Philosophy of Teaching

By: Katey McIntyre

As a teacher, my purpose is to impact the lives of my students in a way that inspires them
to believe that they are capable of growing, learning, and changing the world. My personal
teaching philosophy is built upon the educational theories of Piaget, Maslow, and Vygotsky.
Throughout my career, the concepts studied by the aforementioned theorists are what will fuel
my teaching to be the best that it can be.
I believe that, rather than being passive in their learning, students are to be constructors
of their knowledge. This theory of constructivism was first derived through the studies of Jean
Piaget. In his theory, Piaget states that, in order for learning to occur, students have to be
thoroughly engaged in the learning process. Students must also be given the chance to create
their own ideas about topics and grapple with those ideas in a process known as disequilibrium.
When the childs mind makes the shift from disequilibrium to equilibrium, true learning occurs.
Also, children have certain needs that are essential in order for learning to take place.
Abraham Maslows Hierarchy of Needs lists different qualities that the student must obtain to be
motivated to learn. Each tier of Maslows Hierarchy is achieved in ascending order. For example,
a students physiological needs must be met before he or she can begin to feel safe within a
classroom. When all of the needs within the hierarchy are met, self-actualization is achieved, and
students will be motivated to learn.
Lastly, students learn through interaction with others, discussion, and exploration. These
qualities form the social development theory which was formed by Lev Vygotsky. It is in this
theory that the role of social interaction is deemed essential in the development of cognition. A

classroom community that stresses social interaction from guided learning within the students
zone of proximal development plays a vital part in the process of making meaning.
A combination of the theories of Piaget, Maslow, and Vygotsky is what will
stimulate my teaching in the years to come. My goal is that I will be the teacher who inspires her
students. Through implementing the ideas of the greatest educational theorists, I hope to, in turn,
influence my students to become avid and motivated learners whose lives are forever changed in
the most positive way.