Philosophy of Education: Erin Wasson

My fundamental role as an educator is to guide student learning as a classroom

manager and learning facilitator. I believe it is vital for educators to structure activities and
lessons that allow for student-driven learning so students become independent learners and
thinkers. It is also important to encourage collaboration where students not just share ideas,
but work together to build upon their collective ideas to solve real problems. Students should
have the opportunity to collaborate so they also can develop important life skills like
communication and interpersonal skills.
Educators should be committed to continuous professional growth. I find it necessary
to be a self-reflective learner that can make continuous adjustments or improvements to my
craft to meet the diverse needs of my students. It is equally important to keep up with current
education trends and research in order to always implement the best teaching practices in my
classroom.
The focus of instruction should always be quality over quantity. While it is very
important to cover the curriculum, it is even more important to explore the content at great
depths to promote a deeper, more critical understanding of the content. When I allow
students to extensively analyze content, form arguments, cite evidence, defend their claims
and problem solve, I am also helping them develop their own voice and their own desire to
learn. I also try to support their questioning of content and the exploration of their curiosities.
My goal is to inspire students to become autonomous learners and help them develop a
passion for life-long learning.
The principal role of a student is to become actively engaged in the learning process.
They are active participants in my classroom and they even have opportunities to become the
teacher themselves. I think it is important to incorporate self-paced and differentiated
learning opportunities for students based on their interests, abilities, and motivations.
Students need the opportunity to discover what interests them about the content and be
allowed to explore those interests at a greater breadth.
The primary learning theory that supports my educational philosophy is
Constructivism. I believe in a student-centered curriculum where students have the
opportunity to construct their own understanding that builds upon their background
knowledge and is based on their personal and collective experiences. It is my job to structure
the learning environment to allow for this and to integrate inquiry and discovery-based
learning opportunities with real-life applications. The learning environment should afford
enriching learning experiences where students have the opportunity to collaborate with
others and design their own learning experiences. Student choice, problem solving, and
critical and creative thinking are all integral parts of my classroom. Students have a say and
are able to voice their opinions and share their ideas in an open environment. Many of my
lessons are developed based on student strengths, abilities and interests and are enacted
through a variety of delivery methods. Although I firmly believe in students constructing their
own understanding in my classroom, other learning theories are also valid and are considered
in my instructional design process.
Technology is a powerful medium for accomplishing all of these goals in my classroom.
I integrate digital tools to differentiate and enhance the scope of learning and to actively
engage my students in the learning process through highly sensory, interactive activities. I
incorporate multimedia to engage all of my students cognitive processing channels. Digital
tools are also used to foster communication and collaboration among students and teachers.
Through the appropriate integration of technology, the classroom can transcend beyond a
teacher-centered paradigm and become a student-constructed learning environment that
supports the individual and collective growth of self-regulating thinkers who can ultimately
contribute positively to society.