Michael Martinez

My personal views on education are a product of how I was taught and what I
have learned. I believe that the center of education should be the students. Today,
education is a topic that is strongly debated. As with most topics that affect a majority of
the population, there are two very different sides. Ive always been the type of person to
analyze both sides of an argument before making a decision. Ive chosen to do the same
with my education philosophy. Before taking any type of education classes I didnt even
know that there were different teaching philosophies. Being part of a Masters program at
Colorado State University has taught me that there definitely are and that being narrowminded only limits you.
I was taught using the more traditional methods of education. By this I mean that
lecturing, note taking, and testing were staples of the curriculum. I excelled in this
system, but many of my classmates did not. Ive learned that each student is different and
that my job is to make sure each student learns. That means I have to work. My
generation has a bad reputation for wanting to take the easy road. If I want to be a
successful educator I have to work hard. I am willing to do that. The profession of
teaching is one that is underappreciated and I understand that. I truly believe that helping
students grow is more important than me getting a pat on the back.
One of the most highly debated topics in education is the use of standardized
testing. My studies have given me a great deal of background information regarding
standardized testing. I understand why these kinds of tests are used to assess students.
The tests give quantifiable data that can be used in research. The only problem is that the
tests do not take into account the different learning styles of each student. Everyone
learns differently and that cannot be quantified. It doesnt seem fair for a test to determine
school funding and teacher reputation (or employment status). Many will say the world
isnt fair and I agree, but this isnt merely a matter of fairness. Right now there is an

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inefficiency in the education system. Standardized testing is part of that inefficiency. I
know that as a teacher I will have to do whatever is required by my district. I know that
probably means administering standardized tests and I fully accept that. I will teach
everything that is required for test preparation, but that is not all I will teach. I will
encourage every student and differentiate my curriculum as much as possible to create a
positive learning environment.
For me, creating a safe environment for students is very important. I believe that
making students comfortable makes them more willing to learn. I dont mean comfortable
in the sense of letting students rule the classroom. Teachers still need to be authoritative
figures, but students need to be able to voice their opinions. Ground rules must be set to
assure that conversations are appropriate, but empathizing with students lets them know
that they are just as responsible for their education as teachers are.
Another topic that is important to me is promoting equality in the classroom. As a
Hispanic man I realize that I am a minority in this profession. There are many people who
see that as a very important thing. Im different because I dont really find it that
important. Please understand my reasoning. Ive been lucky in that Ive never really
experienced true prejudice. I know that it is important for students to see adults like
them in authoritative roles. I understand that some students make connections with
certain teachers because of similarities in their heritage or culture. I want to make those
connections, but more importantly I want every student to feel comfortable despite their
differences.
I have given quite a bit of background thus far and despite all of this information,
I still find it difficult to state what my true philosophy is. Undoubtedly, I lean more

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toward the progressive side. My only problem is that, like many most topics with heated
debate, this is not a black and white matter. There is that tricky gray area. Ask
somebody about their political views and odds are they will tell you theyre either left or
right. I believe one of the largest problems we face today is being categorized or
grouped. It encourages the either/or mentality instead of the and mentality. So many
are stuck in the gray area, but in order to truly see progression we have to be able to
look at both sides of an argument and use the best ideas to form a superior idea. As Im
sure you can attest to, this is much easier said than done. However, we have to start
somewhere.
Im very passionate about becoming a teacher and a couple of pages cannot begin
to express my true philosophy, because it is always evolving. All that means is that I am
constantly learning and trying my best to use new knowledge to improve my philosophy.
However, there are still a few things I am certain about. Im very strongly student centric.
I dont like the weight standardized testing carries, but understand the need for furthering
educational research. I believe dialogue is a very important part of education. I believe
education is about more than just memorizing content. I do believe that some traditional
practices are useful and I intend to utilize ideas from both progressive and traditional
philosophies. Most importantly, I am excited to learn all that I can. I know that as a
teacher I will learn just as much, if not more, than my students will. My goal is to always
learn and to use what I learn to prepare the next student for what they will encounter in
the future.