Running Head: MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

My Philosophy of Education
Tara Soule
Drake University

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

My Philosophy of Education
When I was little, I loved playing school whether it was with my sisters or dolls. Rather
than reading books to the students, I always created activities and learning games. To this day,
I believe education is an exciting journey, and should be highly valued by students.
I feel learning should engage the children, which goes along with my philosophy based
on progressivism views. Progressivists believe students should clearly be taught subjects and
lessons relevant to school and their life at home outside of school (Martin and Loomis 44). If the
students are actively participating, not only are they further motivated to learn, but also they are
additionally challenged.
Another progressivism principle I agree with is teachers are facilitators of learners. It
should be part of the job as an educator to design and create lessons that guide learning and spark
interest, while engaging the students at the same time. The role of the teacher is to stimulate the
students through exciting activities tailored to each students needs. I plan to use as few
worksheets as possible in my classroom, in order to be the most effective teacher I can be. While
some worksheets are beneficial and necessary, most neither engage nor benefit the children.
Rather, I will come up with activities that involve the students and incorporate exercise and
movement, as I consider this to be the best way they learn. Research has shown that physical
activity in the classroom helps brain activity and behavior, as well as setting a positive example
about healthy lifestyles (Integrating 1). This goes along with my belief that it is the students
role to take an interest in their learning and be actively engaged.
I plan to have a well-structured, organized classroom, as I prefer the authoritative
approach to learning and teaching where there is structure but students have choices at the same
time. I aspire to teach preschool or kindergarten so teaching authoritatively will allow my young

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
students to learn the skill of picking from choices, in order to determine which choice will
benefit them the most.
As a teacher, I will set high goals for my students to reach. No matter their intelligence
and abilities, all progress counts and improves their brain. I will always congratulate and reward
students on their individual progress. I will stress the importance of working hard, in order for
them to understand the significance of striving for their best, in order to reach their personal
goals.
A goal of mine I hope to accomplish while teaching is to form bonds with the children, as
I value relationships with the students. I want to be a role model, and will aspire for the kids to
look up to me and respect me. While I cannot take the place of a parent, I want to be there as a
positive role-model and support system for all of my children, in particular the children with less
than ideal home-lives.
Teachers all have their own unique personalities and qualities. However, there are several
significant qualities they should possess, such as patience, kind-heartedness, empathy and
understanding, plus the ability to work well and communicate with others. If teachers are
approachable, then the students are more likely to put their trust in the teacher and are more
willing to participate in the activities presented. One of the characteristics of an effective
educator according to Stanford University research, is to have instructor-group interactions with
the students, including this quality of being approachable (Characteristics).
It is my goal to make every child more knowledgeable. To reiterate my agreement with
progressivism, not only will the students have an understanding of schools subjects, such as math
and reading, but will also be able to thrive in life due to the social and life skills they learned

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
through schooling. In addition, I look forward to encouraging them to make an impact on society
and instilling upon them a life long love for learning.

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
References
Characteristics of effective teachers. (n.d.). Stanford Teaching Commons. Retrieved October 9,
2013, from https://teachingcommons.stanford.edu/resources/teaching/planning-yourapproach/characteristics-effective-teachers
Integrating physical activity into the complete school day. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25,
2012, from www.aahperd.org/naspe/publications/teachingtools/upload/PA-DuringSchool-Day.pdf.
Martin, D. J., & Loomis, K. S. (2007). Building teachers: a constructivist approach to
introducing education. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.