Philosophy of Education

Standard 1. A teacher can describe the teacher’s philosophy of education and demonstrate its

relationship to the teacher’s practice.

I have a strong and consistent philosophy of education that is rooted in best practices and

constructivist theory. During my first course in my first graduate teaching program I developed

my personal philosophy into a Theory of Teaching and Learning. As I reflect on the evolution of

my philosophy over the course of this masters program, I have found that I do not subscribe fully

to any one particular theorist or style of teaching. Similar to how I view my students, I view

teaching from a holistic and diverse standpoint that is forever growing and evolving. I strive to

integrate a wide range of strategies that support my core beliefs regarding teachers, students, and

the learning process.

Philosophy of Teachers

To be effective educators, teachers must establish and maintain positive relationships that are

built on trust and mutual respect. “Trust is the culmination of intentional actions, reactions,

attitudes, and moments we share with those around us” (Murray, 2019, p. 37). Teachers must

provide a safe learning environment and establish a classroom culture that promotes academic,

social, and emotional growth for all students. Students must feel that they are valued as

contributing members of the classroom. “Teachers who have strong control succeed because they

understand the power of language and relationships: they ask firmly and confidently, but also

with civility, and often kindly” (Lemov, 2015, p. 345). Teachers need to set high academic and
behavioral expectations that are clear and consistent. "Students learn more when they are

challenged by teachers who have high expectations for them, encourage them to identify

problems, involve them in collaborative activities, and accelerate their learning" (ASCD, 2008,

p. 1). I use authentic and specific feedback that encourages students to meet my high

expectations while providing the tools and scaffolding they need. I also make sure that my

expectations are clear by modeling, providing examples, and allowing time for students to

practice and reflect. “Stable routines help children know what to expect, and therefore can assist

them in being cooperative members of the group. Routines also provide emotional security

through predictability” (Fields, Meritt, & Fields, 2014, p. 122). Teachers should also foster a love

of learning and an understanding of the connectedness of the world.

Philosophy of Students

Above all, children are unique individuals who are all capable of learning. Every child comes to

school with his or her own knowledge and skills based on their genetics and previous life

experiences. Educators must strive to know their students well. “To focus on students is first to

be attentive to who they are – their cultural backgrounds, their strengths, the kinds of questions

that motivate them” (Perrone, 1991, p. 63). I use every opportunity available to connect with

students and learn more about their lives and interests. We can capitalize on student strengths to

promote success, but we must know and appreciate our students to do so effectively. “When we

view children from a strengths-based perspective, we show them that we believe in their abilities

to succeed, even in the face of adversity. We also lessen the likelihood that we will lower our
expectations for these children, and thus lower their self-confidence and social

competence” (Fields, Meritt, & Fields, 2014, p. 325).

Student Diversity “Culture is a dominant force in people’s lives and we need to teach with an

awareness and appreciation of cultural variance and in ways that affirm and draw on all the

cultures of our students” (Sousa & Tomlinson, 2011, p. 142). To overcome the challenges of

teaching diverse students, educators should embrace differences and look for the opportunities

that diversity creates. For instance, diversity enriches the learning environment because it

provides unique perspectives and experiences that encourage deeper thinking. “Students’

backgrounds are important in helping them develop a context for, and connection to, important

new concepts and skills” (Sousa & Tomlinson, 2011). I differentiate my lessons to ensure that

success in meeting the learning objectives is attainable for all students.

Collaboration with Families A strong, collaborate relationship between teachers and families

supports learning. This will look different depending on the age and population that is being

served. Ideally it should go far beyond the typical parent-teacher conferences. There should be

open lines of communication between teachers and their students’ families throughout the school

year. It is the teacher’s duty to facilitate this relationship by reaching out to families, whether

through newsletters, phone calls, e-mails, home visits, or just taking the time to check in and

acknowledge them when they drop off or pick-up their children. We learn about our students, and

can be far more effective in our teaching, when we include families in the learning process.
“Building relationships with individual children and their families creates the necessary

foundation for learning social and academic skills” (Fields, Meritt, and Fields, 2014, p. 103).

Motivating Students Teachers must adapt their motivation strategies to their individual

students. This will require an understanding of motivational theories, observation, trial and error,

reflection, and a lot of patience. Children can often take part in setting goals, identifying the

steps needed to obtain goals, monitoring progress, and evaluating progress. “Self-evaluation is an

important ingredient of becoming an independent learner” (Perrone, 1991, p. 60). “Learner

agency is about providing the learner with meaningful choices and promoting opportunities to

exercise that decision-making while developing capacity and ownership over the learning and

subsequent outcomes” (Murray, 2019, p. 169). During my time student teacher, students sampled

and selected their books for their literature circles, so each of them was excited to continue with

the book they chose. Even within their groups they were given the task of assigning roles for

each circle meeting and coming to a consensus of how many pages to read between circle

meetings. When children are able to take ownership of their goals they are more motivated to

succeed. “Student interest is another critical point of departure; it immediately connects ideas,

content, resources, ways of thinking, and the possibilities of diverse media to real

questions” (Perrone. 1991, p. 18). The teacher’s role is to be a facilitator who can connect

student interest to content and standards.

Classroom Management By creating a sense of community within the classroom and

schools as well as a love of learning educators can reduce behavioral issues dramatically. A
strong foundation in child development combined with knowledge about individual students will

help prevent problems and set students up for success. Fields, Meritt, and Fields (2014) stress

that, “Constructivist discipline strategies are aimed at helping children construct socially

productive behavior rules and values for themselves. The approach is aimed at helping children

become better able to reason, and thus become more reasonable human beings” (p. 10). When

students feel that they are valued and respected members of the classroom they are more likely to

be committed to upholding order and maintaining a positive learning environment.

Preventing or minimizing behavioral issues requires teachers to view classroom

management from a proactive approach. It is imperative that teachers set clear and consistent

academic and behavioral expectations. Positive relationships are crucial. “Students who do not

feel that they are loved and that they are capable are unlikely to have a strong motivation to

achieve the higher-level growth objectives” (Slavin, 2015, p. 251). Students need to feel

confident that we believe in their ability to change and grow, and that we are there to support

them. This perspective helps students develop a growth mindset.

Philosophy of Learning

Embracing the concept of being a life-long learner means taking advantage of learning

opportunities, staying excited about learning, having a growth-mindset, and always remaining

humble. When teachers are life-long learners they project enthusiasm for learning experiences

which excites students about any given topic.

Creating Life-long Learners My core beliefs about children and the way in which they learn

are the at the heart of my teaching practice. I believe that all children are and should be treated as

unique individuals with the potential to succeed. Children should be active participants in their

learning. Active participation fosters the inquisitive nature that we all possess naturally as

infants. We must encourage students to be curious about the world. We must encourage them to

take ownership of their own learning. By following student interest teachers can instill in

children a love of learning. “Amplifying interests, passions, and strengths in our learners

recognizes their beautiful uniqueness and shows that who they are really matters” (Murray, 2019,

p. 107). The teacher should then, be a facilitator who can connect student interest to content and

standards, as well as specific learning goals and objectives. Teachers should also work to foster a

love of nature, a sense of community, and an understanding of the connectedness of the world.
 References

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. (2008). Diverse teaching strategies

for diverse learners. Retrieved from: http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/107003/

chapters/Diverse-Teaching-Strategies-for-Diverse-Learners.aspx

Charles, C.M. (2014) Building classroom discipline 11th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson

Fields, M., Meritt, P.A. & Fields, D.M. (2014). Constructive guidance and discipline: Birth to

age eight. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Pearson.

Lemov, D. (2015). Teach like a champion: 2.0. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Murray, T.C. (2019). Personal & authentic: Designing learning experiences that impact a

lifetime. Columbia, SC: IMPress.

Perrone, V. (1991). A letter to teachers. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Slavin, R.E. (2015). Educational psychology: Theory and practice. New York: Pearson

Education Inc.

Sousa, D. & Tomlinson, C.A. (2011). Differentiation and the brain: How neuroscience supports

the learner-friendly classroom. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.