to teach each
The process of educating children may seem like a clear-cut, straight-forward process to some people; however, this is far from the case. There are five philosophies of education (essentialism, perennialism, progressivism, social reconstructionism, and existentialism) that vary in their educational approaches. These philosophies can be grouped into two categories: ...
Children are our future and it is up to us as educators to point them in the right direction. I always enjoyed school and found it fun and exciting. As I got older, I only remember the teacher's that made a difference in my life. I want to the teacher that makes a difference in a child's life. Whether it be as simple as a teacher, or advanced as a father-figure, I will be their for the children.
My beliefs about teaching and learning is that it should be done with heart, soul, mind and strength. Teaching and learning has to be a passion, as well as, having the will to make sure students are being provided with the best education they possibly can earn. My beliefs range among the students. I believe education should provide all students with the freedom that encourages their natural growth. I also believe that students learn best when they believe they can learn, in different ways and at different rates, when the classroom and school enviroment supports them, when learning is authentic, when they feel respected and develope a positive relationship with their teacher, and when teachers provide explicit feedback designed to reduce the gap between student 's current and future higher level of understanding. My beliefs about knowledge is that all knowledge should be observed and respected no matter what student it may be. My beliefs about knowledge is based upon to theories: progressivism and essentialism theory. The progressivism theory believes that education should provide freedom that encourages children natural growth and development through activities. An