My Philosophy of Education

Holly R. Tyler

When I look back on memories of my teachers and classrooms I called mine as a younger
student, I am flooded with mixed feelings; feelings of comfort, belonging and enjoyment,
but also feelings of insecurity, inadequacy and rejection. These experiences guide my
thoughts and actions about my own classroom and philosophy of education.

The Purpose of Education

So much more goes into educating a student than teaching Math, Science, Language Arts
and Social Studies, because there is more to a student than the knowledge they have or are
acquiring. Education encompasses these content areas, but also social skills, real life
application, teamwork and cooperation, study habits and respect.
The purpose of education is to educate the whole child; in order for them to be
successful and reach their highest potential, to give them the tools they can use themselves
to move up in the world. Along with that comes the need to encourage higher order
thinking in all areas: to encourage students to be curious about topics and to seek out
answers, and that to be ok.

The Role of the Student

Every student plays a very important role in a classroom, because a classroom cannot exist
without them. The student is there to learn, that is their role. But in doing that they create,
add to and expand the environment and amount of background knowledge beyond
anything anyone can do without them. They create the diversity in the classroom, in their
actions they show what they need to learn, and their thoughts impact everyone around
them- whether those be enthusiasm, eagerness or “out of the box” thinking. In short, the
student creates the environment.

The Role of the Teacher in the Classroom and Community

A teacher wears many hats and plays many roles around the classroom, school and
community. A teacher is a mentor, an educator, a model, a planner, and a safe place, to
name a few. The student created environment ties directly into the role of teacher, to make
sure that environment stays productive and positive. There is also a need for the teacher to
create a safe environment, for students to be able to experiment and take risks without
feeling insecure or threatened.
It is also the job of the teacher to make sure there is something for every child in
every lesson, something every student can relate to and doesn’t require them to change
their identity or feelings of cultural belonging in any way. Students need to be able to
identify with the content to help them retain, analyze and apply the skills. The guidance
that is provided by the teacher is invaluable but it should only be guidance.
The role of a teacher however, is a constant one- being continuously held to a higher
standard, especially as a person to admire and look up to outside of the classroom and in
the community. Therefore, the teachers’ role in the community is the same as in the
classroom, except on a larger scale. Instead of being a role model for students in a
classroom and school, teachers become a role model for the town, city and community.
My views of teacher and student interactions and roles are summed up with the following
quote: “A teacher’s purpose is not to create students in his own image, but to develop
students who can create their own image.” –Unknown