Sierra

Brown

Philosophy of Education
Growing up I never dreamed of being a teacher. I enjoyed school, learning
new things, making friends, and I even loved some of the teachers I had. Never
though, did I want to be a teacher. I thought how boring it would be to teach
children basic information day in and day out. Finally though, my senior year of high
school, I worked with two 16 year-old boys who had autism, in a general education
classroom and realized that teaching is so much more than feeding textbook
information to students. I realized the teachers Id had, had not only taught me long
division and the elements on the periodic table, but had shaped me as person with
morals and values. I had truly grown through the relationships I had created with
people at school. I realized then, that I wanted to be a teacher, not to have solely an
effect on what a child is learning, but that I wanted to teach students and have a
positive impact on the lives of our societys future leaders.
I.

The Purpose of Education

Schools everywhere have always and will always have different expectations

for their students. Depending on the school, the teachers, administration, parents,
and other organizations involved, different beliefs are created for what is expected
for and of students. John Dewey, one of the most influential educators of all time,
shaped the principle of progressive education. This philosophy of education
incorporated health concerns, family and community life issues, and vocational
futures into what was taught in school. Research in fields such as psychology and
social sciences were reflected through out progressive teaching and this evidently
became known as the democratic approach to teaching. It was portrayed as a

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democratic approach due to the importance of accepting the needs and interests of a
diverse student body. The school I attended as a child was far from diverse. 95% of
my peers were of the same white middle class demographic as I was. There is so
much to learn from people of different cultures and I believe that if I had been
afforded an opportunity to attend a more diverse school, I wouldve developed
differently. As a future teacher, I believe that I have a responsibility to my future
students to aid in their learning of not only rudimentary knowledge but also to teach
them through different experiences, different principles of society. Students learn so
much more in first hand experiences than they will ever learn through a textbook. If
I teach them through real life experiences and teach them with an optimistic outlook
towards life and society, it will foster the development of their own beliefs on ethics,
morals, and values. It is important to be flexible in my teaching, due to the diversity
there will be among students, and develop plans that all students will want to
participate in and learn from. If they are disinterested in everything that I am
teaching, in the end they will learn nothing.
II.

Curriculum
Curriculum is no longer decided and created by teachers. Instead curriculum

is derived from national standards, teacher organizations, national, state, and local
governments, administration within the school who give teachers the standards for
what is to be taught in the classroom. Often the curriculum is based on standardized
tests that students must pass for that school to receive government funding or other
incentives. If I had total authority in determining the curriculum I would use in my
classroom, I would base it off multicultural education. Multicultural education

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requires an expansion of curriculum that will reflect the diversity of America. The
teaching styles and strategies used are responsive to different learning styles of
students and promoting efforts of social justice to work towards a nation of global
equality. Diverse students will often have needs that can be accommodated by the
teacher and have a great effect on a child. For instance, I think it would be beneficial
for an LGBT student to have the ability to go to a separate bathroom; this would
make the child more comfortable at school and aid in their learning and
achievement levels. Another example of accommodation is if a childs native
language is different than English it can be beneficial for that child to be taught in
English and the native language. That way the child is able to learner quicker and
more efficiently and will have a more positive outlook on learning. All children learn
from not only a textbook or classroom lectures, but they learn from extracurricular
activities, social settings, and from time spent away from school. It is important to
understand this and take in to account that children are learning different things
about society based on where they are spending there time.
III.

Nature of the Learner

I believe that a students responsibility at school is to be actively engaged

during the school day with the teacher, the material the student is learning, and
during interaction with peers. If a student shuts himself down from learning, I
believe that there is only so much a teacher can do to try and get the student
engaged with what is going on. As a future teacher, I realize that children have many
different learning styles. If a student shuts down because they have trouble learning
verbally, it is my responsibility to cater to their learning abilities and teach the

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material in another way so that every child is able to comprehend what is being
taught. It is important for even a student with the worst behavior to attend school so
that the teacher has the chance to help the student with his problems. Students not
only have different learning abilities but also have a number of different
intelligences, which is stated as Gardners Theory of multiple intelligences. Some
students may have a logical intelligence and therefore excel in math and problem
solving, while another student may be musically intelligent and understand rhythm
and tone very easily, while they may struggle with spatial intelligence. It is
important to realize that while students will be different because of their
backgrounds and cultures, there will also be a great array of different learning styles
and intelligences between students, but that it will be my responsibility to teach
each child. While that is the expectation of a teacher, students should be expected to
act respectfully with any peer, teacher, or administrator and to be willing to work
with the teacher when being taught.
IV.

Teaching Methods That Should Be Used and Why

I think that the most effective teaching methods are progressive methods

that involve active, hands-on learning. I believe that students will learn more
through their experiences and observations of something that they can be involved
with directly than they will learn through lectures, worksheets, and textbooks. I
hope to create a learning environment where students feel safe to participate and
interact with their peers. The humanistic classroom which is filled with aiding in the
students self-actualization, self-esteem, belonging, which creates a safe and secure
environment and aids in their psychological needs, is the type of classroom I hope to

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one day teach in. In my classroom I hope to teach my students to value every other
person and not discriminate against a peer because of their race, ethnicity,
socioeconomic status, or background. I believe that the best learning environment
will consist of a place where each student learns from each other because of their
different experiences and different beliefs, and that they will respect and treat
others how they wish to be treated. Children shut down to learning if they feel
unsafe and discriminated against. A nontoxic learning environment is one of the
most important aspects of school because if a child feels insecure in the classroom,
there is no chance they will actually be able to learn anything because they are
preoccupied with their own worries and self-doubt.
V.

The Role Of The Teacher

The ultimate role of the teacher is ensuring that every single student

achieves. I believe that the teachers number one responsibility in the different
relationships she has with administration, parents, and other figures is to be an
advocate for the students. The kids do not have much of say in matters dealing with
themselves so it is a duty of the teacher to fight for what is right and best for the
children. Administration may be following orders from higher up, parents may be
too concerned with their own children, but it is up to teacher to let them know how
the students are doing and what will benefit and help them reach maximum growth.
They know the students learning behaviors and are the ones who are best suited to
teach and work with the students. Relationships with the students are a bit
different, they should show care towards the student, making them feel comfortable
at school, and be the biggest encouragers for their learning. I think it is important

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for a teacher to show respect towards the students and set high but reachable
expectations for the students so that they will believe in themselves and achieve.

VI.

Ongoing Professional Development

I will continue my professional growth by learning more about how to

become an even more effective teacher so that my students can best engage in what
is being taught and progress through their education. It is important for my
professional development to become an activist for teachers. In joining national
teacher organizations such as the National Education Association, or the American
Federation of Teachers, I will truly be able to help work for the rights we have as
teachers and that I will develop an ever deeper passion for teaching. I believe that I
than can start to learn and understand different techniques teachers may use by
reading journals by teachers, talking with other teachers, and even taking extra
university courses. In doing this and learning more about the different ways of
teaching, I can take the knowledge of others and use it to become the most effective
teacher, so that my students learn a great deal from me.

All these different aspects of education will be important for me to think

about and learn from in my future teaching. There will be difficulties in my future
career but I am optimistic and know that every experience will be a learning
experience. My philosophy and outlook on education will require a great deal of
work but in return I believe I will be a very effective teacher and have a great impact
on many students lives.