Education Studies Assignment: Academic Essay Dr Pauline

Logue

Module: Education Studies

CA1 ASSIGNMENT: ACADEMIC ESSAY

An Exploration of My Personal Philosophy of Education and its Application to

the Technical Classroom

Seán Flannery & G00393597

Lecturer: Dr Pauline Logue

Education Studies Assignment: Academic Essay Dr Pauline
Logue

Plagiarism Disclaimer

Student Name & ID: G00393597

Programme: Education Studies
Assignment Title: Philosophy Statement Essay
Due Date: 30th October 2022

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Education Studies Assignment: Academic Essay Dr Pauline
Logue

1. INTRODUCTION

My name is Seán Flannery, and I am a student in third level education studying to be a post primary Teacher in

a Bachelor of Science in Education Honours (Design & Construction). This course allows me to teach

Construction Studies & Design Communication Graphics at Leaving Certificate and Wood Technology &

Graphics at a Junior Certificate Level. The aim of this essay is to explore and outline my personal philosophy

and the benefits of applying it to the classroom. A philosophy statement is a self-reflective statement that

describes what you believe and provides concrete evidence of what you do in the classroom as an educator to

support them beliefs. A Philosophy is a first-person account and should convey a professional image of your

teaching and should provide examples to reinforce your beliefs as an educator. “Philosophy of education is the

branch of applied or practical philosophy concerned with the nature and aims of education and the philosophical

problems arising from educational theory and practice.” (Siegel, 2008) The aim of this Essay is to convey my

values and beliefs in teaching and learning and the educational theory and application.

2. VALUES AND BELIEFS IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

As an educator my values and beliefs are “Respect” and “Care”. As I am a student teacher not much older than

the current secondary school students and was one of them not so long ago, I believe the most important values

and beliefs that students appreciated the most were “Care” and “Respect”. Speaking from my experience as a

secondary student I would always push myself beyond my own expectations to achieve my potential for the

teachers who showed respect to their students and showed that they truly cared for their students /colleagues and

their subjects. From my experience when you give respect you get respect from both parties involved.

“Teachers uphold human dignity and promote equality and emotional and cognitive development. In

their professional practice, teachers demonstrate respect for spiritual and cultural values, diversity,

social justice, freedom, democracy and the environment.” (Council, 2016). Care can be shown in

many ways whether it is through good will, closeness or affection but my favourite of all as an

educator is devotion to both your subjects and your students. Care should be motivated in the best

interests of your students and should be shown through influence, judgement and empathy. Not only

should this be shown in the classroom but also in all aspects of life. “Teachers’ practice is motivated

by the best interests of the pupils/students entrusted to their care. Teachers show this through positive
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influence, professional judgement and empathy in practice. Educational Theory & Application”

(Council, 2016) When I think of values and beliefs, I always think of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

and his theory of psychology explaining human motivation based on the pursuit of different levels of

needs. The five levels involved in the pyramid are Physiological needs, safety needs, love and

belonging, Esteem and self-actualization. Care and Respect can be seen in both the third level. love

and belonging and in the fourth level esteem. “The third level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is love

and belonging. Humans are social creatures that crave interaction with other. This level of the

hierarchy outlines the need for friendship, intimacy, family, and love. Humans have the need to give

and receive love, to feel like they belong in a group. When deprived of these needs, individuals may

experience loneliness or depression.” (Team, 2022) Malow’s third level of needs is a clear indication

of a pupil’s desire for care and attention, and the difference can be seen in the pupil’s attitude towards

their subject once show the teacher cares for their efforts. “The fourth level of Maslow’s hierarchy of

needs is esteem needs. Esteem needs are related to a person’s need to gain recognition, status, and feel

respected. Maslow broke up esteem needs into two categories: the need for respect from others and

the need for respect from oneself. Respect from others relates to achieving fame, prestige, and

recognition. Respect from oneself relates to dignity, confidence, competence, independence, and

freedom.” (Team, 2022) The above are my values and beliefs in teaching and learning in teaching are

reinforced with reference to successful research. I will now continue to explore educational theories

and their application to the classroom.

2.1 JOHN DEWEY’S THEORY OF EDUCATION AND ITS APPLICATION

John Dewey was a philosopher born in 1859, in Burlington, Vermont, USA. He died in 1952. John was the first

child and graduated at the age of 15 from High school, Dewey read the work of Charles Darwin which led to

have a great influence on his life’s work. He was Regarded as the foremost educator of his day. Along with

Charles Pierce and William James they were the known founders of the school of Philosophy Pragmatism. He

was a leader of the progressive movement in education in the USA.

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John Dewey’s theory worked on active learning, his approach to education was revolutionary and proved to be

fundamentally important to modern day education. He aimed on using Active Learning in the classroom which

is an effective theory of teaching and is based on a theory known as constructivism “Active learning is based on

a theory called constructivism. Constructivism emphasises the fact that learners construct or build their own

understanding.” (cambridgeassessmentinternationaleducation, 2022) . Pupil Centred learning in the classroom

which was another art of his discovery learning which he discovered to be effective and useful. Dewey also was

strongly in agreement with valuing the process of learning and knowing that the value in the process can steer

the way we learn.

Dewey believed that students should feel connected to the classroom material, to retain information and adapt it

for personal use. “I believe that the only true education comes through the stimulation of the child's powers by

the demands of the social situations in which he finds himself. Through these demands he is stimulated to act as

a member of a unity, to emerge from his original narrowness of action and feeling and to conceive of himself

from the standpoint of the welfare of the group to which he belongs.” (Dewey, 1897) Dewey believed that

getting students up and active rather than sitting passively in the classroom benefitted them more. It keeps

students engaged, problem-solving and is enjoyable. “I believe that education is a regulation of the process of

coming to share in the social consciousness; and that the adjustment of individual activity on the basis of this

social consciousness is the only sure method of social reconstruction.” (Dewey, 1897).

He also believed that giving the students the option in material they use and how they use them and learn their

information in a way that they can keep the students engaged while also retaining the new information to the

best of their ability which was known as pupil-centred learning. Students succeed when they are interested in

what they are learning. Students' interests drive education in student-centred learning. Student-centred learning

allows students to choose two things: what they learn and how they learn it. (This concept is also known as

personalized learning.) (Sudderth, 2022)

I believe John Dewey’s Theory could be an amazing way in teaching classes in todays education as it allows the

students flexibility in the way they learn and allows them to be active and help maintain concentration and keep

them in engaged for a longer period of time. It also sets the level of achievement among the students as it sets a

competitive environment among the class and encourages them to try and do better then one another.
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Having examined John Dewey and his educational theory and its application to the classroom I will now turn to

the exploration of B.F. Skinner and his educational theory and its application to the classroom.

2.2 B.F. SKINNER’S THEORY OF OPERANT CONDITIONING AND ITS

APPLICATION

B.F. Skinner was born on March 20, 1904, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, U.S. and died August

18, 1990, Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was an American Psychologist and an influential

factor of behaviourism which I will explain in detail below.

B.F Skinner believed that rewarded behaviour is more likely to be repeated, whereas

punished behaviour is less likely to be repeated. Skinner's theory is based entirely on

reinforcement, so when a behaviour is reinforced, whether positive or negative, Skinner

reinforces said behaviour with a positive or negative response, ensuring that positive

behaviour is repeated and negative behaviour is diminished. “Operant behaviour is behaviour

“controlled” by its consequences (J.E.E. Staddon, 2002). Skinner experimented on rates with

the use of the “Skinner Box”. The idea of the experiments of the rat was to compare the

behaviour of the rat to that of a human’s behaviour when shown positive and negative

reinforcement.

Positive reinforcement is seen when the rat pushes the leaver and is rewarded with food when

it does so. Negative reinforcement can be seen when Skinner takes away the electric shock

which the rat finds both discomforting and unpleasant which encourages the rat to push the

lever more as it now understands it is rewarded when it does so. “Here, the action of pressing

the lever is an operant response/behaviour, and the food released inside the chamber is the

reward. The experiment is also known as Instrumental Conditioning Learning as the response

is instrumental in getting food.” (Shresta, 2017). Operant conditioning is based around

reinforcement of which there are two types, and they are positive and negative reinforcement.
Education Studies Assignment: Academic Essay Dr Pauline
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Positive reinforcement strengthens behaviour by exposing an individual to a consequence

which they find rewarding. “When a worker is rewarded with a performance bonus for

exceptional sales figures, she is inclined to continue performing at a high level in hopes of

receiving another bonus in the future.” (Anon, 2021) Negative reinforcement exposes an

individual to a consequence that they find punishing or diminishing. “An employer offering

an employee a day off is an example of negative reinforcement. Rather than giving a tangible

reward, they reduce the presence of something undesirable; that is, the amount of time spent

at work.” (Anon, 2021)

I believe that Skinner’s theory operant behaviour is essential in managing classrooms in

today’s teaching as it helps with all aspects of the lesson including the behaviour of the

students in the class and it allows the lesson to run smoothly with no unnecessary

interruptions. Positive and negative reinforcement and positive & negative punishment both

play a vital role in the classroom as it sets the standards for behaviour and encourages the

students to want to work and motivates them to well in the classroom environment, almost as

though there is a competition among the students.

3. CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I believe that Constructivism (Dewey’s theory) and operant conditioning (Skinner’s theory)

would be a very suited mix in the classroom as using operant conditioning sets the appropriate behaviour for the

class which in turn will allow for the constructivism to take place. This will then allow the class to work

productively and gives the students a more active role in the class and allows us as teachers to move away from

the old way of teaching and note taking to allowing the students to be more involved and engaged in the

teaching and learning process and will also allow for efficient time management. Using a behaviouristic

approach through operant conditioning allows me as a teacher to ensure the learning outcomes for the

curriculum are met, while also enabling the students to actively engage in the learning process by applying a

constructivist approach alongside the behaviouristic approach.

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4. LIST OF REFERENCES

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Cherry, K., 2017. www.verywell.com. [Online]

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Council, T., 2016. Teachingcouncil.ie. [Online]

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