Slaughterbeck 1

Chalsey Slaughterbeck

Anthony

SED 464

9/18/19

My Philosophy of Education

Becoming a teacher is a decision that isn’t for the faint of heart. There are many different

aspects that go into learning how to educate others, but one of the most important aspects is the

fact that every single teacher is different. Every educator has had different experiences that shape

who they are and how they translate those experiences into the classroom. My experiences have

shaped not only who I am as a person, but the way that I view my future classroom as well. As of

right now, this is my philosophy of education:

I believe that the purpose of education is to allow students to bring their experiences into

the classroom and use those experiences to further their own education. I don’t think that students

come into the classroom waiting for their minds to be filled with information, but that they take

their own experiences/prior knowledge to help develop their own thoughts with the assistance of

a teacher. The classroom should be a safe space for students to feel like they are supported in

formulating their own thoughts and opinions. Education should be formulated to fit each student

specifically rather than something that is overarching.

More specifically, I think that pursing a teaching degree in English has helped shaped my

beliefs. In the way that an English classroom is set up, the exchange of ideas is very crucial to the

understanding of the key concepts presented in the text. Every student can interpret these concepts

differently, so there is no one right answer. This has really shaped the way that I view education

and continues to shape the way I view my future classroom.

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To me, the role of the student in education would be active and I view the student as an

active member/participant of their own education. In my future classroom, I see myself using

techniques such as in class discussions to allow my students to get the most out of their class time.

With the assigned reading that I give my students, participating in a group discussion would be

very helpful for my students to be able to understand the text and formulate their own opinions

about it. As long as the student is an active participant, they will be able to get the most out of their

education.

Along with this, I think that the role of the teacher in education should be a facilitator. I

don’t think that a teacher should be viewed as the expert or the head of the classroom. Going

further, I think that a teacher can be an authority figure while still not being an expert. Even though

a teacher has taken many classes in their subject field, that just makes them more familiar with

their content. They can use this knowledge to help facilitate discussions and help guide students

along the right track. When a teacher believes that they are the expert in whatever content are that

they teach in, sometimes this can hinder a student’s learning. They might not be able to express

their ideas without a fear of judgement and this completely takes away from the safe space that I

want to create in my classroom.

In my opinion, I think a parent’s role in education should be supportive. I believe that

teachers should be the authority figure within a classroom but have the support of the student’s

parents as well. Parents should be able to support their student in their educational journey without

taking over it at the same time. I think that parents should know what their student is learning in

school, be aware of what they are doing to further their education, and be able to express concerns

about their student to the teacher. Parents should be able to be involved, but at the same time

separate. At the end of the day, it is the student’s education not the parent’s.
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Overall, I think that teaching is the perfect career for me and my beliefs. I am very open

and honest with both myself and the people I surround myself with, so this career would be perfect

for me to be able to make a difference in people’s lives. As a teacher, I have the ability to help

young minds formulate thoughts about the world around them. By stating my goals and belief’s

before I even go into the classroom for the first time, I think this will help me stay grounded

throughout my educational journey.