Running Head: PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION 1

Philosophy of Education

Hailey Coutu

Laurentian University
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If I had been asked about my Philosophy of Education at the beginning of this academic

year, I do not think I would have had much to say. I had a very bland idea of what it meant to be

a teacher but, after beginning my Pre-Practicum Placement and exploring different perspectives

on relevant issues in Education-through class content and readings-I have developed a deeper

understanding as to what it means to be a teacher. As I progress through my own education,

experiences and research, I hope to revisit these beliefs and adjust them to fit new knowledge

accordingly, as part of being a reflective teacher requires us to be open to instantaneous changes.

My job as a teacher is not only to teach the content but to think critically and learn from

experiences in order to reflectively observe, and evolve the ways I would normally do things. As

Grant and Zeichner indicated, to be a great teacher we must always reflect on our actions and

challenge ourselves to be better. Making accommodations and teaching to adhere to each

individual will require more observation, reflection, planning, and effort, but it is not impossible.

These extra efforts accompany my goals as to who I want to be as a teacher.

My goals for myself in becoming a teacher include practicing patience, being fair, and

putting in a genuine effort to create an equitable, open, and educational environment. In doing

so, I hope to create opportunities for my students to develop a greater sense of self, altering their

outlook on aspects of life both in and out of the classroom. People with a strong sense of self

generally have an easier time facing conflicts in the world, and battling barriers and obstacles.

Throughout my younger school years I had been the ‘troubled’ child or the ‘bad’ one that

was to be ignored and disciplined. I was treated based on my reputation which had followed me

for years. Instead of having patience with an overactive child who was desperately seeking

attention, I was isolated and made to feel as though I was a burden. I was constantly talked over,
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shut down, ignored, and left out. This remains a common recurring issue I have noticed with

children I encounter through my placement, extending to university Professors. The discovery of

self and worth is a key component in my Philosophy of Education, as the majority of students I

have encountered want to feel as though they matter, and that what they have to say is important

and meaningful. This is why we must put an end to industrializing ‘cookie-cutter’ students, and

isolating others who do not fit into this “ideal”. Creating this division in the students, and

ignoring their ideas and stories will create a closed-off individual. Students, now feeling lower of

themselves, will lose focus, act out and/or create a distraction for the classroom. Ignoring a child

will never be the answer, they will seek the attention that you or others have refused elsewhere,

and may even cause this behaviour to transcend more dominantly. I want to be the teacher that

sees the best in people, one who is patient and understanding, seeing a possibility rather than a

nuisance. Students really do take pride in their accomplishments and get excited about gaining

new knowledge. Getting the student involved and engaged in the material will spark a sense of

want and need; strengthening their social and learning abilities. People see things differently, act

differently, react differently, learn differently, and require different things, so it only makes sense

for their education-which is framing their futures-to adhere to these differences in the

individuals.

I began this year wanting to teach in the senior division as students in this age group tend

to be more motivated. Students here are taking classes usually because they either have a genuine

interest, or it is mandatory for their Post-Secondary Education, in which their grades are counted

against them. Time spent in my placement has made me question whether or not I truly have a

preferred age group. I assumed teaching students in the senior division would provide me with a
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motivated and responsible group, willing to put forth the effort needed to succeed, mostly

because they needed to. After working with students in an education setting, I was surprised to

see how many share a love for learning and being able to show off their knowledge. For me, it is

clear to see that Education begins within the student and can be implemented at ​any​ age. As a

teacher I hope to place emphasis on seeing a student as an individual rather than a statistic, a

trouble-maker, neurodiverse, or generally a burden to you as a teacher. We all need to learn

patience and purpose to truly find ourselves and explore what it means to be you.

As a teacher, I hope to practice a universally designed curriculum that adopts a

customizable approach to teaching lessons and content. When ​speculating who/what is the center

of the instructional process​, teachers are given three kinds of knowledge: ​student, subject, or

society-centered. To present inclusivity, I believe these three kinds of knowledge and differing

pedagogies must all work together to create a balanced and stable environment. Doing so enables

these students to feel free to explore themselves, and gain the knowledge to make informative

and heartfelt decisions moving forward. Student-centered knowledge is a predicate in which my

goals were formed around; focussing on an individual's interests, abilities, and development. A

students’ personal potential would be a goal here. Society-centered knowledge is characterized

by a drive to meet the economic and social needs of a society. Relying heavily on societal

knowledge risks generalizing students as a whole, leaving them with little room to explore other

options. While I do not accredit a restricting curriculum based on local demands, aspects of

society-centered knowledge should be incorporated into student-centered knowledge when

deciphering individual data. By acknowledging a student’s wants and needs, I will be able to

determine which subject-matter I will include, and how I will integrate it.
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When determining which content is ‘worthy’ of knowing, we should first gather

student-centered knowledge, while taking into account current societal knowledge to establish

the relevance of the content to the classroom. To decide ​how​ the content should be taught, we

look at four basic pedagogy approaches and refer them back to classroom and individual needs.

A behaviourist approach contains a mix of lecturing, modelling, and demonstrations. Here, the

teacher is placed at the center of the class to advocate direction while presenting structured and

visible material. While many students may benefit from this widely adopted approach, it is

important to be diverse in your ways of teaching to accommodate all learning styles and specific

needs of the students. Constructivism puts the child at the center of learning. Students here learn

through experiences, reflections and making connections to the content to facilitate their

learning. Social constructivism is guided by a blend of the teacher and students in an attempt to

create a more collaborative and interactive environment. Social constructivism focuses on the

social aspect of learning; taking into consideration other ideas and differing perspectives to

initiate deeper thought processes regarding the content. While Liberationism creates an

opportunity for student voices to be heard-providing a space for the students to showcase their

learning. By allowing students to lead the discussion, they are forming a stronger opinion on the

topic and making connections to personal or real-world issues. Students often have an easier time

recalling specifics and becoming engaged when emotions are evoked on a topic. Incorporating

multiple techniques to teach various content material respects diversity in students, and gives

them ample opportunity to explore different views and ways of doing things. Student

engagement and confidence should be the outcome here.

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I strongly believe ability is not determined by quantity, nor is it time-restricted.

Ability, to me, is defined by the quality and effort put forth by both the student and teacher. As a

teacher, it is my duty to ensure I am doing my part in the success of students. It is vital to

challenge your students but not set them up for failure. Students should be provided with proper

and thorough material, as well as enough time to study and prepare for class assignments and

tests. Therefore, if the students were to study the material provided it would reflect in their work,

and if they didn't it would show poorly. Tests are meant to ensure your students are learning and

putting in the effort to do so. Throwing curveballs or not providing proper prep for the test will

discourage students who may really be trying and putting in the work. Your students should

know exactly what to expect, without you having to make the tests easier. It is their

responsibility to learn but, it is our responsibility to ensure they are learning. If they read what

they needed to, put in the work and studied the materials you gave them beforehand, they should

feel less stressed while studying and it will reflect on their work. Ability is not meant to

intimidate those students who want to succeed and are putting in a genuine effort to do so. A

teacher's ability to prepare their students will raise confidence in individuals, fundamentally

raising the abilities of their students.

The teacher has the most direct and deliberate influence on learning. This is why it is

important to have a solid stance on our Philosophy of Education, so we do not lose sight of this

purpose due to demanding external pressures. With all this in mind, I hope to construct an open

environment where students are free to explore, and feel comfortable seeking any help or

reassurance. I will prepare myself to be a patient and accommodating figure, who is willing to

put in the extra effort for each of my students. Throughout this year, I have grown a deeper and
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more vulnerable approach to teaching, which will, in turn, provide me comfort in educational

settings, and an analytical perspective that will help me feel more prepared moving forward.
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References

Grant, Carl A, and Kenneth M Zeichner. ​On Becoming a Reflective Teacher.​

Rick A. Breault (2005) Priming the Philosophic Process, The Teacher Educator, 40:3, 149-162,

DOI: 10.1080/08878730509555358