Educational Philosophies

Susan Sawczak

Post-Positivism: I like this philosophy because of its emphasis on higher-level, scientific

thinking and learning. One cannot overstate the importance of critical and independent thinking
skills for students in the classroom. As a result, I believe that the empirical thought processes
espoused by post-positivism are among some of the best ways to facilitate growth in students,
and I plan to encourage this type of thinking in my classroom.
Cognitivism: Though I believe that the best way to manage a classroom is to incorporate many
different learning theories and learning styles, the one I most closely subscribe to is cognitivism.
In my opinion, the focus in the classroom should be on the way students think --- how they
process and incorporate new information, how they reach conclusions, how they analyze
problems, etc. This style of teaching can really encourage students to build on prior knowledge
and to learn new material, and the emphasis on mental processes will also help students
understand metacognition and the way they themselves think and learn.
Teacher Role: I believe that teachers should act as a guide to learning in the classroom. Provide
the information and examples, then step aside to allow the students to practice and learn higherlevel thinking skills on their own. One cannot simply teach critical thinking; it is something that
must happen through personal experience and practice. The teacher should be there to answer
questions, help students remain on track, and provide examples of critical thinking processes
when needed through modeling.