My Educational Philosophy

Linda Reed

How should my classroom be run? What should the daily routine consist of? In what arrangement should my classroom be? What type of relationship do I want to have with my students? These questions and more are ones every teacher is faced with when entering their first year as a teacher. Excellence in teaching can be achieved by answering these important questions. Personality characteristics combined with instructional skills are what create excellence in teaching. Both are necessary. My personal philosophy consists of aspects of the educational philosophies of perennialism, essentialism, progressivism, and existentialism. Students should receive a well-rounded education in which the fundamentals, as well as self-expression are taught. The classics and basics should be taught, but the students should be allowed to have a say in what they personally want to learn. These subjects need to be taught in order to function in society, but also so they can grow as an individual. Creating a desire to learn and gain knowledge is a key component of my teaching strategies. I also want to have a personal relationship with students. Being an authority is important, but being there for your students is even more important. My students can talk to me about anything and I will do my best to help them in any way I can. As a math teacher, I believe the easiest way to teach is through lecture. Giving students printed notes and doing examples during the class is the most effective way to teach students. Incorporating group projects is also necessary in order to build effective social skills. The room will be organized in rows of desks with my desk up front and to the side. I will work off a podium located in the center of the front of the room. Being able to move around the room is important in order to make sure the students are engaged throughout the class period. Personally, I view my role in the classroom as a mixture of perennialism and a progressivism. I want to be a person providing the knowledge for the students and a guide to assist them on their educational journey. The students role should be a mixture of essentialism and existentialism. Essentialism requires that the students master the concepts being taught to them. However, the idea of self-discovery presented in existentialism is essential to the growth of the students. Students need to discover who they are while in school in order to succeed in the real world. High school is the time to grow into an adult and decide what type of person you want to be. Deciding on a personal philosophy of education is essential in order to achieve excellence in teaching. Without all of these components, students will not be able to get the best education possible. Structure is very important for the classroom atmosphere, but fun is also necessary. I will do whatever it takes to help my students learn and achieve throughout their educational journey, whether it be using my arms to show what a parabola is or using a funny analogy to get a concept across. Students learn differently and it is my job as an educator to assist them in whichever way works best for them. That is how you achieve excellence in teaching.