Mary Enwemaya

CILR 601
Philosophy Paper
Fall 2018

My goal as an educator is to imbue my students with a lasting love of learning, no matter

what the topic or subject. In turn, their unsatiated thirst drives them to for more knowledge.

However, there is more than the desire to pursue more knowledge. We live in an imperfect

world, riddled with uncertainty some days and hope most days.  With uncertainty and hope, I

want my students to know the world is ever evolving and so do answers to questions we ponder.

They should know that the world around us is always fluctuating and they need to be able to

adapt to the times of change.

There is a quote from Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970) in which he

states, “[e]ducation either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the

young generations into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes

the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically with reality and

discover how to participate in the transformation of their world” (p.125). I certainly am in

support of the latter, as educator, we need to deal critically with reality, in discovering one’s

place, both as an individual as well as within a group or society, and how best to transform their

world that strikes me as the essence of education. I have often told my students that they are my

seedlings, especially when we are conducting our plant life cycle unit. With the metaphor in

hand, I compare myself to a gardener and them to seedlings that I must tend to for them to reach

their potential. I can only provide the necessary tools like watering their minds with ideas,

providing space for sun-filled discussions and giving them an environment rich opportunity for

growth and cultivation. As an educator, it is my mission to create an environment that nurtures

and promotes positive experience-based learning, through rigorous content, student

accountability and differentiation to meet student needs. Learning must be active. I am a

facilitator of learning, not a dependent factor.

 Mary Enwemaya
CILR 601
Philosophy Paper
Fall 2018

Considering this, my role of a teacher is to create a dynamic learning environment which fosters

the healthy development of as many learners as possible. This is something I try to do in my classroom

daily. As a child, I did not learn through much group interaction, interactive media, etc. However, as a

teacher, I’ve learned that these many dynamics and stimuli should be a part of every lesson.

Differentiation is key to a successful classroom. Therefore, in my classroom you might witness a lesson

introduction where students discuss their prior knowledge with one another, share out whole group and

then do a short activity. They then might watch a video on the topic/standard, and play a brief game

around that, all before I even begin instruction. I constantly check for understanding and have students

use a variety of mediums during instruction, from interactive notebooks filled with colorful student-made

foldables, to vocabulary walls that include the word, definition, and a picture. Student always have plenty

of opportunity to share their understandings and receive correction on misconceptions during lesson

activities and group work. There is always an independent work portion that might come in various forms

such as the use of white boards and dry erase markers. I always end a lesson with some type of formative

assessment to gauge student mastery of the content. This too is done in a fun way, many times on colorful

post it notes and once completed, students post them in a different location in the classroom every time

(i.e. classroom door, white board, teacher’s desk, etc.). Sometimes I review them immediately and take an

additional 10 minutes to work with students struggling with that concept in a small group. Lastly, I

integrate a lot of content and have students writing and reading about math, science, and social studies,

also in a fun and interactive way. In “Experience and Education”, John Dewey expresses that the freedom

of the learner is priority; this is the case in my classroom as well. However, increased demand of every-

day lessons requires students to be more than engaged, it requires that students make the connection

between what they are learning and how it will be used to enrich their life outside of the classroom. As

such, my classroom activities must be important or relatable to my students. If my students aren’t

invested in their work, they won’t learn as much from it. Dewey, “saw that although it is the educators job

to create an enticing curriculum and a supportive, motivating environment in the classroom, in the end, it

is the student who must be actively creating his or her own learning” (Tracey & Marrow, p. 59).
 Mary Enwemaya
CILR 601
Philosophy Paper
Fall 2018

My classroom instruction must be concise and meaningful. I’ve learned that great planning is the

foundation of a great classroom. Student success and great classroom management rest on a dynamic,

differentiated and well-planned lesson. Currently, I’m in the process of creating my ideal classroom

environment but I still struggle with numerous aspects. I know what must be done, but it is difficult to

properly plan and have all the elements in place for a highly effective and dynamic lesson day after day.

All of my students know that I truly love them and believe they are all as capable as I tell them every day.

They strive to meet the already high expectation and are not afraid to ask for assistance when needed.

Regarding my philosophy of education, I will always center on a progressive-social learning

approach, but I know that it will also include many other lenses that are a necessity. I don’t believe there

is a one size fits all when it comes to educational philosophies. I do believe that my philosophy is

evolving and will shift without losing its center. In articulating my preferred vision of literacy, I still have

ways to go as it has been years since I focused on teaching literacy, coming from a math perspective.

However, a quote my grandfather used to say, was that “the greatest failure in life was to finally meet that

person from whom you learn absolutely nothing.” Advances in technology and society are a reflection of

life itself – in a state of constant change and progress. Progress is inescapable as gravity and inevitable as

death. All one can do is embrace it in all areas of life.

 Mary Enwemaya
CILR 601
Philosophy Paper
Fall 2018

References

Dewey, J. (1938). Experience & Education. New York: Simon & Schuster Inc.

Freire, Paulo (1970) Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York, NY. Herder and Herder.

Tracey, D. H., & Morrow, L. M. (2006). Lenses on reading: Theories and models for instruction. New

York: Guilford.