Transcript Writing a Philosophy of Education Introduction to Teaching What is a Philosophy of Education? • A philosophy of education is a personal statement about.

Writing a Philosophy
of Education
Introduction to Teaching
What is a Philosophy of Education?
• A philosophy of education is a personal
statement about your thoughts, views, and
values as they relate to education
Why do you need a Philosophy of Education?
• The process of creating this statement will help you to think
seriously about your current ideas or beliefs
• To give others insight into what is important to you
• Preparing for job searching and interviews
Five Types of
Education Philosophies
What do you think?
As we learn about the different philosophies
think about which one applies to you and why.
Essentialism
• Educational Essentialism is a theory that states that children should
learn the traditional basic subjects and that these should be learned
thoroughly and rigorously.
• An essentialist program normally teaches children progressively, from
less complex skills to more complex.
• An Essentialist will usually teach some set subjects similar to Reading,
Writing, Literature, Foreign Languages, History, Math, Science, Art, and
Music.
• The teacher's role is to instill respect for authority, perseverance, duty,
consideration, and practicality. Essentialism strives to teach students in
academic disciplines.
• This is a traditional approach meant to train the mind.
Perennialism
• Perennialists believe that one should teach the things that one deems to
be of everlasting importance to all people everywhere. They believe that
the most important topics develop a person.
• Teach principles, not facts
• Teach first about humans, not machines or techniques
• Although perennialism may seem similar to essentialism, perennialism
focuses first on personal development, while essentialism focuses first on
essential skills.
• Considered to be a teacher centered philosophy
Idealism
• Idealism believes in refined wisdom. It is based on the view
that reality is a world within a person's mind.
• Teachers would be models of ideal behavior.
• The schools' function is to
– sharpen intellectual processes
– present the wisdom of the ages
– present models of behavior that are exemplary
• Students would have a somewhat passive role, receiving and
memorizing the reporting of the teacher.
• Change in the school program would generally be considered
an intrusion on the orderly process of educating.
Realism
• For the realist, the world is as it is, and the job of schools would be
to teach students about the world.
• The realist would favor a school dominated by subjects of the hereand-now world, such as math and science.
• The students would be passive participants in the study of things.
• Changes in school would be perceived as a natural evolution
toward a perfection of order.
Progressivism
• Educational progressivism is the belief that education must be based on
the principle that humans are social animals who learn best in real-life
activities with other people.
• Progessivists claim to rely on the best available scientific theories of
learning. Most progressive educators believe that children learn as if they
were scientists.
• Given this view of human nature, a progressivist teacher desires to
provide not just reading and drill, but also real-world experiences and
activities that center on the real life of the students.
• A typical progressivist slogan is "Learn by Doing!"
What do you think?
If you had to choose at this point in your
life, which philosophy do you think applies
to you and why?
How do I write a Philosophy of Teaching?
• Use a first-person
– “I” perspective
• Keep your philosophy statement short
– 1 page
• Give serious thought to your goals & future career
Philosophy of Education
Reference Information
(the following four slides)
• Questions to ask yourself to help you write your
philosophy
• Tips for a writing a better philosophy
• Sample Educational Philosophy Statements
Questions to ask yourself to help you write your philosophy
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Why do you want to teach?
•
What characteristics make a teacher effective?
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What is an ideal classroom?
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What should the relationship between teacher and student be?
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What motivates students to learn?
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What are your beliefs about how children learn?
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How do you balance the needs of individual learners with the needs of the entire class?
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What should be the primary goal of a teacher?
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What is the most important role of a teacher?
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How will you bring a global awareness into your classroom?
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What will be your relationship with the community, parents, teaching colleagues,
administration?
Tips for a writing a better philosophy
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Your educational philosophy should have an introduction and a conclusion; your conclusion should provide a "logical" ending to your philosophy.
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Avoid using the same phrase over and over in your philosophy. For example, avoid using the word "teacher" several times in the same paragraph
or near each other - check your thesaurus for alternative choices of words.
•
Your philosophy should be positive. While there may well be problems with our educational system, a prospective employer does not really want
to hear how bad things are - s/he is interested in what you are going to do to make the classroom experience a better one of the students. You are
writing a personal philosophy, not a critique of the educational system.
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Avoid the use of jargon. If you do use "educational jargon", explain how you are going to impact the student. For example, rather than writing "I
strongly belief in inclusion." write "I believe that inclusion is a key ingredient in the makeup of the classroom and I will support inclusion through
practices such as using alternative assessments and preparing lessons which appeal to different learning styles."
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Your philosophy, along with your letter of interest, are among the first things a prospective employer will see. The appearance of these documents
is important. Your word processor may have some pre-formatted documents, such as resumes) that you can use as a starting point.
•
Avoid the use of different fonts on a page; use the most "readable" font available - you may have to experiment a bit to get the possible font remember, what looks good on a screen may look different when printed.
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Use a font that is easy to read and of an appropriate size - avoid any fonts under 12 cpi.
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Avoid broad generalizations - while you may want to say "I believe that all children can learn" - the statement is relatively meaningless without
examples of how you will put that into action. Avoid overly complex sentences, vague or which offer sweeping generalizations.
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Some suggestions on word usage:
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"I believe..." is more forceful than, "My belief is ..." Instead of "Education should ..." or "I will try ..." be more positive and use "I believe that ..." or "I will
..."
Avoid the use of "I hope..." or "Hopefully ..." for something more positive, such as "I will ..."
Rather than writing "In school students should experience ...." use "In my classroom, students will experience ..."
Instead of writing "Teachers will ... " use "I will ..."
Have someone review your philosophy for accuracy and eye catching appearance.
Sample #1 Educational Philosophy Statements
I believe that each child is a unique individual who needs a secure, caring, and stimulating atmosphere in which to grow and mature
emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. It is my desire as a educator to help students meet their fullest potential in these
areas by providing an environment that is safe, supports risk-taking, and invites a sharing of ideas. There are three elements that I
believe are conducive to establishing such an environment, (1) the teacher acting as a guide, (2) allowing the child's natural curiosity
to direct his/her learning, and (3) promoting respect for all things and all people.
When the teacher's role is to guide, providing access to information rather than acting as the primary source of information, the
students' search for knowledge is met as they learn to find answers to their questions. For students to construct knowledge, they need
the opportunity to discover for themselves and practice skills in authentic situations. Providing students access to hands-on activities
and allowing adequate time and space to use materials that reinforce the lesson being studied creates an opportunity for individual
discovery and construction of knowledge to occur.
Equally important to self-discovery is having the opportunity to study things that are meaningful and relevant to one's life and
interests. Developing a curriculum around student interests fosters intrinsic motivation and stimulates the passion to learn. One way
to take learning in a direction relevant to student interest is to invite student dialogue about the lessons and units of study. Given the
opportunity for input, students generate ideas and set goals that make for much richer activities than I could have created or imagined
myself. When students have ownership in the curriculum, they are motivated to work hard and master the skills necessary to reach
their goals.
Helping students to develop a deep love and respect for themselves, others, and their environment occurs through an open sharing of
ideas and a judicious approach to discipline. When the voice of each student is heard, and environment evolves where students feel
free to express themselves. Class meetings are one way to encourage such dialogue. I believe children have greater respect for their
teachers, their peers, and the lessons presented when they feel safe and sure of what is expected of them. In setting fair and
consistent rules initially and stating the importance of every activity, students are shown respect for their presence and time. In turn
they learn to respect themselves, others, and their environment.
For myself, teaching provides an opportunity for continual learning and growth. One of my hopes as an educator is to instill a love of
learning in my students, as I share my own passion for learning with them. I feel there is a need for compassionate, strong, and
dedicated individuals who are excited about working with children. In our competitive society it is important for students to not only
receive a solid education, but to work with someone who is aware of and sensitive to their individual needs. I am such a person and
will always strive to be the best educator that I can be.
Sample #2 Educational Philosophy Statements
I believe the children are our future...
I believe each and every child has the potential to bring something unique and special to the world. I
will help children to develop their potential by believing in them as capable individuals. I will assist
children in discovering who they are, so they can express their own opinions and nurture their own
ideas. I have a vision of a world where people learn to respect, accept, and embrace the differences
between us, as the core of what makes life so fascinating.
Teach them well and let them lead the way...
Every classroom presents a unique community of learners that varies not only in abilities, but also in
learning styles. My role as a teacher is to give children the tools with which to cultivate their own
gardens of knowledge. To accomplish this goal, I will teach to the needs of each child so that all
learners can feel capable and successful. I will present curriculum that involves the interests of the
children and makes learning relevant to life. I will incorporate themes, integrated units, projects,
group work, individual work, and hands-on learning in order to make children active learners. Finally, I
will tie learning into the world community to help children become caring and active members of
society.
Show them all the beauty they possess inside. Give them a sense of pride...
My classroom will be a caring, safe, and equitable environment where each child can blossom and
grow. I will allow children to become responsible members of our classroom community by using
strategies such as class meetings, positive discipline, and democratic principles. In showing children
how to become responsible for themselves as well as their own learning, I am giving them the tools
to become successful in life, to believe in themselves, and to love themselves.
Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be...
Teaching is a lifelong learning process of learning about new philosophies and new strategies, learning
from the parents and community, learning from colleagues, and especially learning from the children.
Children have taught me to open my mind and my heart to the joys, the innocence, and the diversity
of ideas in the world. Because of this, I will never forget how to smile with the new, cherish the old,
and laugh with the children.