Philosophy of Education

Before addressing my fundamental beliefs about education, it is important to understand

that I view education as a right that should be provided to everybody. Additionally, I believe that
teachers are mandated to provide the best educational experience possible to their students,
regardless of whether they have all the resources to do so. For this reason, I believe that
educators are responsible for always making the most with what they have available, as well as
rethinking and strategizing new and creative ways to use their resources to educate students more
effectively.
The key component to my core beliefs about education is my belief that all students
should be provided with a fruitful education that equips them with life skills that enable them to
be capable and independent individuals. While certain students may have physical or mental
impairments that inhibit them from independently accessing certain realms of life, I am still
required as an educator to aid the development of the student’s life skills wherever there is room
for improvement. Related to this core conviction is my belief that education should be all-
inclusive and requires flexible instructors who can modify and adapt content to accommodate the
needs of learners.
This vision of education requires an effective teacher who embodies the values listed
above, as well as many others. Effective teachers place the priorities of the student’s first and
focus on student-oriented methods. Rather than forcing students to learn in a method that
teachers are comfortable with, effective teachers routinely force themselves out of their comfort
zones and pursue cutting-edge and innovative techniques that focus on presenting content to
students in the most effective manner. Additionally, effective teachers are empathetic and
understand the diverse situations that many students are coming from, and the challenges
associated with those backgrounds.
My personal pedagogy features many of the qualities listed above and is grounded in
student-oriented classrooms and collaborative teaching strategies. I believe that the most
effective manner of teaching involves students engaging in content material in a form that
interests them and allows them to pursue those interests. By creating lesson plans and
assessments that allow students to both learn and effectively express what they have learned, I
ensure that the time students spend in the classroom is meaningful. This is achieved by creating
lesson plans that adhere to state standards and specific lesson goals that are measured through the
use of formative and summative assessments.
Furthermore, I believe that effective teachers must connect with their students and
establish a classroom built on understanding and respect. Classroom management strategies
should be implemented that encourage positive behaviors, rather than criticize negative ones, and
seek to foster student-led standards that creates a student-led positive learning environment.
Classroom management strategies are not merely a method through which teachers exercise
coercive power over students. Instead, they are useful tools that create the classroom
environment necessary to produce the most bountiful educational results.