MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Mrs. Perezs Philosophy of Education

Rebecca Perez
Dr. Douglas Gosse
EDUC-4202-FW702 (Education & Schooling (J/I)
Nipissing University, Brantford Campus
November 27, 2014

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Teaching has always been a profession that I have looked up to and aspired to become.
Similar to professions in medicine and in the police force, teachers play a significant role in
society and in the lives of their students. Through the Fall term of this course, we have examined
five educational philosophies that teachers follow to guide their profession. Through examining
these philosophies and taking in account my own experience and beliefs, I have developed my
own educational philosophy which will demonstrate how I aspire to teach my students.
Why I want to Teach
Since elementary school, I have always wanted to become a teacher. Through my years in
the Ontario education system, I have had the privilege to encounter many teachers who have both
positively and negatively impacted my growth as a student and as a person. In high school, my
leadership teacher was my favourite teacher due to her ability to inspire and motivate her
students. Like my leadership teacher, I plan to not only help my students develop intellectually
but socially, emotionally and morally. I want to be a teacher so I can be a source of inspiration
and push my students to be the best they can be. Through inspiring my student, I can also
witness their growth and development. When I mentored a grade 10 student, it was incredible to
witness success in my student and see him feel confident in his capability to learn. This
experience increased my passion for teaching and influenced me to pursue a career in teaching.
Teaching is an amazing career, as it is incredible to be in energizing environment and to be able
to be a continuous life long learner. As my students develop, I wish to also develop as a teacher.
In elementary school, I had a negative experience with French however when I entered high
school and I went to Quebec for a french program, I feel in love with the language and culture. I
have become determined to create a positive stigma for french learning by showing my students
the beauty of French and how it can be fun. Another experience that has impacted my decision to
teach was my experience in Bolivia. Through my experience in a improvised community, I want
to teach to give back to my community and bring social awareness to my classroom. I hope to
give back not only in Canada, but also teach in another country. Therefore, my experiences have
influenced my decision to be a teacher and has shaped how I wish to teach.
What I want to Teach
As a future educator, I intend to follow the Ministrys curriculum however I would like to
include in my lessons topics that my students find important and interesting as this will increase
their success. For example, in my grade twelve educational leadership course, the entire class
was interested in questioning the purpose of education and if it is necessary to succeed, so, at the
last fifteen minutes of every class, my teacher would bring in articles exploring the topic and we
would have debates. Even though this topic was not part of the curriculum, my teacher made
connections with the issue to the class and used it because she know it interested us. In John
Deweys writings, his progressive ideas support my teachers actions as he believed the content
of the curriculum ought to be derived from students interest rather than from the academic
disciplines (Parkay,F., Stanford, B., Vaillancourt, J., Stephens, H.,& Harris, J., 2012, 67). Not
only do I aspire to plan my lessons around my students interests but, I also want teach them
essential knowledge about the world and basic ethics students should have an understanding of.
In addition, I hope to show my students problem solving techniques through skits or role playing
in order for them to be prepared for the real world. I desire that my students are able to take the
lessons they have learned in class and apply them to their lives in order to discover themselves

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

and the world. In discovering themselves, I want my student to discover the type of learner they
are so they can learn strategies that will help them be successful. In the classroom, I want to
promote diversity, global awareness and inclusivity. I strongly believe we need to inform our
students on issues occurring in this world so they are not stuck in the North American bubble.
According to Brameld and leaders in social reconstructionsim like George Counts (2012), the
education process should provide students with methods of dealing with the significant crises
that confront the world: war, economic depression, international terrorism, hunger, inflation, and
ever-accelerating technological advances (Parkay,F., Stanford, B., Vaillancourt, J., Stephens,
H.,& Harris, 69). Canadian and American students often are sheltered and are not taught to
participate in issues concerning the rights of human beings. In my classroom, I want to enforce
the notion on the importance of respecting every ones dignity. As they learn the importance of
human rights, I hope to motivate my students to be globally informed citizens and use this
knowledge to speak out and be the change in their community. My overall goal as an educator is
to teach what is important to them, show them basic skills and problem-solving skills, to be
themselves and be informed citizens.
How I want to Teach
As a teacher candidate, my goal will be to always bring positive energy into my
classroom and ensure that I show care, respect, trust and integrity to my students. According to
the Ontario College of Teachers Foundations of Professional Practice (2012), at the heart of a
strong and effective teaching profession is a commitment to students and their learning (Ontario
College of Teachers, 7). I intend to be responsible with my students and build professional and
effective relationships with my students, parents, colleagues and administrative individuals.
Through reviewing this PDF document, I aspire to follow the Ministrys principles and ensure I
do my best to help my students reach their potential. As a professional teacher, I want my to
deliver what I want to teach in effective ways in order for my students to understand the concepts
and ideals. To do so, I will make learning active and include my students in their journey of
learning. According to education.com (2013), students should be given the power to define
themselves as individuals, and an adults role as an educator should involve encouraging, but not
dictating, this journey (education.com, 3). The purpose of my classroom environment is to make
my students feel safe to be themselves and be able to take risks in order for them to grow as
individuals and students. I will give my students the power to be themselves and participate in
how they want our classroom to function. I also wish to set up experiences where my students
are able to learn and actual see the usefulness of the skills they have developed in the classroom.
Experiential learning has always worked for me and has been an aspect that I support due to its
influence on my life. When I went on a solidarity trip to Bolivia, I learned more about myself,
the world and human nature in 10 days then I would have in a whole semester of a course or by
reading a big textbook. Experience plays a huge role in peoples lives, therefore my role as a
teacher is to organize experiences and field trips where the students are able to learn and grown.
According to Becoming a Teacher (2012), teachers need to allow students freedom of choice
and provide them with experiences that will help them find the meaning of their
lives (Parkay,F., Stanford, B., Vaillancourt, J., Stephens, H.,& Harris, J., 68). I strongly support
this statement because often teachers are brick walls and never allow the students to express
their desires as they constantly put them down. As a teacher candidate, I will follow the Ontario

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

College of Teachers guidelines but also bring change to the education system. My goals when I
become a teacher are to be open minded, approachable, patient. professional, positive and
inclusive.
Overall, the aim of my philosophy of education is to guide how I will be as an educator
and how I plan to build my classroom environment. My experiences in the education system,
teaching experience, the courses readings and my personal beliefs have made a huge contribution
to this philosophy. I aspire to be an inspirational figure for my students, motivate them to reach
their full potentials as well as strive to create an inclusive and positive classroom environment.

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

References
education.com. (November 5, 2013). Student-Centred Philosophies of Education. Retrieved from
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Student_Centered/?page=2

Foundations of Professional Practice. (2012). 3rd ed. [ebook] Toronto. Available at: http://
www.oct.ca/-/media/PDF/Foundations%20of%20Professional%20Practice/
Foundation_e.pdf [Accessed 27 Nov. 2014]
Parkay, W., Stanford, B., Vaillancourt, J., Stephens, H., & Harris, J. (2012). Becoming a Teacher
(4th Canadian Ed.). Toronto, ON: Pearson Canada.