My Philosophy of Education

Megan Humes

James Madison University

 As a teacher, I play a huge role in my classroom. I am responsible for each one of my

students from the moment they walk in until they leave. It is my job to care for every student and

give them the tools they need to be successful and lead a meaningful life. Therefore, it is

important for me to recognize how I will run my classroom and why.

The purpose of education is to prepare young minds and teach them how to think in the

adult world. They are the next generation of firefighters, lawmakers, surgeons and so on.

Evaluating my thoughts on the purposes of schooling is vital to my work as an educator. The

purpose of schooling that resonates deeply with me is social. As a music teacher, the majority of

the work centered around my classroom is a socially stimulating activity. The idea of working

together and comradery must be present for everyone to learn with each other. While learning

music should be fun and provide some stress relief for my students, it is also an intellectual

activity. I will provide the students with the materials necessary for learning and understanding

basic notation. They will build skills in many different areas, such as theory, sight-reading and

aural skills. The knowledge gained from my class will help them de-stress and relax outside of

class. They will understand and know how to read music and may even decide to compose their

own for pleasure. It also prepares them for the challenges of teamwork they may face in the

working world. The philosophical orientations that best match my teaching style are

constructivism and behaviorism. I will use constructivism in creating a more stimulating learning

environment and allow my students to apply knowledge learned or reinforced outside of the

classroom setting. I will also use behaviorism to set up clear guidelines on how students should

behave in my classroom and what disciplinary measures may occur if they are not followed.
 Next, and also of great importance is my curriculum. What am I going to teach my

students and why? Curriculum can often be chosen by the school district and I may not have a

great deal of say in what I am supposed to be teaching. In many public schooling systems, the

judge of whether or not appropriate curriculum is taught in music is an event called

‘Assessment’. Every high school choir in the district usually participates. They are judged and

given a score based on their performance, similar to SOL’s for core classes. In preparation for

these assessments, I will teach a variety of music including different styles/time periods, and

both religious and secular texts. By utilizing music from across many genres and various levels

of musical difficulty, I will be providing my students with both a challenge and also something

for everyone of different learning levels to enjoy.

The responsibilities placed on my students will not be harsh or unfair. I want to ensure a

welcoming environment where students look forward to singing and learning with their peers. I

do not want my class to add to any stress the student may already have, whether it be academics,

their home life or something else. Therefore, I will not assign any homework unless it is deemed

to be absolutely necessary. We will learn our songs and develop our musical brains during class

time. This means that attendance will be crucial in ensuring the success of the ensemble.

Students also need to be engaged for the duration of class. In engaging with myself or their

peers, they will be respectful. If any problem happens to arise, I want the student to feel

comfortable approaching me and know that I am understanding and ready to listen to any

concerns they may have. In order for this approach to work, I need an effective classroom

environment. I think the most important elements of managing the classroom are establishing

rules and procedures, and keeping the classroom organized. These can be especially helpful
when working with younger kids or children with learning differences. I need to be as prepared

as possible for whatever challenges I may face as a teacher, in order to maintain a productive and

safe learning environment for every student.

Analyzing my classroom behaviors and environment is essential in figuring out my role

as a teacher. It is my duty to provide a learning environment by planning ahead. I will utilize the

plan-implement-evaluate method. By reflecting on my work as a teacher and the execution in the

classroom, I can make adjustments if needed and work more on helping my students. It is also

important to provide students with feedback. Let them know what is working and maybe what is

not working so well. This can also prevent behavior issues and miscommunication between the

teacher and students. Another quality of effective teaching is identifying personal strengths and

weaknesses. By acknowledging these, I can work on improving my weaknesses and learning to

ask for help from those around me when I am struggling. I also need to communicate with my

students’ parents. By establishing procedures for communication, I can work with the parent and

provide them with feedback about their child. This may prevent issues or any miscommunication

between myself and the parents. I need to make it to clear to them that we are on the same side

and I am trying to advocate for their child so they receive the best education possible.

There are many moving parts and aspects that come into play regarding teaching and

becoming an effective teacher. Understanding why I want to teach music specifically and how to

become the best teacher I can be will help make sure that I get there. I need to understand any

learning or behavior challenges that my students may face by knowing each one of them

personally. Hopefully, my students and I can work together to prevent them to the best of our

ability. I understand that it is important to reach out to their parents as well and include them in
their child’s learning process. Knowing this and continuing to gain even more knowledge with

each day will make me a better teacher and provide my students with the best possible education

so they can influence their lives and the world around them.