Ashley Huston

EDU 202

Connie Christensen

6 April 2019

Educational Philosophy

As George Santayana, Spanish writer and philosopher, said, “Those who do not learn

history are doomed to repeat it.” It is with this firm belief that I look to enter the teaching

profession. I plan to teach history in secondary schools, using a student-centric focus to engage

students with the material and world around them. By helping them to fully understand the

successes and ills of the past, they will be better equipped to improve the future.

Choosing to go into the teaching profession is one of the simplest decisions I have ever

made, with an abundance of reasons leading me to it. I have always had a profound respect for

history, along with a desire to affect positive change in the world. I believe that understanding

what has come before us gives the insight needed to create a better future. In my class I will

guide students to find an enthusiasm for history, and in such stop such vicious cycles as poverty,

food insecurity, racial biases, and others that the refusal to change and adapt create by

understanding the mistakes our predecessors made and how to better address change. This would

give more meaning to my life than any other career choice. A teaching career will also fit well

with being a parent and raising a family. I look forward to enjoying summers off with my son

and fiancé, who teaches elementary school.

 As many who enter the teaching profession, I was influenced by many passionate

educators. While I enjoyed classes taught by these engaging, knowledgeable teachers, I found

myself heavily inspired by one in particular. I first found myself in Mr. Gallagher’s third period

AP U.S. History class. Although this class has an incredibly demanding work load, I found

myself becoming more engaged in history than I ever had previously. My passion for social

studies only compounded when the following year I took two more classes with Mr. Gallagher –

AP Comparative Politics and International Relations. He found a way to breathe life into world

events. Not only was he a wonderful teacher, he became a confidant. During difficult times, I

would find his door open to me. He let me talk, vent, and cry without making feel like I was

overreacting. He gave advice when it was needed, but more often and more importantly, he gave

me a safe space to come to terms with my life. I aspire to be the kind of teacher that Mr.

Gallagher was for me – one that creates not only a love of learning but also strong bonds with

my students.

Finding my personal teaching philosophy took a lot of introspection. Ultimately, I see a

mixture of Progressivism and Social Reconstructionism finding their place in my classroom. I

love the idea of a student-centric classroom. Without a vested interest in what is going on, so

many students simply learn to recite facts instead of think insightfully. So much of history can be

related to relevant, modern-day events. These connections will help students to gain a more firm

grasp of important history concepts, as supported by Progressivism. I also agree with John

Dewey that the “mind should be trained to analyze experience thoughtfully and draw conclusions

objectively” (Sadker & Zittleman, 2016, p.167). Without the ability to synthesize new

information to come to their own conclusions, students begin to recycle whatever information

they have already been fed. This can lead to the continuance of harmful practices. In a history
classroom, I can also see focusing on alleviating social ills as a strong component of creating

well-rounded citizens, as encouraged in Social Reconstructionism. This can help students

connect their learning material to the modern day. For example, during a unit about racism

during the Civil War and Jim Crow eras, students could evaluate racisms effect on society today

and look for ways to ease it in their immediate environments.

I plan on implementing a variety of strategies in my classroom to maximize learning

opportunities. The beginning of the year will include upfront discussions about expectations, so

that students understand what I need from them. This will also give them the opportunity to let

me know what they need from me as their instructor. A candid discussion of rules and

expectations can alleviate behavior problems and misunderstandings later in the year. Each class

period will begin with bell work, which students will know where to find. Bell work will ensure

a smooth transition from passing period to class time with minimal interruptions. Unless I teach

at a school that mandates more, I want to give as minimal homework as possible. Students

should be able to cover required material in their time with me. Extensive homework

assignments can cause students to miss other opportunities, such as extracurriculars, sports, or

after-school jobs. Keeping my teaching inside the classroom also lets students know that I

respect their time and expect them to respect mine. Allowing students to participate in student-

interest projects and open class discussions will engage them in the material.

While planning concrete strategies to use in instruction is a great framework, some more

conceptual ideas should also be addressed with regards to instruction. To encourage learning, I

plan on making sure students can see my continued love of and commitment to learning. Having

empathy and compassion for my students will also encourage them to learn. As my mother-in-

law Hope Ficarro, a first grade teacher in CCSD for 25 years and an adjunct professor at UNLV,
has said, “You cannot learn from someone who doesn’t love you.” As classrooms are becoming

increasingly diverse, I plan to highlight the roles of women, minorities, LGBTQ+ persons, and

individuals with disabilities in history. Even though students can be grouped into the above

categories, they are also each a unique learner. I will a variety of teaching methods to ensure

engagement with visual, audible, and kinesthetic learners. A lesson might include a video, a short

lecture, student discussion, and a physical activity. I’ll also check in consistently with ESL

students to ensure their understanding. For these students, I’ll do my best to provide additional

materials, like a copy of a quiz in their first language. Students with disabilities will be given the

resources they need to succeed, like a print out of what is said during a lecture. I plan to use a

variety of assessment methods, because every student shows their knowledge in a unique way. I

will use a combination of multiple choice, short answer, essay, and student-interest based

projects to gain an insightful understanding of their level.

To succeed in a future education career, I will need to work daily to develop my patience

and empathy. These traits can make or break a teacher. I also will continue to look at the

positives. Some days as a teacher will be very difficult, but having a positive outlook will help

me to perform my best for my students. I plan to complete my Bachelors of Science in

Secondary Education – History at Nevada State College, with an estimated graduation date of

December 2021. As I pursue this, I will substitute teach in a variety of classrooms to work on my

classroom management skills. If I can walk into a brand new classroom everyday with students I

don’t know and properly establish respect and boundaries, doing so with the same students each

year will be a breeze. Even once I begin teaching in my own classroom, I will continue to learn

and grow in my subject field.