Personal Philosophy of Education

When an educator creates a personal philosophy of education, they might think that their

philosophy will never change and remain as is, but, in reality, most of us like myself change it

and start to adapt based on areas in life that mold up as times change. Such as relationships with

co-workers, different experiences with colleagues, college professors, and individuals in the

community alter how we think and the way we teach. It is the same way for young learners

because they are growing and expanding their knowledge, so I believe it is crucial to understand

and keep in mind when creating your philosophy. Our code of ethics, religious beliefs, the

definition of what life is, different ways and strategies used in the classroom, and much more

came from a root that started when we were children. When we connect to our philosophy, we

also tap into our good and bad experiences and make sure that we are making a change to better

our young learners' lives.

The three questions addressed in my philosophy are:

● What is the role of the teacher?

● How should you manage your classroom?

● What is the purpose of education?

Role as a Teacher

Considering the learner's nature is a crucial priority for teachers when planning developmentally

appropriate instruction suitable for the learner. According to Rhalmi, a learner's characteristics

vary; several are considered (Rahlmi,2019). One meaningful way to view the learner's nature and

enhance their needs is to make teaching creative through discovery, experimentation, play, and

social interactions (Temple University College of Education).

 Using Kohlberg's and Gilligan's theory enables me to view my role as a teacher and

become a role model in society's eyes. From Gilligan's ethics of care forming and developing

from Kholberg's ethics of justice, I understood more about moral theory, moral conflicts,

actions/choices, and what predeterminate factors I might fall into based on their research. It is

my responsibility to be motivated to take into account the best interest of my learners, having

respect for human life, and be guided by principles of caring. I recognize that my responsibility

aligns with the ethical standard of professional practice that I must abide by in my personal and

professional life (Vinny, 2019).

As a professional, I must abide by the school's principles and codes in which I am

teaching to create an ethical school climate. Exhibiting consistent and equitable treatment of

students, colleagues, and parents, respecting all civil rights "teachers should be motivated by a

universal respect for human life and also be guided by principles of caring" (PSPC). It is not

discriminating based on race, national or ethnic origin, culture, religion, sex or sexual

orientation, marital status, age, or political beliefs (the list of bases is not all-inclusive). Gilligan's

and Kohlberg's moral development theories enhance those traits in which the teacher's role falls

under having significant responsibility as an educator (Vinny, 2019).

I am also obligated to protect students from harmful or unsafe conditions. I recall

disagreeing in my years as an educator, co-teaching, and having some discussions over some

classroom management and what strategies I have learned over my years of experience. Even

though my top priority is protecting students from unsafe conditions, I also consider the amount

of work it takes to become an efficient teacher. According to the Professional Standards and

Practices Commission, as a teacher, I must intervene when I see suspicious misconduct because
it is my responsibility. My responsibility is to respect fellow employees but also keep children's

environment safe (PSPC).

Classroom Management

For a teacher to acquire classroom management, a teacher must know how to integrate

strategies that fit individual students' needs and show respect, care, authority, and compassion.

As a teacher, managing the classroom is an important task, and without proper management,

proper education is troubled. I strive to one day prepare a well-planned environment where

learners experience elaboration, organization, imagery, age-appropriate content, desirable

difficulty, and practical strategies to acquire a well-developed classroom.

To do so, "establish rules on the first day of class, and always follow through on the

specified rewards for achievement and consequences for misbehavior"

(ElementaryEducationDegree) is a tip I enjoy considering because it sets ground rules the very

first day of school. Another information is "using positive instead of negative language"

(ElementaryEducationDegree). William Glasser, created of the "choice theory," states that "we

are driven by genetics to satisfy five basic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom

and fun" (Lynch, 2020).

With Choice Theory, I can compare and contrast the strategies mentioned above and see how

much emphasis is placed on these five basic needs. I firmly believe that when a teacher like

myself looks for alternatives that are doing the right thing. Seeing what strategies work best for

them depends on various factors such as:

● Classroom environment

● Age of learners
 ● ELL (English Language Learners)

● Negative habits

● Religious Differences

On behalf of personal experience, before successful classroom management, I received

plenty of errors in finding out what works best for my students and me. Of course, students are

not permanent as some strategies may have to adapt; however, when a teacher gets to practice,

they also archive information that can be used in another setting. Like many other teachers, I

have found it useful when I communicate and share my experience with other colleagues and

discuss what worked for them. Overall, communicating with students verbally and nonverbally

shows how much you care about their needs. When a learner receives warmth, sympathy, love,

and understanding, they are quick to open arms, listen, and focus on what needs to be

accomplished in class.

What is the Purpose of Education?

With different points of view on the purpose of education, every person has a different meaning.

When we look at administrators to teachers, everyone has their core principles that change the

definition. Purposeful education can amount to lifetime learners who will ultimately become

harm or blessings to a community one day. Education does not start and stop with educating

students inside a school system, but teachers play a significant part in building students' traits,

such as "confidence and self-esteem" (Kelly, 2019 ). Teaching habits, teaching students how to

carry themselves, and motivating them to become better. As a professional, I must respect
everyone's viewpoint on what they believe is the purpose of education as I work on my own

opinion.

As I continued to research this topic, I came across different educational theories that

better understand this area. "cognitive learning, behaviorism, constructivism, humanism, and

connectivism" (Western Governors University, 2020). These theories that an educator like

myself can apply in classrooms relate them to specific strategies and techniques. The benefits of

learning different approaches give me a well-rounded understanding to prepare and utilize in the

classroom. Doing so enables me to connect different kinds of students to fit their needs and

aptitudes.

I used humanism learning theory to create a classroom where specific students' emotions

and physical needs are being met by creating a visual chart showing different feelings (happy,

sad, mad, bored, tired) and letting them place their names on their emotions are feeling. Later in

the day, I check in with them why they think that way and form a better relationship with that

individual, creating a teacher to student trust.

Conclusion to Philosophy

My philosophy promotes me as a reflective decision-maker because I learn from personal

experiences, evaluate every strategy that I come across, create connections, and which type of

plan fits best for students and is not extremely difficult to teach. I always enjoyed observing and

assessing other teachers and seeing what kind of classroom management skills they use. See how

students engage, react, and perform with given strategies by being consistent and always striving

to learn more about theories, new information, methods, ways of thinking, learning new policies,

standards, the true meaning of a professional, adapting to new situations. It allows me to make

sure that I will always become a reflective decision-maker professional.

 References

ElementaryEducationDegree. (n.d.). ​Top Proven Classroom Management Tips​. Retrieved

October 16, 2020, from
https://www.elementaryeducationdegree.com/classroom-management-tips/

Flynn, T. F. (n.d.). ​Incidental Learning in The Classroom.​ Wibbu. Retrieved October 16, 2020,
from ​https://wibbu.com/incidental-learning-classroom/

Lynch, M. L. (2020, September 21). ​St. Edward’s University Admissions: Everything You Want
to and Need to Know​. The Edvocate.
https://www.theedadvocate.org/understanding-three-key-classroom-management-theories/

Professional Standards And Practices Commission. (n.d). ​The Ethics of Teaching.

https://www.pspc.education.pa.gov/Promoting-Ethical-Practices-Resources/Ethics-Toolkit/Unit1/
Pages/The-Ethics-of-Teaching.aspx

Rhalmi, M. (2019, September 01). Seven characteristics of young learners. Retrieved

September 22, 2020, from
https://www.myenglishpages.com/blog/seven-characteristics-of-young-learners/

Temple University College of Education. (n.d.). ​Student Teacher Roles & Responsibilities.
https://sites.temple.edu/edresources/ofp/student-teaching/student-teachers/st-roles-responsibiliti
es/

Western Governors University. (2020, June 1). ​The Five Educational Learning Theories​.
https://www.wgu.edu/blog/five-educational-learning-theories2005.html
Kelly, M. K. (2019, July 7). ​7 Core Purposes for Education.​ ThoughtCo.
https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-the-aim-of-education-8417

Vinney, C. (2019, June 30). ​Gilligan's Ethics of Care.​ Retrieved September 22, 2020, from
https://www.thoughtco.com/ethics-of-care-4691476