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Philosophy of Education

Throughout the course of my education, I have been blessed with incredible professors

and the opportunity to take the most compelling courses. Both Villanova University and the

University of San Diego have shaped my perspective and thoughts on so many topics. These

schools have also introduced me to some topics that I am incredibly passionate about now, such

as equality versus equity, dehumanization within the classroom, child development, and

twenty-first-century thinking skills. As I move closer to my career as a teacher, I want to keep

learning every day, but also reflect on my past education and the experiences, courses, and

professors that have helped to shape me into the woman I am today.

During my first two years of college, I was blessed with the opportunity to play for the

softball team. I worked all through high school to achieve my goal, missing dances, birthday’s,

and more, but it was all worth it. My senior year I committed to Villanova University, and it

seemed to be the perfect fit for me. In addition to helping me grow as an athlete, Villanova gave

me many academic and philanthropy opportunities that I never had before. Through my different

experiences at Villanova, I realized that my career should be something I am passionate about,

and it should be something that would make me happy every day. I thought back to growing up

with three younger siblings and the times I volunteered with children, and I remembered how

happy and fulfilled I felt when I taught them something new or helped them with school work. I

had this realization towards the end of my freshman year, about the same time I started to feel

excruciating pain in my right shoulder.

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Throughout my sophomore year, doctors tried everything to fix my shoulder, hoping my

pain wouldn’t end in a career-ending surgery. Unfortunately, it did. Having surgery gave me a lot

of time to think about the next steps I would take in my life. As I weighed my options of

continuing at Villanova University, an amazing place filled with friends and family, I realized

Villanova did not offer a major in education. Although the decision was strenuous, I decided to

move on from Villanova to pursue a University with a strong field in elementary education. This

decision to leave Villanova was incredibly difficult, but I was able to make the most realistic

choice for my future and keep a positive mindset going forward.

As cliche as it sounds, through this experience, I learned that everything happens for a

reason. I also learned a lot about myself and how I can stay positive, even in the most difficult

situations. This quality helps me when working with kids. If I am able to stay calm and positive

in the classroom, I can solely focus on the students, and the problems they are having in school

or in anything else. For the past couple of years, the University of San Diego and it’s professors

have guided me as I grow as a student and future teacher. I have been able to learn about the

controversial topics within the education field, and have been given the opportunity to think of

ways to help solve those problems.

Becoming a teacher requires knowledge of child development, the specific needs of

certain children, and why. This brought me to my decision to concentrate on psychology. Taking

courses in psychology has given me the opportunity to understand disabilities in children and

realize how fast our population with disabilities is growing. As an elementary school teacher, I

will have the responsibility of noticing the strengths and weaknesses of my students so I can
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provide them with the help they need. Completing these courses has also given me an interest in

working towards a dual credential in special and general education.

From choosing the psychology concentration, I was able to take the course, Child

Development Across Cultures. This class gave me a lot of insight into the future responsibility I

will have in shaping children every day along with shaping my idea of education as well. One of

my favorite parts of this class was our research paper in which I was given the freedom to study

a topic that incorporated both psychology and education. I decided to study Montessori and

Reggio Emilia Preschools and the benefits they have on young children. Through my research, I

was able to find that the Montessori and Reggio Emilia Methods both promote

twenty-first-century thinking skills, communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, and

creativity. All of these skills are cultivated by teachers giving students choice within the

classroom, having project-based learning, partner talk, blended learning, and more. Through this

research paper, I was able to find bring my passion of teaching and working with young children

into my psychology course, which ultimately made me, not only excited to show up to school

every day but also for my future.

As I learned more about 21st-century skills, I started to notice certain problems within the

classrooms I was working in. Throughout my time observing and working in classrooms, I have

learned a lot about the negative ways teachers are affecting their students. In classrooms in

today’s society, students are constantly being dehumanized and institutionalized. Student’s all

around the United States are being stripped of their critical thinking skills, leaving them to

believe there is only one way to think. Seeing this first-hand made me passionate about learning

how to equip students with social-emotional health and to use their critical thinking, research,
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and communication skills (Balagopal 2016). This idea comes from Bloom’s Taxonomy and

Changemaker Education.

Bloom’s Taxonomy consists of six categories: knowledge, comprehension, application,

analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. These six categories have been recently changed to

remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. These six ideas all involve

21st-century skills and helps students to learn and understand the content taught in school.

However, it also gives students the chance to question ideas, take a stance, draw connections,

and more, which leads to creative, confident, and powerful thinkers.

Much like Bloom’s Taxonomy, changemaking teachers give their students the tools to

step into the world feeling powerful, empathetic, and self-aware (Balagopal 2016).

Changemaking teachers educate their students to have a transformative mindset and encourage

them to effectively use their voices for change, to see beyond the entrenched “reform” stance

(Balagopal 2016). They also equip their students with social-emotional health and to use their

critical thinking, research, and communication skills (Balagopal 2016). Most importantly,

teachers build mutual respect within their classroom, between not only the teacher and students

but with the students between each other (Balagopal 2016). As a future teacher, I have to

constantly remind myself that all of my students will be vastly different. I want to do my part as

a teacher to positively affect my students and prepare them for the future. Becoming a

changemaking teacher will be my lifelong goal, to learn every day from everyone around me and

to always strive to give my students the confidence to enact change in the world.

As my undergraduate years come to an end, I am starting to see my adult life unfold. I am

proud to say that I will be continuing my education next year at the University of San Diego. I
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will be enrolled in the one-year program where I will be working towards a dual credential in

special and general education and a Masters in Education. I would like to keep learning about

how to create a connection with all of my students, so I will be able to learn about their cultures,

learning styles, and more, to help myself become a better teacher for them. I also hope to

implement the ideas of Changemaking and Bloom’s Taxonomy into my classroom. Beyond that,

I hope to stay in San Diego, start a career in elementary education, and work every day to

enhance my students’ overall growth, not just as students, but as human beings.

Works Cited
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Balagopal, Sudha, et al. ​Changemakers: Educating with Purpose: by Educators for Educators​.

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2016.

Mcdaniel, Rhett. “Bloom's Taxonomy.” ​Vanderbilt University,​ Vanderbilt University, 13 Aug.

2018, cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/.