1

Joe Foldenauer
EN-450
February 21, 2015
Teaching Philosophy
Education is the key to developing a richer, brighter, and more ideal society. It enhances
the intelligence of the citizens who will come together to establish a better world. Because of this
teachers are very essential members of society. Since it is their responsibility to craft the young
minds who are the future leaders and contributors to the world, teachers are more valuable than
what most people believe. Unfortunately, today, due to poor state-wide test scores, union
problems, and budget constraints, teachers receive a bad reputation that hurt more today, as the
challenge to educate student is higher than ever before. Because of this I will make it my
responsibility to provide the best quality education I can for my students.
The importance of social studies is crucial for developing strong, intelligent citizens.
Within these subjects, students learn the skills needed to become an active member of society
and as a social studies teacher it is my responsibility to make sure that all my students understand
the importance of the social sciences. The study of history is the study of the past in order to
learn from humans mistakes and achieve greatness in the future. Geography helps students learn
about new locations to visit, an evaluation of the trends of migration and explanation for where
economic interests are. Political science teaches students how to develop logical arguments, how
the government works and the various forms of government, as well as various different political
philosophies. Economics demonstrates how financial transactions work, the laws of the markets
and how the prices for objects students purchase are determined.

2
The philosophies I follow are the Idealism and Pragmatism educational philosophies.
Idealism presents the educational goal to make all material things explainable. People who
follow this philosophy study to find the truth in this world; even if it is a truth that most will fear
at first. As stated in a quote from the philosopher Plato, We can easily forgive a child who is
afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. It is seen too often
in this world that people will conform to an idea that may not be entirely true and it is the
responsibility of idealist to educate the general public on research to help further the intelligence
of that society. Pragmatism acknowledges that the world we live in always changing and that
humans learn best from experiences both in past and present. To the followers of this philosophy
the truth is what works best. It gives a blend for search of truth recognized by Realist (who look
at the world through the human senses) and the Idealist.
These philosophies best fit me, because I have an urge to search for knowledge by
studying our past, study the ideas held by many and by few in a cultural sense, and to examine
the material world that we live in order to grasp a better understanding of it. Also I acknowledge
the changes in time and how what might have worked for the Ancient Greeks might not work in
todays world. With this in mind, I will present more information and will question my students
to develop their own ideas of the world they live in and to find what will work best in order to
contribute to a greater society
Order is a necessity to a stable society. Without it, chaos would be inevitable as well as
anarchy among its citizens. Because of this, rules and proper management is needed and helps
keep society under control. The same can be said for a classroom. The Purpose of a classroom
management plan is to establish control of the classroom, even when plans go astray. Teachers
must be able to think on their feet in the event that something goes wrong. In my classroom, I

3
will to establish clear and simple rules for their students to follow in order to feel safe and
receive the best educational experience. For my plan the rules Id consider using include the
basics like, raise your hands if you have a question or can answer one, be respectful towards your
fellow students and teacher, and be prepared for class (pen or pencil, notebook, and textbook).
Other rules I will have in class that are based on my preference is that students when working on
individual assignment may listen to music via iPods as long as it is not distracting to their fellow
students, and snacks are allowed in class as long as you clean up after yourself. These rules
provide students with a little freedom in my classroom that may potentially help them feel more
comfortable in my class, focus on their class work better, and enjoy my class more.
Discipline in a classroom is key to classroom management and by following the rules and
the maturity of my students discipline should be limited. When it comes time to disciplining a
student, it will only occur when they are interrupting the classes opportunity to learn. Examples
of this are interruptive students and bullies; which I have a zero tolerance policy for. I know a
newer issue teachers have to deal with is the use of IPods in the classroom. I understand that
some music can help students focus on their work, and because of this I am okay with the use of
an IPod if, it does not disturb the learning environment and as long as I dont hear it; if either
happens I will take away the device for the remainder of the class and if the student argues with
me about it, then further discipline will be needed. Idealist believe that discipline, not
punishment, is needed for students to develop into ideal citizens of the society and Pragmatist
condemn enforced consequences and that discipline should be based on childs activities and
social responsibility. In a sense I am using both of these philosophies because I will be providing
discipline in a classroom, but only when it is needed in regards to a students responsibility in the

4
classroom to allow for other students to get a fair chance at being educated and safe in the
classroom.
Another major factor involved with being an ideal teacher is the style used by the teacher
and what role they play in the classroom. If a teacher is too strict, then the class will see no point
in following the rules and anarchy will occur. If a teacher is too soft on the students, then the
teacher may lose the control of the classroom needed to guide them on their educational journey.
Because of this I will act as a guide to the classroom, someone who is an ideal member of society
and as a friend with authority to my students. According to Idealism the teacher should be a good
role model for their students giving them knowledge of the subjects studied in order to help the
student increase their ability to answer tough questions and uncover the truth of certain ones.
While Pragmatism believes that a teacher should be a guide to the classroom, who will help their
students grow and become capable members of society. These two are very similar and have
greatly influenced how I would act as the leader of the class.