Philosophy

of Education 1

Philosophy of Education
Josephine Mattison
University of Alaska Southeast

Philosophy of Education 2
Education has always been a cherished part of my life and an interest since I was very
young. Educators have a huge impact on their students and through their students the world. I
love learning, I am a life-long learner and I have a strong desire to help others discover and
understand their thirst for learning and the world around them.
Children have an innate desire to learn and a curiosity about them that is unlike any other.
As an educator I hope to tap into that desire and curiosity and apply it to learning. My classroom
will be a safe and nurturing environment in which students can feel comfortable and learn with
ease. I hope to help students make the connection from the classroom into the real world. I think
it is very important that learning is relevant, engaging, and intentional. My ultimate desire would
be to not only provide students with knowledge and learning experiences but also through that,
empower students and help them make progress towards their future.
Understanding development as an educator is very important when it comes to students
learning. I have studied development from a psychological and sociological perspective and
applying such information to education and learning is very important. Having such knowledge
allows you to understand students, where they are at developmentally, and what is
developmentally appropriate for the various ages and grade levels one will be working with.
Motivation is a very critical component of an engaged and productive classroom. I will
utilize providing regular praise and encouragement to my students. The key with praise or
student interaction in general is authenticity. When you authentically compliment or even
address a student it carries a lot of weight. Also of utmost importance is creating and
communicating clear expectations. You need to know what you want students to do and what
that looks like and communicate this with your students clearly in a manner they can understand.
I plan to utilize all of these techniques within my future classroom.

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It is my desire to have a strong understanding at all times of where my students are at
within their learning process. I believe that authentic assessment practices are the most realistic
in terms of life after education. I think it is very important to continually check-in with your
students through different modalities and to use the information gathered as feedback that guides
your instruction. One avenue in which assessment can occur easily is through the use of
technology. I see technology as a tool and not a replacement. Technology used as a tool can very
much be tied to assessment practices and students creation within authentic assessments.
As an educator I will make an effort to understand and appreciate differences of my
students to the best of my ability. Diversity includes cultural, gender, familial structure,
socioeconomic status and more. I have the desire to become a teacher that is reflective of my
students learning and my teaching practice, responsive to my students needs and diversity, and
intentional with my work and its impact on learning and students lives.

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References
Alaska Native Knowledge Network. (1999). Guidelines for preparing culturally responsive
teachers for Alaskas schools.
Duska, R. & Whelan, M. (1975). Moral development: A guide to Piaget and Kohlberg.
Paramus, New Jersey: Paulist Press.
Hedegaard, M. (1990). The zone of proximal development as a basis for instruction. In L. Moll
(Ed.), Vygotsky and education: Instructional implication and applications

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sociohistorical psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Perrone, V. (1991). A letter to teachers: Reflections on schooling and the art of teaching. San
Fransisco, CA: Josey-Bass.
Slavin, R. (2012). Educational psychology: Theory and practice (10th ed.). Boston, MA:
Pearson Education.
University of Alaska Southeast, School of Education. (2004). Conceptual framework of the
center for teacher education.
Waterman, A.S. (1999). Identity, the identity statuses, and identity status development: A
contemporary statement. Developmental Review, 19, 591-621.