Jennifer Huglin

EDU 201

Professor Saladino

22 November 2020

Philosophy of Education

When I found myself on the very brink of a long educational adventure—kindergarten—I

had never been more excited. Everyday after school, I taught my younger brother each little

detail I could remember until he begged to leave. Over time, I saw the struggles that followed

through every grade level, and I noticed that education is one big mix of challenges and rewards.

In my senior year of high school, I had a teacher who assigned a project called “the ways of

thinking.” She told us to create anything we want to show her ​how​ we think. That kind of

freedom and responsibility showed me how remarkable the relationship is between the student,

the teacher, and the material. When I got to college and finally realized the power that education

yields, I couldn’t resist diving into the field of teaching. Through this college experience, I had

the opportunity to observe a small first-grade class and all of the big personalities held within it.

There, I noticed that every child was eager to learn and when the gears finally started turning in

their heads, it was like watching a magic show. With that being said, I chose this profession to

change the world and begin the second act.

With an amazing profession like teaching, the key to success lies within the details. This

year, I discovered major concepts, like the country’s pressing efforts to strike a balance between

real mastery and standardized testing. I also learned that nearly 40% of the U.S. population

belong to a minority group—which entails huge hurdles for many student groups—but white
teachers dominate the classrooms. To explain, there is much room for improvement, and that

greatly influences my personal teaching philosophy of reconstructionism. I do not want to ​only

change the learning capacities of my students, I want to change the system they grow in.

To ensure this dream comes alive, the first place of business will begin in my future

classroom. With knowledge that I will have students from different backgrounds, students with

different learning styles, students with IEP’s, and students with different skill sets, the best I can

do is make sure that my curriculum adapts a structure of variety. This means that every

assignment will require some form of hands on learning—some using technological devices,

some appealing to kinesthetic learners, some requiring a great deal of teamwork, etc. I want my

seating arrangements to change monthly and my assessments to include how well students

cooperated with one other. In short, I’d like to transform the traditional learning environment

into an experience that sticks with the years of information kids will have to bob and weave

through.

On that note, I unfortunately cannot miraculously appear in a perfect classroom with the

snaps of my fingertips. For my personal teaching dreams, I plan to start with obtaining a

bachelor’s degree and a license to teach in local elementary schools. I want to help kids become

bold, passionate leaders, and I want to be someone they can confide in. After many years of

working with students to help them succeed, my ultimate goal is to step forward into a master’s

degree in educational leadership. I plan on becoming an administrator that can provide an

extraordinary environment for students as a whole. It will take time and dedication and more

learning efforts on my part, but just like my kindergarten venture, nothing could be more

exciting. Soon enough, my students will change the world too.