Philosophy of Education

                 My educational philosophy is rooted in the belief that students should be active

participants in the learning process. Neither language nor learning is a passive thing and they

both require community and engagement. As an educator I will focus on teaching students how

to self-assess, critically think, and make decisions, as well as encourage student guided learning

that emphasizes the importance of communication and expression.

I believe that it is my duty as an educator to teach students how to think, instead of what

to think. There will come a day in which my students will be required to learn without the

guidance of an educator. Therefore, it is my goal to prepare them for that moment and to do so I

believe it will be crucial that I instill the knowledge and cultivate the skills of self-assessment,

critical thinking, and decision making.

I believe that a good learning environment is one that seeks guidance from both the

teacher and the students. Just as literature is what happens when the reader and the writer come

together and bring both their experiences of the world and language, education happens when the

student and the teacher come together and bring together their own knowledge and

understandings of the world. Literature and education are deeply rooted in community and

therefore must be achieved through an ongoing dialogue rather than a monologue. My classroom

will be one that encourages discussion and conversations about literature and language and

makes students active participants in the process.

I believe as an English teacher it is my duty to make sure students have the skills to

productively communicate with one another. I think this extends beyond the essay and written
page and into their lives. It is crucial that my student’s skills of communication are cultivated so

that they can learn to express themselves and navigate through the world. I believe that it is

important for my students to understand how to have meaningful discussions about

disagreements and difficulties in the world. I think that it is the application of knowledge, and

not the knowledge in and of itself that facilitates successful learning. That is why

communication, which is language in action, will be a key focus throughout my lessons.

                The reasons that I love literature, and the reasons that I love education are the same;

they rely on community, on the sharing and exchange of ideas. I think you can 100 different

professions what the hallmarks of civilization are and you’d get a hundred different answers. My

answer, as a lover of language and education, is that civilization began when we started to

exchange ideas about the world, how to change it, and what our place is in it.

                The reason I love literature and the reason I love education are one of the same, they

are firmly rooted in the exchange of ideas. They are the great equalizers of the world, and when

knowledge and words are utilized, they are often the greatest influencers of change. From

intrapersonal relationships to foreign affairs, language and learning will always be crucial to our

lives.