My Philosophy of Education

“The great world, the background, in all of us, is the world of our beliefs. That is the world of the permanencies and the immensities” - William James.

Education from Socrates to Dewey has been an attempt to find the secrets of this natural world. The definition of education is a basis for all the philosophies of all these great philosophers. To define education is too general and is a wide range of opinion. One cannot give the true definition, only his opinion and what is best. Socrates to Plato had their dialogue and cave, Rousseau had the story of Emile and Dewey was a true American describing democracy and sciences. They each contributed to the definition of education.

Socrates never wrote a word of his knowledge. Plato was the one who basically put Socrates' dialogue into words. Socrates' educational teachings were brought through by a form called dialogue. Through this Socrates gave knowledge without really teaching it. Socrates never considered himself a teacher, and when he shared the information he knew, he never thought he was teaching the information. Socrates knew his limitations, and this was explained by him that an educated person is described to know his limitations. He in his own right believed he was highly educated. His definition of a form of education is dialogue, a back and forth linguistic motion between speakers, to uncover the truth. Dialogue allows the truth to emerge. Socrates was different from the traditional philosophers because he believed in truth. Through discourse, dialogue, and conversation education is finding the truth. Education to Socrates is not what it is today. Education is learned from other reputable people and synthesizing to find truth in the subject of the argument. Real education is expressed through person to person interaction, finding the information and concluding by finding that all mighty truth. Dialogue is in my belief the best form of education compared to the other philosophers. This is real education, non-interaction, and books cannot teach you everything, but past experiences and talking about them is a real way to learn.

The main goal of education is to prepare individuals to be contributing citizens of our society and to help them reach their true potential. Education provides the foundation that enables students to be successful lifelong learners that thrive in society. While schools are the catalyst for the spreading of education, it is a successful partnership between schools, government family and community that ensures the ultimate success of education. A clear focus on educating all students despite their diverse needs and differentiated instruction are essential. Teachers serve as facilitators who guide students in the learning process.

Education is the process of learning that can take place anywhere and at any time. I believe that creativity and activity, as well as books and lessons, lessons are essential to the learning process. As a teacher, I hope to instill in the children a sense of knowledge and self-worth that will remain with them throughout their lives.

Education is important not only to maintain daily life but also to become someone who contributes to society. Without education, people have no chance to impact the lives of others in their own community. I want to give the children I teach a chance to give back to their community and society.

I feel I benefit most from the pragmatic approach to teaching. This approach states that teachers feel the classroom is a community of learners, not just a teacher standing in front of a group of students. I believe this is true because it is my opinion that if the teacher is learning and exploring along with the students, the students are more likely to be involved and interested in what is being taught. I also believe the strategies of teaching by problem-solving and encouraging democratic procedures are the most profitable in today’s society.

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I believe that students are individuals (and should be treated that way), who brings a unique set of needs and abilities to the classroom and they should be responsible for much of their own learning especially as they grow and mature. This core belief represents a combination of three different classical educational philosophies: Neo-Thomism, Idealism, and Existentialism.

“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself” - John Dewey.

Although I do not agree with all the aspects of Existentialism, I do support its belief that places a great amount of emphasis on individuality. They believe the primary role of a teacher is to facilitate opportunities for learning thereby improving student success. I believe, as a teacher, one of my primary roles is to teach students to become their own person while making responsible choices.

Teachers play many multifaceted roles every day in the life of a student. First and foremost, I believe teachers must have a love for children as well as have a passion and desire to make a positive difference in their lives. Teachers have a responsibility to provide a safe environment that respects cultural diversity. When students feel valued and secure with their environment, it increases their chances of success. A good teacher is not one who rules like a dictator but instead respects each individual and acts as a guide for them. Depending on the needs of the students, educators need to develop the curriculum so that it is designed to meet those needs and guide them toward success.

My ideal vision of the way schools should be regarding curriculum consist of a few major key points. First, a curriculum should allow learners to practice and experience equality. Next, I believe a curriculum should create a safe, warm, environment where students come together for a common goal. It should enable students opportunities for critical thinking while at the same time allow students to solve problems by applying learned knowledge (Webb, Metha & Jordan 2010). Finally, a curriculum should reinforce respect for diversity as well as make learning applicable to valid issues. I believe it is essential that character education should be included in every curriculum. Teaching students ethical and moral behaviors such as respect, responsibility, positive attitude, self-discipline, caring, trustworthiness should be included in every curriculum. These are vital characteristics that individuals need to go into the real world and be successful. Character education is best taught by the teacher modeling the behaviors. I believe every time a teacher comes in contact with a student, they help in shaping the character of that child.

“Teachers are the agents through which knowledge and skills are communicated and rules of conduct enforced” - John Dewey.

Government, family, and community are important partners in education. The government needs to provide standards for education and adequate funding to offer programs and instruction for all. Families serve as important support systems that support teachers and students in the quest for each student to reach his or her full potential. The support of society, community and business members is crucial for the success of education. Community members and organizations can provide financial support and mentoring services. Community support strengthens the school community and enables schools to provide additional academic and enrichment opportunities.

Students are the focus of our educational system. They are the future citizens and leaders of our nation, and it is therefore imperative that education prepares them to be creative problem-solvers that find solutions to the challenges of the future. Each child has the potential to make unique contributions to the world. To reach his or her full potential a student needs a nurturing and stimulating learning environment that enables an exploration of individual talents and interests. Students need to be motivated to inquire about and explore the world.