Philosophy of Teaching 1

Philosophy of Teaching
Grand Canyon University – EDU 534
Dominique’ V. Booker
September 2nd, 2020
 Education is an essential tool to the human being’s basic need of existence. Naturally, we

are curious creatures that seek to find the understanding to life. When an individual decides to

engage in higher education, they are saying that there is a desire to have a deeper and diverse

understanding of the world around them; the desire to inquire more knowledge is driven by the

want to become a scholar and satisfy self-actualization. According to DU Jingna (2012), The aim

of education is to promote “selfhood” to be realized. Therefore “self-actualization” becomes the

basic education aim. The education ideal is to foster “self-actualizer” (p.33). I believe that in

higher education, the individual must be able to tap into another part of themselves in order to

recognize one’s full potential in all capacities. The objective is to help students become experts

in their own right, equipped with the basic foundation of information but fueled with their own

view of the subject matter. Carl R. Rogers, one of the founders of the Humanism learning

paradigms, stated that an educated person is the one “who has learned how to learn…how to

adapt and change” and realizes “that no knowledge is secure, that only the process of seeking

knowledge gives a basis for security” (1969, p.104). When students finish a course of mine, I

hope they have learned that knowledge is obtained by what they have gained and can apply to

their own lives.

An adult learning classroom is different from primary/secondary learning classrooms

because the where barriers are broken and depth is emphasized. The classroom that is ideal is an

inviting environment, in which there can be true discussion and where analytical methods can be

exercised. S.Merriam &L. Bierema stated that the focus is on adults directing their own learning

with the goal of self-development in mind (2014, p.31). I encourage students to give their

personal perspective on subject matter to see how the two correlates. Allowing for my

students to freely think, gives me the chance to know how to reach within their selves and how
they view the subject; this helps me to perfect my craft. I believe that my job in the classroom is

to be the facilitator to the students and provide them with the base to the subject manner.

Teaching strictly from a book and riddling off facts only shows students I am well versed in a

subject, but it does not give depth to the “why” of the subject. Because higher education

classrooms are so diverse, I have to have the ability to understand my student’s learning needs

and not teach for my own ego. I love to see the students draw conclusions on their own and work

through problems in the subject taught. I would shy away from test/assessment and gear more

towards group projects/reflections. The reflection component would create a guideline for myself

to see how I can better service my students on their quest for higher learning. The student is the

core of my passion for educating and I must ensure that I am giving my students the best effort I

can.

In the past, I have worked with early childhood education and high school learning but

my ultimate goal is to work in a higher education institution. My goal is to take the passion that I

have for younger students and use it to ignite the spark in adult learners. I remember the thrill

that I got from my very first Psychology course and how the professor opened up my mind to a

subject that engulfed me with tremendously. I was in a room of other students who were looking

to be guided by this instructor and I was met with the freedom to think, ask and articulate the

constructs of Psychology. I look to give that same feeling to students as an educator; it is the

reason why I went into education to being with. I feel that my experience with learning

disabilities in my personal life give me a unique edge over other educators. I understand from a

different perspective that everyone does not think alike and retain information the same. We are

human beings, not robots; carbon copies that cannot be duplicated. Most educators cannot

understand that concept and fail by putting all students in a standard box, which only causes
turmoil to the student’s needs. The educator must help create the love and passion for learning in

any subject. The educator is to encourage the student to continue learning even beyond the

structure of a classroom or textbook. An educator is to teach life and help steer willing minds

into new outlooks of the world they call home.

 References

DU Jingna (2012). Application of Humanism Theory in the Teaching Approach. Higher

Education of Social Science, 3 (1), 32-36.

Merriam, S., & Bierema, L. (2014). Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice. San

Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishing. ISBN-13: 9781118130575

Rogers, C. R. (1969). Freedom to learn: A view of what education might become. P.104