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Jordan Keegan

Professor Sgobba

EDU 201

3 November 2020

Philosophy of Education

Teaching is a profession that requires passion. My passion to become a teacher stems

from different experiences and how my previous teachers taught. One person who sparked my

interest in teaching was my second-grade teacher. Her teaching style was unique and has

impacted how I want to teach. For example, for each story we read in class, she would bring in a

food related to the story. Each lesson was taught in a way that the students will remember. Along

with this, my field observations have taught me quite a bit so far. I have learned that there is

much more to teaching than what we see as students. When I become a teacher, I want to teach

differently and leave a lasting impact on my students.

There are four common Educational Philosophies. Each of them being perennialism,

essentialism, progressivism, and social reconstructionism. Perennialism emphasizes the

"knowledge of unchanging principles or great ideas” (Parkay 113). Advocates of this philosophy

include Robert Maynard Hutchins and Mortimer Adler. Hutchins based his studies on the Great

Books.

Essentialism was originally founded by William C. Bagley but was advanced by E.D.

Hirsch. This philosophy is described as the knowledge of basic core subjects. He believed that
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“...students lack basic knowledge needed to function in today’s world” (Parkay 115).

Essentialists believe that schooling should provide students with education that prepares them for

life.

As for progressivism, it is described as the philosophy that is based on the belief that

education should focus on the students rather than on the teacher or content. (Parkay 118). John

Dewey’s writing helped spread the idea of progressivism. Progressivism also focuses on

nurturing the relationships teachers have with their students. As a teacher, this is one philosophy

I will implement in my teaching.

Finally, social reconstructionism was founded by Theodore Brameld. This philosophy

“holds that schools should take the lead in changing the current social order” (Parkay 122). Both

social reconstructionism and progressivism are linked in some ways. For example, both involve

students and teachers interacting with one another.

When it comes to my educational philosophy, I believe that inclusiveness and knowledge

of differences should be heavily encouraged in the classroom. Every student should understand

and respect their peers along with their backgrounds. The psychological orientation that

influences my beliefs about education is constructivism. Constructivism refers to learners using

their prior knowledge to understand new material (Parkay, 126). In my opinion, students learn a

topic best when they apply what they know.

As a teacher, I will implement different strategies and organization in the classroom. One

of the strategies that I have seen my cooperating teacher do during my field observations has

influenced me to do something similar. To see who understands what is being taught, she asks

the students to put their thumbs up or down. Using hand gestures and facial expressions is
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especially helpful to young children. Along with this, I will allow students to be in groups for

specific subjects and assignments so that they can help each other and work together. During free

time and breaks, I will play music and let my students calm down for a bit. As for learning, I

acknowledge that every student learns differently and has a preference that helps them best.

Implementing a mix of different learning types in each lesson makes students feel included and

exposed to new learning styles.

There is diversity among students in every school. As a teacher, it is important to

understand the students’ cultural identities and to encourage them to educate themselves on their

differences and respect one another. Along with acknowledging student diversity, it is also

important to acknowledge student variability. Student variability refers to the differences in

students and their developmental abilities, disabilities, interests, etc. In order to work with

student variability, I will speak to each student individually, along with their parents, to find out

what would help them best in class.

The qualities necessary to possess in order to move forward in the teaching career include

responsibility, patience, and adaptability. Teachers need to be able to take their time with their

students and know what they are doing. In order to achieve my goals, I first need to continue my

field observations and volunteering to get more experience in teaching. I also need to further my

education to get my Elementary Education degree and receive my teacher’s certificate. In the

meantime, I will continue to learn about the basics of education.

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Works Cited

Parkay, Forrest W. Becoming a Teacher. 11th ed., Pearson Education, Inc., 2020.