Mary Lehmann

Professor Goericke

EDI 685 04

02 February 2020

My Philosophy of Education

Throughout my college years, I’ve read countless articles on the right and wrong ways to teach
children: what to do, what not to do, and how to make sure everyone learns. I’ve learned to look at the
literature surrounding education with a critical eye, filtering ideas I found productive and those I didn’t. I
thought I knew how to teach before I walked into the classroom because of the work I had put in during
my college years. Let’s just say, I was humbled during my semesters as an assistant and a student
teacher. I found my world rocked by the action teaching involves, the constant passion for learning a
teacher must possess, and the intention they must have to build real relationships with the students. I
found that without a focus on these three things, teaching was not productive, and students were not
learning as much as they could.

I believe there is a reason why my feet ache every day after school. Teaching is an active
profession! A teacher should be constantly moving during student lead activities, checking in with
children as they are working and listening to conversations. I find this is one of the best ways to fully
understand where students are individually in the learning process. During student lead instruction, the
teacher takes on the full roll of a coach, guiding, encouraging and supporting those who need it while
challenging those who find tasks easier than others. During direct instruction, the teacher must be
moving and engaging to keep a classroom of children listening and intrigued by the lesson.

I believe the more a teacher is engaged in the material they are teaching, the more engaged the children
are when learning. This engagement leads to the passion for learning every teacher must possess. If
someone is presenting information, it is clear where their passion lies. Children are quick to pick up on
this, and are more engaged in learning if the teacher is more engaged in teaching. To keep this constant
passion alive, I believe it is incredibly important to be prepared in advance before teaching occurs. There
needs to be a plan or framework for the week, where the teacher feels ready and excited for the lessons
to come. This organization takes away some of the stress the weight of teaching can bring and allows a
teacher to feel passionate and ready for the lesson. Teaching does tend to involve some improv, which, I
believe, is one of the greatest parts of this profession! Children are inquisitive and leaning on their ideas
and curiosities brings passion into teaching, creating an environment for all students to learn.

The greatest measure of teaching and learning, in my opinion, is building relationships with
students. If a child does not gain trust or feel safe with the teacher, it will be much harder for them to
learn. A teacher must provide structure for children where they feel safe and able to build a real
relationship with the teacher. I think this creates a foundation where the teacher can fully understand
the child, what motivates them, and what they are interested in. A good relationship tailors their
instruction and allows them to connect with children through their world and bring it into the academic
world. An understanding is formed as to why children behave certain ways and the teacher is able to
identify their needs on a greater scale. Education builds children up to face society and life after school.
Building their knowledge as well as their social emotional skills goes hand in hand. Their success will be
harder to reach if both are not emphasized in the classroom. I view teaching from a mixed lens,
embracing the research of the social emotion needs of children while also relying on the wisdom of
those who have been doing it for a very long time.