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Philosophy of Teaching

Makayla Hobbs

Liberal Studies Program, Azusa Pacific University

EDLS 496: Writing 3, Education and Professional Ethics

Dr. Paul Flores

Spring 2020
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Abstract

This paper establishes that every teacher comes into the classroom with their own unique

teaching philosophy, made up of various values and beliefs from all areas of their life. This paper

explores the factors and influences that have combined to make my teaching philosophy. It

unpacks my views on education, subject matter, effective instructional methods, inclusion of

families in the education process, beliefs about teaching & learning, beliefs about students,

beliefs about knowledge and worth knowing, my Christian worldview, and my courses and

service-learning experiences and discusses how these areas will influence how I teach. It looks to

my existentialist and progressivist orientation which explains my understanding that my goal is

to lead students to discover themselves and their voice. The conclusion proposes that

understanding the values and beliefs that compose my teaching philosophy will help me live out

my calling in the way I see true.

Keywords:​ teaching, philosophy, education

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Philosophy of Teaching

Every teacher brings a unique set of values to their classroom. My teaching philosophy

has been influenced by many factors and affects the way I see students, approach my lectures,

and carry myself in a school environment. This paper explores the intricacies of what make my

teaching philosophy mine by examining my feelings toward education, curriculum, the

educational process, faith, knowledge and more. Let’s dive in!

Summary

Purpose of Education

What is the purpose of education? Education equips individuals with the knowledge,

tools, and motivation necessary to engage in the discovery of self and world. Education enables

people to advance in new directions that build on prior generations. Education promotes the

interaction of community for the pursuit of the common good. I believe that education supports

the growth of the whole student, altering their mental, social, emotional, and physical realms,

shaping them into a new product.

Subject Matter

Subject matter, the curriculum we feed our students, is vital to learning, and knowing

basic skills is necessary for future success. Even so, subject matter should not be the sole focus

of education. It is easy to get caught up in benchmarks and testing, but teachers need to

frequently step back and remember that school is about the student, not the subject matter we

teach them. We must value student experiences and personal growth as equally important

components of education, and create adequate space for students to move forward in these areas.
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Effective Instructional Methods

I am a huge contender for the gradual release of responsibility. In this instructional

model, four stages are employed to engage students in any class size while helping them get the

most out of class time: focused instruction (I do), guided instruction (we do), collaborative

learning (two do), and independent learning (you do). Students do not learn best when they are

being lectured to for the entire day. This model mixes things up, diving students into smaller and

smaller groups throughout lessons until they are independently ready to apply the material.

Growing up, I had some very engaging teachers. Like them, I plan to incorporate drama,

art, song, strong visuals, humor, and storytelling in my instruction to keep students on their toes

and to encourage a light learning environment. Lesson plans leave a lot of room for teacher

creativity, so I am excited to design engaging lesson plans in ways that will pull my students in

and help subject material stick.

Inclusion of Families in the Education Process

I believe that family inclusion is vital in education. Students need affirmation and aid

from outside of the classroom to continue their learning journey. Teachers should make this

known to their student’s families, and encourage them to help out in the classroom and at school

events. Though I believe family inclusion is important, I recognize the unfortunate reality that

many students do not have strong support outside of school. For this reason, it is important that

teachers make it a priority to get to know their student’s parents or guardians. When teachers do

so, they can learn how to best support their students’ education and move forward from there.
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Educational philosophies

Orientation

I have a very eclectic orientation when it comes to what I believe about education. Many

things have shaped the way I see school, including my family, personal experience as a student,

my generation, and the western culture I am a part of. My perspective aligns most closely with

existentialism and progressivism.

Existentialists hold the belief that people are moldable--born with undeveloped

personalities that are susceptible to change based on the actions and decisions that individual

makes. Existentialism puts value in individual choice over traditionally accepted thought, so

people may develop self-awareness. It encourages student interest to be the source of curriculum

and subject matter and emphasizes the importance of making space for individuality to occur

(Parkay, 2018, pp.140-141).

Like existentialism, progressivism values individual thought. Progressivists believe that

the focus of education lies primarily on the individual child. It recognizes the danger in focusing

more on subject matter than living, breathing students, and believes that we should encourage

diverse ideas to build a stronger, democratic society (Parkay, 2018, p.140).

Like existentialism and progressivism, I believe students come are born with blank slates,

and teachers should focus on helping them find themselves and their unique voice. I agree that

there is value in designing curriculum that meets the needs of the students. Every child learns

differently, so teaching cannot be homogeneous if it is meant to reach every child. If this means

incorporating student interests into lessons so they learn the material better, so be it! Unlike

existentialism, however, I find value in traditional beliefs, specifically Bible-based values. I

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believe it is my duty to encourage children to make ethical choices so they may live beautiful,

full lives. In line with existentialism, I think we need to make space for students to make

personal choices, but that it is vital that we guide them toward doing what is right. This means

allowing them to learn from poor choices and modeling good behavior whenever possible.

Beliefs About Teaching and Learning

I believe teachers must build relationships with their students, or they will be less willing

to learn. Teachers need to see their kids as people instead of subjects to force information into. In

my time as a student, I have learned that when teachers are honest and real with me, I am more

comfortable to participate in learning. I also believe that teachers should never stop learning!

Teachers that exercise their curiosity and feed their minds tend to be more interesting in the

classroom and are able to remain passionate about what they teach. I believe that teachers must

always be willing to learn and accept that they do not know everything. Humility is key.

Beliefs About Students

In my mind, every student is unique. Part of the beauty of teaching is unlocking each

child’s quirks, passions, and qualities that set them apart. Learning should be light and enjoyable,

but I have found that this leaves room for students to take advantage. For this reason, I find that

rules and tight regulation of behavior are necessary to create a healthy classroom environment.

Though this may sound rigid, having structure allows the fun to live on longer than in a

disorderly classroom. What students see, students often do. For this reason, teachers should

model the behavior they want from their students.

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Beliefs About Knowledge and Worth Knowing

Knowledge is a gift! We have so many learning resources that must be shared with future

generations of students. An elementary education can unlock endless possibilities for students. It

can ignite passion for the world and inspire a grateful heart. Students often discover specific

subjects that they favor over others, which have the possibility of leading them to hobbies and

careers. The humanities can unlock deeper meaning in life, history can inspire change, the arts

can free up emotional and mental burdens, language can help individuals articulate and express

feelings, math and science can inspire curiosity and lead to new discoveries-- the benefits of

knowledge go on. Overall, knowledge, if used for good, has the ability to create interesting,

well-rounded individuals.

Christian worldview

My Christian worldview has greatly shaped my teaching philosophy. My faith informs

my understanding that every child is precious and loved by God. God has eyes for the hurting

and outcasts, and I pray that He will use my teaching position to show students that they have

value. Time with students is valuable. Bullying, abuse, food insecurity, difficult parent situations,

and other painful worlds meet many students after school. I believe that God can use my time

with students to bring light into these students’ lives. Time in the classroom can show kids that

they are cared for and can give them the education they need to build beautiful lives for

themselves.

Courses and Service-Learning Experiences

My teaching philosophy has been greatly influenced by my time in the field. By throwing

myself in front of students, my teaching philosophy grew extra layers based on experience
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instead of assumption. I was able to find truth through doing, and have come out with a stronger

set of teaching beliefs because of the opportunities student teaching made available to me.

Senior Capstone

In my most recent service-learning position for Senior Capstone, I worked with a dual

immersion kindergarten class. This experience turned out to be a milestone in my teaching

journey, as it revealed a challenging side of childcare. I worked closely with a child that had

severe anger management problems. My patience was tested with this child as I practiced acting

out of love instead of shock or anger. The most significant thing I learned ties into the

progressivist view that the whole student is important: it is vital that teachers spend time outside

of academics to discover the people we teach. I got to know this student beyond academics and

talk honestly with her, and it proved helpful in her schooling. I could see that she tried harder and

participated more eagerly when she saw that I cared about her. I learned that it is worth it to

fight for difficult kids. Work with them, stay by their side, and most of the time, they will

surprise you.

PE in the Classroom

Another experience that has helped shape my teaching philosophy was my PE in the

Classroom service learning. I led a rowdy gang of second graders in games and activities

designed to get their blood pumping. In the “Beliefs About Students” section above, I listed out

my belief that learning should be fun, but have structure as to keep things from getting out of

hand. I learned this the hard way through this service project. When I first started teaching this

class, they took advantage of the fun atmosphere of PE, and things got chaotic quickly. The first

lesson I taught them was a train wreck. The kids were not listening and I found myself struggling
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to round them up. I ended up scraping the activity and we sat for the last 20 minutes discussing

respect. It was not a fun lesson for me or the students. By the next lesson, I came prepared with a

whistle, a list of action cues, and lots of behavioral rules. The students initially grumbled about

the rules and cues I made them follow, but they paid off! The games went smoothly and the kids

were able to have fun because the chaos had structure.

Conclusion

My faith has led me to understand that I will have my students for a certain amount of

their day, and though the rest may be horrible or wonderful, I can be a light to them in the time

we share. As my progressive and existential orientation promotes, it is my duty to steer my

students toward self-discovery as they discover the world. Understanding the values and beliefs

that compose my teaching philosophy is essential to living out my calling in the way I see true. I

cannot wait to bring them into a classroom of my own.

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References

Parkay, F.W. (2018). Becoming a teacher. Boston: Pearson.