Philosophy of Education

The primary focus of education in its simplest form should be to provide the means of
growth for a student. In terms of personal growth, becoming a more caring, accepting, respectful,
thoughtful, knowledgeable, and community-minded individual should be the goal. In terms of
intellectual growth, the furthering of specific content knowledge for the purpose of playing a
productive role in society should be the goal. This includes a fundamental liberal arts education
that allows individuals to interact in more meaningful ways, having some similar baseline of
knowledge, and to fulfill their civic duties as members of some greater state, as well as the
education specific to their career. In practically all areas of education, both personal and
intellectual growth should be at the forefront of the content and methodology of education.
Teachers take on the responsibility of guiding students in their journey to learn and grow
as people. Students mimic the actions and reactions of adults around them, so teachers should act
in a way that will positively influence the classroom. To accomplish this, they should enter the
classroom with an enthusiastic attitude so that their students will also be eager to work their
hardest. While encouraging learning in the classroom, teachers should show grace and
compassion as students may not experience this type of kindness in their own home. The teacher
must help students feel appreciated and loved, regardless of their performance in a subject.
I believe that students respond best to a positive, welcoming learning environment.
Explicitly teaching social skills can help create this environment, while encouraging students to
develop self-awareness and emotional management skills are also essential for personal growth. I
hope to work together cooperatively with my students and allow them to have a say in our
classroom. I want my students to experience freedom within the limits that I construct. This may
be evident in how I let my students choose groups or activities based on their interests, but they
still must follow the rules I have set forth. I believe a positive behavior management plan is most
effective for both individuals and the whole class.
Students should be fully engaged in the process of what, how, and when they are
learning. This allows them to take initiative and ownership of their education. Students all have
differing learning profiles and teachers should provide methods for the students to learn in these
manners. Students also have varying interests and readiness levels, so teachers should be aware
of this when teaching lessons and creating assignments. Differentiated content, processes,
products, and environments are vital to consider when lesson planning. When planning, teachers
should begin with State Academic standards. They should then align their lesson to the
objectives utilizing teaching approaches and strategies that would best serve the students. Lesson
designs may make use of direct-teaching or inquiry-based approaches. Informal and formal
assessments correlate to the objectives to determine if students have mastered the intended
objective.
Students perform better when they can engage with peers and become active participants
in the learning process. I had the opportunity to student teach during the Covid-19 pandemic
when educators had to embrace technology and change their delivery of the content to an almost
completely virtual format. In addition to being a necessity for virtual education, technology can
promote student ownership of learning and collaboration in the classroom when used correctly.
Devices and applications can create bridges between home and school that never could have
been crossed before. Students can connect to life beyond their school because they have access to
a world of information at their fingertips.
Inclusive practices remain crucial aspects of education whether a teacher is considered a
special educator or not. As teachers are hosts of their classrooms, they must ensure no students
are not seen as outsiders. By demonstrating acceptance of all, the teacher aids in transforming
student attitudes towards those who are different from themselves. Teachers should dispel
ignorance of disabilities and should not tolerate any unkind behavior. Only when students feel
safe and accepted can they begin to strive for the personal and intellectual growth that an
education dutifully promotes.