Each Individual is Different Society, schools, and students are becoming increasingly diverse every day. We have put people into space and on the moon because of major discoveries in science and technology. We have come from making computers that were so large only one could be put in a single room, to making them small enough to hold in our lap. Being a teacher is just as hard as being a scientist. A teacher in today’s classroom must be able to prepare our students for the ever-changing world and teach them how to survive in it. They must be able to teach students a basic curriculum, hot to use and expand that curriculum, and show them how it will be relevant in their every day life. Every day brings a new change and a successful teacher must be ready to accept these changes and bring them into the classroom. I am a soul believer in progressivism. I believe that when John Dewey taught that we are social animals who learn well through increases when we are engaged in activities that interest us, he was not just talking about classrooms in his time, but classrooms in the future as well. Students must be taken beyond the basic curriculum and be allowed to expand their knowledge through their own interests. Students need to be respected for their own individuality. No two people can learn the same way and most students have their own strategy of learning. Teachers need to be able to recognize that sometimes a student can only learn in one fashion and in that fashion alone. This is why we must compensate for every student in the classroom to bring a variety of teaching styles to be sure to include every student. As educators, we need to find ways to make concepts interesting ... ... middle of paper ... ...lti curriculum, such as instruction in vocational technologies. A multi curriculum gives us a chance to arouse curiosity and push our students to a higher level of knowledge that is most relevant to each individual’s life. 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.
One of the main concepts behind progressivism was to improve the overall American lifestyle. Many state citizens were subject to products of low quality education, as well as low income households. According to a term paper provided by Academia.edu, progressivism allowed students to learn and develop as a person through lessons that cause the student to become involved in the lesson, along with the provision of a scientific method that allowed reflective thinking. (Mercado) Mercado’s document also observes that a challenge that the subject causes in modernized education is many educational environments follow a procedure where students are provided with a task or assignment, and are expected to practice it until they become seemingly...
...students from falling irrevocably behind. Curriculum development can be the key. If educators know how to reach every student, if schools tailor instruction to include these diverse learners, if we master the art of engagement and gradually increasing complexity, providing these students with the education that they deserve will be a possibility. Today’s classroom is not the same as the classroom of the past. New ways to teach are being developed every day as a result of brain-based research. I plan to become a driving force of innovation, helping direct learning in a positive way. I plan to be a voice for positive change in my career. Teaching isn’t just a job. Teaching is a calling. Compelled by more than just a career path or a paycheck, I am thrust forward by the light in the eyes of my students, looking to me for guidance, support, and ultimately, education.
From school buildings to supplies and teacher license requirements, life is very different for students and teachers today compared to two centuries ago. Today’s teachers receive higher education to learn the profession, and students learn new subjects such as foreign language, art, health, and science. After a long day of learning, most take the school bus home and continue their studies further. One thing that is similar between education in the 1800s and education now, however, is that children grow up to become well-educated, well-rounded individuals who are knowledgeable about themselves and the world around
As a teacher, I would be able to spend more quality time with my children and help them after school with homework. In addition to meeting these personal goals, teaching would allow me to reach out to area students and help them build character and acquire knowledge. The classroom is a complex society. In each room, there must be an atmosphere in which students of all backgrounds can learn. By being a constructivist one can combine the elements of essentialism, progressivism, behaviorism, perennialism, and existentialism to form a successful teaching philosophy and therefore a successful classroom. Below, I will discuss how these ideas can be combined for success. As essentialism states, the teacher needs to have control in the instruction of the classroom. Lecturing and supervising the improvement of skills are great ways to teach materials. A case in point here shows one of the teaching fundamentals, of the core subjects reading, writing, math, and nature sciences. This gives you the intellectual discipline to solve problems that involve complex ideas. In progressivism, students have more of a democratic voice in the learning process. Although the teacher will be the facilitator of the process, by using a cooperative learning activity the students are designing there own education and are guided in a direction by the teacher.
My style of teaching does not fit easily into any one specific philosophical ideal. It is this eclectic blend of essentialism and progressivism that I believe can make me a good teacher. I believe, like essentialists, in lecturing. I feel it is the most effective way to get your lesson (particularly a lot of information or a new concept) across, but at the same time I do not believe in lecturing just what is in the textbooks. This is my progressive side. Textbooks are outdated and do not include a multitude of much needed information. Being a history major, I think it is important for students to know all of their history. It may not be exactly what they want to here, but we cannot shelter our children forever.
The teaching methods used in a progressivism classroom supports the idea of problem-based learning wherein the students are required to develop original solutions to existing or potential societal problems. Together with the teacher and classmates, students are given the opportunity to speculate and question the world around them and the world awaiting them. Within small peer groups, for instance, students are encouraged to discuss, share and compromise. The teacher is there to encourage this process rather than to provide prescribed solutions. Similarly, the learning environment is collaborative and democratic, giving opportunity for all to speak their minds and receive feedback from peers as well as the teacher. This continuous loop of feedback, potentially positive or negative, serves as the means of assessment for problem-solving based instruction.
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
Throughout history we have seen education as an important tool in surviving the business world. In order to prepare students for a life outside of the classroom and in the work world, basic materials such as math, reading, and writing were lectured at students. This method of education is now known as traditional education. As more research has gone into education and its methods, theorists have come up with a new progressive way to educate students, focusing more on the student’s social and developmental needs rather than pressuring a focus on retaining information that may or may not be relevant to them in the near future. While many educators incorporate progressive education into their classrooms, some still feel a need to
Education is an ever-changing part of society. A classroom teacher is faced with new challenges and obstacles that have never been dealt with before. Students come to the classroom with different life stories. Every student has strengths and weaknesses that surface in the classroom environment. Teachers must understand and focus on utilizing each student's strengths and work to improve weaknesses. Students learn in a variety of ways. The classroom must be a safe zone that appreciates student's viewpoints and allows room for mistakes. When topics in the classroom are related to "real-life" experiences, the information is more likely to be retained. Students learn from one another. The ideas and perspectives that each student brings to the classroom can bring insight into what is being learned. Students have to be allowed to explore new ideas, try them to see if they work, and sometimes fail. When students are encouraged to explore, they begin the process of becoming lifelong learners.
“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.
Teaching children I would incorporate all of these philosophies such as; perennialism, progressivism, behaviorism, essentialism, existentialism, and social reconstructionism in my instructional curriculum. For example, including perennialism in which, it is necessary to teach elementary students morals, such as; sharing, not cheating, and even playing fair (like in sports). Progressivism will be used in my instruction because cooperative learning activities will take place. I will use reinforcement rewards with computers, stickers, and candy; which will display the philosophy of behaviorism reflected in my classroom. I will encourage free-will in my students by letting them make choices such as; the book they want to read or letting them decide whether or not they want to do extra credit; which would demonstrate a small part of the existentialism philosophy I support.
Following secondary school some student head straight into the work force, while others attend college. Therefore, while in grade school, not only is content important, but preparation for the real world .Progressive teachers goals are to educate the student intellectually while working to make them good people in our society. Being a mentor rather than a boss and allowing student some control over how they learn is an important part of progressivism. Progressive learning is also about critical thinking, social skills, personal experience and lifelong learning. Relating your real life experiences to learning is a way of progressivism. Learning is rooted in the questions of learners that arise through experiencing the world.(Cohen & Gelbrich, 1999). As a student real life has always been a learning tool, and is something I will use as an educator. There is always something you like over something else; relating what you don’t like to what you like can make learning more interesting. As a second grader, I did not like grammar but I loved learning all the word to my favorite songs. We used a learning tool called Shirley Method, where grammar and sentenced parts were put into songs. This helped me engage more and retain the knowledge.
My main goal as a teacher is primarily to provide students with the knowledge that will help them further excel in their everyday lives, but also to teach students to apply the knowledge they gained and take advantage of opportunities that will enrich their lives. Many times, students learn better when they feel a certain subject is relevant in their lives. I feel that it is important to have a curriculum that is based on the student’s interest, experience and capabilities. Having a textbook integrated in a curriculum is important, but a student will have a better understanding of the subject area when experience is involved. Although there are many different techniques to education, I feel that the philosophy of progressivism and essentialism best fits my style and belief of teaching. These teaching philosophies focus around student needs, democracy, and the basics of education.
The future of our nation rests greatly on how we educate our children. The children of today will soon be the driving force of tomorrow. In order to properly prepare our future citizens of society, we must provide them with an education that teaches them not only the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also social skills and critical thinking. Progressivism offers this approach of educating the “whole child.” This student-centered approach to learning applies learning in a social manner and allows students to apply what they are learning to real life. This type of learning is much more meaningful than rote learning. Curriculum and assessment are based on the child and their level of interest and ability, and instruction is varied to adjust to different learning styles. Children learn by doing, and progressivism believes in incorporating a hands-on approach to learning. The teacher in the progressive classroom is not a dictator but more of a mentor and guide to the student. She takes the children into consideration in everything she does and allows them to offer their input. The progressivist teacher also facilitates social interaction among the students and groups them together for projects so that they may learn how to work cooperatively. Progressivism is the key to a more educated, better-rounded society.
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.