My Philosophy of Education

Junilda Antoniou

EDU 201

05-09-2021

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 I want to become a teacher because being with children and watching them learn and

grow is my passion. I like to experience the innate energy of the children, their ingenuity and

curiosity. I have been inspired by my history teacher in high school, who had a passion for

teaching and encouraged the students to be creative. The standard teaching method at that

time was to have the students read a specified text at home and, when in the classroom and

asked by the teacher, to say the summary of that text. That exceptional teacher did not have

access to technology or to modern methods, but he used his imagination to find ways to make

learning interesting for the students. He asked us to do something creative related to the

lesson, like a poem, an essay, or to say what we learned from that historic fact in the past that

would help us in our future. I remember who the fourteenth king of France was and how he

governed France just because my teacher motivated me to make a poem about him (which I

still remember).

I prefer to teach in a special education classroom. When I was in school, there was no

special education in my country. I had friends in my class who processed information in a

different way from the average children, still, there were the same expectations for them. All

kids have the potential to be brilliant. I want to master the skills of educating kids who need

some extra help to achieve their full potential. I want to watch them overcome the barriers

presented by their exceptionalities and be in harmony with themselves and their surroundings.

I share with the children my love for learning. I always feel enthusiastic when I learn

something new. I want to be, not only a leader but also the children's companion in their

journey to knowledge. I have a lot of empathy for people. I will feel their happiness and

sadness. The children spend the biggest part of their day in school, and I want to find ways to

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make their time in school a happy time. Life is about happiness. We want the kids to be

successful in school in order to be successful in life. But there is no success without happiness,

and I believe the most important thing we should teach our children is to be in search of

happiness.

I have lived in three different countries and influenced by more than three diverse

cultures. I appreciate diversity. One of the amazing characteristics of the United States’ society

is its diversity. That is visible in the schools where children come from a variety of cultures. That

to me is astonishing and interaction in such a background enriches so much the human spirit.

That way children learn easier to be citizens of the World. I want to share with the children my

love for cultural diversity.

I learned a lot through the alternate assignment for field observation. The articles in

Edutopia offer valuable resources for teaching and learning. Through that assignment, I learned

new strategies for building a positive learning environment. My experience as a substitute

teacher has helped me be familiar with the teaching environment.

I believe teaching should be student-centered. I like to focus on the needs of students

and to place more emphasis on their individuality in order to help them realize their potential. I

want to train the students for success in an ever-changing world and to decide with them what

should be learned and in what way this can be best achieved. Progressivism fits most closely

with my current beliefs about education. Progressivism is the belief that students should be

encouraged to try and fail in order to learn. I want to encourage the students to ask "How?"

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and "Why?" rather than just accept facts for what they are. I strongly believe that students will

learn better by experiencing things firsthand.

One of the most important historical events that shaped public education in the U.S. is

The Civil Rights Movement that took place during the 1950s and 1960s. It enlisted the support

of the federal government to provide equal educational opportunities for children of color. It

has influenced our education because we now have equal opportunities for children of every

color and culture. I am happy to work in schools where all cultures are welcomed and there is

equality for all children.

Fortunately, progress has been made in education and the traditional teaching methods

are left behind. Modern teaching methods and strategies are more engaging and more effective

at gaining and retaining knowledge. One such strategy example I like to use is grouping

students by ability. I like to divide the students into groups according to their similarities so that

the differences in the group are minimized. I want everyone to solve tasks appropriate to their

ability. Another instructional strategy example I prefer to use is gamification. Students learn

better by being engaged and enjoying what they are doing. Learning through games is

remarkably effective. I also like to connect the lessons to real-life situations. It helps the

students with mastering the content and it is a productive way to demonstrate their

understanding.

I like to use a mix of assessments to measure the effectiveness of my teaching. I like to

analyze the information collected through assessment to improve student learning. I see

assessment as more than just grading. I want to use it as a tool to connect student performance

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to specific learning objectives. In this way, I will collect valuable information on how well my

students are achieving their learning goals.

My love for children and for learning motivates me to work hard in acquiring the

necessary skills to be a highly qualified teacher. My experience as a substitute teacher has

helped me familiarize with the teaching environment. I still have a long way to go in improving

my skills to teach effectively to the students. My plan is to continue working as a substitute

teacher and gain more experience in the classroom and at the same time take the classes in

education that are required to be licensed as a teacher. I am using Khan Academy to prepare

myself to pass the Praxis Exam. After I complete all the required classes in education and pass

the Praxis Exam, I would like to get a master's degree in special education. It will help me

acquire the necessary skills to teach in a special education classroom.