Derek Sears

Edu 202
12-12-2022
Dr. Mack
Philosophy Of Education
Education is something that almost every single person has in some form or another in

their lifetime. It is an extreme focal point for any child when they start school, and their

childhood is made up primarily of school and all that is involved in it. That is why I wanted to be

a teacher. Teachers can, and should be, some of the most influential mentors in the lives of

students. Teachers are one of the biggest factors in students’ success in schools. So, my desire to

be one of those influential people led me to be a teacher. But how would I go about that? What is

my philosophy of education?

The first, and biggest portion of this should involve what I believe about the students that

I will be teaching. This is the most important aspect of being a teacher. Students are all different

in many ways. I have learned that I will never have two students, even siblings, who are exactly

alike. So how will I work in a classroom with anywhere from fifteen to thirty different kids in it,

when all of them are different? The most important realization I must come to is that the success

of each and every one of my students is my highest priority. I need to find ways in which I can

give all my students the same opportunity to learn no matter where they come from. Whether the

boundary is in the form of language, skin tone, family situations, or any other factor there might

be, all my students deserve the same treatment from myself. This is one of the most important

parts of being a teacher. I need to create an environment that allows all my students to learn,

succeed, and enjoy their schooling.

 The next question I want to address is what should the student-teacher relationship look

like? I desire to get to know all my students and grow close with them. While this is going to be

impossible with some, and easy with others, I want my students to all at least see that it is

obvious I care about them. One of the biggest reasons I decided to be a teacher was because of

the relationship I had with my high school teachers. Some of these men are still to this day, some

of my closest friends. I want to be a teacher that encourages this type of friendship. I have

learned through experience that friendship usually means respect. If there is mutual respect

between me and my students, then we will both want the other party to succeed. This will lead to

them desiring to learn in my classroom, and myself desiring to do whatever is necessary to help

them find success. But this will not happen with every student. That is where it is important that I

do not abandon this goal of friendship and respect, but rather continue to show respect to my

students, and hope they eventually do the same for me. The relationship between a student and

the teacher can be hard to build at times, but when it exists, it can be one of the strongest bonds

there is.

Third, I want to address what I believe about the teachers themselves. I believe that

teachers should be encouraging, and leaders. They are seen by a lot of students every day, some

students they will have, some they have currently, and some they had in the past. But that doesn’t

change how they are viewed. While yes, a primary purpose of education is to prepare my

students to get into college, it is also about preparing them to go into the real world and be

successful, great people. It is extremely important for teachers to be good citizens, and even

better people. Teachers need to lead by example both inside and outside the classroom. So, if I

set some rules for inside my classroom, I would hold myself accountable to the same rulebook as

my students. But this also goes for outside the classroom as well. I need to be just as respectable
outside of the classroom myself. Students will see and notice just as much, if not more about

how I act outside of a classroom, than inside it. It is my job as a teacher to attempt to be a role

model for these students and continue to encourage and lead them both inside and outside of a

classroom.

Next, I will address what I believe about my classroom environment. First, as I

mentioned before, I want this environment to be one of mutual respect. This will lead to

everyone getting along more, and everyone having a bigger desire to learn. But that being said, I

also want my classroom to be fun. I am planning on being a high school math teacher, which

means students will not always love my courses. I fully understand that. Math can be both

difficult, and sometimes quite irritating. I want my classroom to be one in which students are

excited and encouraged to come and learn. This doesn’t mean I am going to neglect the job of

teaching, but rather find ways to mix it up. I don’t want to teach the exact same way every day. I

don’t want my students to be put to sleep fifteen minutes into class. I want to have a classroom

that keeps everyone involved, everyone learning, and everyone enjoying themselves every

minute they are in class. I want to utilize the entire period, be organized, and accomplish the

tasks I need to, yet still find enjoyment in every task we are accomplishing. I realize this can be

far easier said than done, but it is a goal that I take seriously, and have a strong desire to

accomplish this. The more learning is accomplished, yet also enjoyed, the more successful my

students, and my classroom will be.

Finally, I will talk about curriculum and assessment. These are both focal points on my

philosophy of education because it is the content I will actually be teaching. I believe that I need

to use the curriculum to follow and achieve the standards assigned by the state. I do not

necessarily want to teach directly to the test, but there will be times in which I am preparing my
students for the test specifically. In the case of the curriculum used, I believe that I need to use

what brings the most success for my students. If the curriculum being used before me worked

well, then I will continue to use it. If it was not working well, then I believe I will need to do

some research until I find something that is better suited to my students and the time. I also know

that it is important to continue to update curriculum for both the times, and the standards. If the

curriculum I am using is outdated, then it needs to be replaced. In the case of assessments, I want

to give these for two reasons. First, it is a good way to tell where my students are at. It allows me

to understand who might need a bit more work and what it is they need to work on. I am not a

huge fan of giving just one or two assessments. I want to give out a couple of assessments

because I want to continue to be updated on where my students are at. I also do not want to

overwhelm my students with a test that is worth 25% of their grade alone. The second reason I

will give assessments is because they are a good recap of what was being learned and a good

review. They also can be extremely valuable for use as review at the end of the year, and even

after you have finished that course. In all, curriculum and assessments are very important, and

not something I will take lightly. I will continue to update them and make sure they successfully

lead my students to the standards.

In all, being a teacher excites me. It is a great opportunity to not only help students reach

their goals, but also a great way to minister to students and encourage them in their childhood.

Teachers can be very influential, and in my belief they should be. I want to be a teacher that

builds relationships, encourages my students, and shows them the light of Christ through how I

teach and act. It is a great opportunity to not only be an educator of my subject, but also an

educator, through actions, of the gospel. Being a teacher is a great opportunity and isn’t one I
plan on taking lightly. I am excited to teach, encourage, and help mentor my future students in

preparing them for the next step in their life.