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Philosophy of Education

Many of us, especially the folks I descended from, believe schooling is a

meticulously planned path sending students from rags to riches like a hole-in-one. I’m Ben,

and throughout my years of schooling, I have yet to find the truth behind this theory. From

my experiences both in life and in school, I’ve realized most of us finally know where we’re

headed when we arrive. Like a late-night drive, one can only see as far as their headlights;

nothing else but the illuminated road ahead—and that is all I needed to arrive at my

destination.

I believe schooling is the headlights illuminating a student’s path to finding their

passion. I ran for so long; I lost all track of time; the voice of reason is one I left so far

behind! I broadened my horizons. I broke ground in places I didn’t know ground existed.

One hand was reaching out for God knows what, while the other hand was clinging onto

something so hard its knuckles were ghastly white. Finally, against all odds, my indecisive

personality found its calling. I realized it was okay to make mistakes and messes. Mishaps

and mayhem are an indication of life. Confusion and chaos unlock a treasure trove of

possibilities, hidden gems and happy accidents. Meticulous planning and execution,

however, suggest life has reached the zenith.

When I reflect on why I decided to teach, I recall my frustrated teenage self, asking,

“why won’t she do this?” or “why wouldn’t he teach it this way instead?” Partly why I entered

this profession is to ensure future students don’t endure the hardships of my schooling—to

make amends and to rectify former mistakes. As an educator, I believe my role is to

embolden students to become adventurous risk-takers, to encourage students to

reformulate precedents and to oversee young adults getting their feet wet. If you assume

the best of someone’s capabilities, you get the best out of them, and vice versa. Rather
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than restrict and restrain, I will allow students to dictate their destiny, to experience and

experiment with their illuminated patch of pavement, and to feel assured they can spread

their wings and fly—or fail, knowing someone will raise them off the asphalt. Like what

many former scholars have experienced, to be great is to be misunderstood. If one bites the

bullet and floats with the stream, he or she may realize that reality exceeds their

expectations, unearthing an unknown potential and uncovering an unimaginable passion.

Teaching is a team effort; each participant must join forces and collaborate to ensure

the most favorable outcome for the student. By advising parents of what is expected from

their children and keeping administrators informed of student behavior and achievement, I

hope this attentiveness will reinforce the mutual effort of providing the best possible learning

experience for our students. Everyone is in the same team, and together, we can be a force

for good a force for evil.

I don’t believe respect is something given simply because one decided to become an

educator; rather, I believe respect is earned. If you treat students like adults and show them

the respect they deserve, students may be more inclined to heed your advice and respect

their teacher’s authority because he or she gained their students’ respect in a natural and

humanistic way. By stepping back and giving students the opportunity to follow their

intuitions without someone breathing down their necks, this sense of independence may

convey a mutually beneficial sense of trust and respect between the teacher and the

student, while also developing autonomy for adulthood. I do not only wish for my students to

become adept readers, writers, communicators and thinkers; above all, I hope my students

leave my class equipped with the traits and tools they need to enter adulthood and confront

the harsh realities of life.

Although I may be rigid regarding deadlines because I hope to groom my students

into becoming responsible and reliable adults, I am not inflexible. I am willing to negotiate
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due dates with students on a case-by-case basis if needed because, sometimes, life

catches us off guard and if I can lessen the stress, I am happy to help.

As John Dewey said, one does not learn from experience, but they learn from

reflecting on their experience. I encourage students to reflect on what they have learned,

what they can improve on, and what students may want to learn more about. In a time when

the reliance on technology and digital formats has become increasingly prevalent, I will also

ask students to showcase their projects in an online portfolio. This project provides students

a medium for presenting their assignments to others while also allowing students to develop

their professional online identity. However, Dewey’s claim may not only hold true regarding

education; it may also be relevant to individuals reflecting on our actions. Should a problem

arise between students, I will mediate a discussion and have students reflect on their

mistakes to mitigate the possibilities of repeated conflicts.

I was a shy, timid and reserved individual; I was afraid of my outspoken and rowdy

peers. Some students may be eager to voice their opinion, while others may struggle with

mustering the courage to raise their hand, utter a sentence, and avoid meeting anyone’s

gaze. I recognize everyone participates differently, and I will not misinterpret reticence for

apathy. There may be also times when I will interact with students who grew up with

contrasting cultures and conflicting customs. In instances such as these, I will learn to

recognize the differences between my values and the students’. By remaining open to

multiple perceptions, this sense of receptiveness ensures a positive outcome for both me

and my students.

Contrary to what some may think, I echo the sentiment of one reaps what they

invest. If a student overachieves and strives, his or her academic abilities will improve.

Rather than assessing academic achievement because of how well students can “plug-and-

chug” through an exam, an assessment measuring how much students have advanced
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reflects their abilities and understanding more accurately. Researchers (most notably,

linguist Stephen Krashen) have discovered learning stems from completing tasks that

challenge students slightly beyond what they are capable of. If a challenge seems

impossible to overcome, I will encourage students to take a leap of faith and place one foot

before the other.

I believe one’s willingness to explore alternative perspectives to a problem or

situation distinguishes scholars from simpletons. Rather than succumbing to conventional

wisdom, I encourage students to complicate their questions; if students only search for

opinions that parallel their own, this mindset gives them a myopic perception of a situation. I

want students to prove their inquiry is not as concrete as it seems and to show the audience

their findings uncover an unexplored problem that is intellectually rich.

Our lives don’t always yield what we expect, and we may find ourselves in situations

we never imagined. When it seems like the world is against you, I will motivate students to

roll the dice and expand beyond their boundaries; they will overcome these obstacles and

achieve astonishing results. We might not need to arrive at an answer this instant, but we

will clear this low hurdle—that is all for now.

I do not wish to be viewed as a teacher who waves the “graduation carrot” in front of

students’ faces and prevents them from graduating; rather, we are all in the same boat. I

hope students view me as someone who will help them pass the class, graduate, and

hopefully, someone who will help them pursue their passion. By informing students how

their attitude toward schooling will affect their future, this reminder may encourage students

to seek guidance from their teacher or view their education with a greater sense of

importance and relevance.

At the end of the day, by the time he or she sees the radiant splendor blooming on

the horizon and their headlights come off, I can bask in the warm feeling of knowing I have
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exhausted my efforts in ensuring every student is prepared for adulthood, and I hope my

students have found their calling.