Running Head: PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT OF EDUCATION

Philosophy Statement
Samantha Lubcke
Dr. Egbert
EDUC 290: Exit Seminar

PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT
Philosophy Statement
A student being educated is like a toddler learning how to ride a bicycle. The
toddler may fall down numerous times, but they will always get back up, brush
themselves off and keep trying to master the skill. While we, as adults or more
component peers, can jump on the bike and show them how well we can ride the bike;
time would be much more valuable by giving the toddler more time on the bike.
Similarly, teaching is not simply about lecturing about curriculum and life. Rather,
teaching is about guiding someone through his/her applied individual learning experience
and allowing the individuals, themselves, to learn from hand-on and personal
experiences. Every teacher has a philosophy of education to help them achieve the goals
they hold for their students.
There are three philosophies that best describes my personality and teaching
pedagogy. The first is humanism. There is a natural tendency for people to learn, which
will flourish if nourishing, encouraging environments are provided. In correlation with
this, children possess unlimited potential for growth and development. Additionally, I
also agree with the cognitivism and progressivism philosophies. Learners should be
active and learn to solve problems by experimenting and reflecting on their experience.
When a new object, event, or experience does not fit the learner's present knowing
structures, a conflict is provoked that requires an active quest to restore a balance
(Oregon State, 2016).
According to my philosophical beliefs, all schools should allow students to
choose what they what to learn. Students are more motivated to learn a particular subject
if they feel it is something that they need and/or want to know. Additionally, the primary

PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT
goal of education should be to foster students desire to learn and to teach them how to
learn. Thus students become self-motivated and therefore will be more successful in their
lives after school. The humanism philosophy states that both feelings and knowledge are
important in the learning process. Unlike traditional educators, humanistic teachers do
not separate the cognitive and affective domains.
The teachers role is to facilitate environmental conditions and mediate experiences to
support student learning according to the cognitivism philosophy. However, the students
role is to actively construct his or her own understandings of reality through acting upon
and reflecting on experiences in the world (Oregon State, 2016).
A safe, open, and caring environment is an essential element in the ensuring that
students are able to feel secure, thus learning becomes easier and more meaningful. It is
my desire as an educator to help students meet their fullest potential in all areas of their
lives. Within my classroom, I want to provide hands-on and interactive learning where
students play an influential role in what and how they learn. I plan on instilling an
environment where my students are self-motivated to learn and grow to become educated
and well-rounded members of the community. My main goal as an educator is to instill a
love of learning in my students as well as the knowledge that anything is possible if you
simply try.

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References
Educational Philosophies. (2016). In Oregon State. Retrieved April 15, 2016, from
http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/scoringguide.html