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Philosophy of Education
Crystal Puentes
EDUC 405C
Professor Jeff Share









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My goal as a social justice educator is to consistently provide a loving and caring
environment that values all of my students and acknowledges their aspirations and dreams. By
recognizing and appreciating my students histories, families, and languages, their whole selves
will then feel welcomed and cherished in the classroom. Providing an environment where
communication, experiences, and memories are created, my students will be given moments that
they can look back on in their learning. In valuing who my students are and what they hope to
one day become, it is my goal to guide them along their academic journey. The sky is the limit
alongside those who care and believe in them, and this is an environment that I hope to establish
and contribute to my students lives. With this being said, it is my endeavor to create a safe
space where the whole child feels appreciated, is cared and loved for, and is able to formulate
experiences and memories in an engaging and supportive atmosphere.
When students enter a classroom, they are not just presenting one aspect of themselves,
each person is made up of numerous experiences and histories that define the individuals they
are and will one day become. As Antonia Darder (2002) states, [each] student comes into the
classroom as a whole person and should be respected and treated as such (p. 98). All students
have a history and a distinctive way of learning. Therefore, in order to create an environment
that exhibits students potentials, the assumption and perception that they are a blank slate and
empty vessel, must be disregarded. Jeannie Oaks and Martin Lipton (2000) confirm the
imperative need for educators to teach the whole child in embodying a sociocultural agenda,
they recognize multiple ways of thinking and multiple definitions of important knowledge; they
support a wide range of cultural perspectives and practices in the school curriculum; and they
justify using social interactions as the primary medium of instruction (p. 78).
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Acknowledging that like adults, children have needs and are a result of their own
histories; it is pivotal that my students feel accepted for the individuals they are and the
knowledge they bring to the classroom. Luis Moll (1998) states, as households interact within
circles of kinship and friendship, children are participant-observers of the exchange of goods,
services, and symbolic capital which are part of each households functioning (p.6).
Appreciating the wealth of the knowledge that each student brings into the classroom, their
education will be influenced by their ability to make connections to their home and school
environment. Providing a space that nourishes their past, present, and future, each child will be
given an equal opportunity to not only achieve their dreams, but also complete their journey
alongside their second family. Constructing an atmosphere where students feel supported and
motivated by their surroundings and each other; my classroom will be a second location that my
students can call home.
Emphasizing the power of love inside the classroom, Paulo Freire (2010) states that,
because love is an act of courage, not of fear, love is commitment to others. No matter where
the oppressed are found, the act of love is commitment to their causethe cause of liberation
(p. 89). Entirely dedicated to providing an equitable education to my students, my love for each
child will be revealed through my commitment to their futures. Developing a safe space where
my students are able to think critically about themselves and their role in society; my passion for
my students will ultimately permit them to feel liberated through their education. Love, as stated
by Freire, is the ability to establish dialogue. It is the ability for students to collaborate and use
language to question, listen, and create change together against societal norms. Nel Nodding
(2005) identifies the significance of teachers creating a caring environment for their students in
stating that, teachers show students how to care, engage them in dialogue about moral life,
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supervise their practice in caring, and confirm them in developing their best selves (p. 6).
Through establishing a space where students needs, wants, and cultures are recognized and met,
I will help each individual to become aware of the value of caring for one another, resulting in
the formations of their best selves.
Since many of my students may be English Language Learners, it is essential that I
present the material in a variety of ways so that every person is able to access the curriculum. I
plan to incorporate Howard Gardners ideas about Multiple Intelligences so that my bodily-
kinesthetic, visual-spatial, musical, and interpersonal learners are able to access the material.
Each student in my classroom will be given an equal opportunity to comprehend, communicate,
and become engrossed in the curriculum. Recognizing the significance of communication and
interactive experiences in learning, John Dewey identifies the value of our past and present
experiences in the classroom. Discovering that an individuals past experience influences the
manner in which a present experience is created and interpreted, Dewey indicates that teachers
must activate students prior knowledge, provide an engaging environment, and present a
purpose for the material being learned. Because language is a central factor in the formation of
these memories, educators must recognize the influence that language has on students learning.
Neil Mercer emphasizes the effectiveness and significance of using language as a collaborative
tool in stating that, nevertheless, throughout the world, conversation is one of the most
important means by which children seek and receive guidance (2007, p. 133). Understanding
how impactful language is in the formation of knowledge, it is important that students are given
opportunities to not only collaborate and converse with their teachers, but with each other as a
community of learners.
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In terms of my ability to accomplish these goals, although some of them may be a bit
challenging to implement, I am appreciative of the fact that every class is different. What may
work for one class, may not work for another. Therefore, it is important to understand that such
goals are subject to change. Even though I feel each objective is achievable, the manner in
which they are established may differ. All of my students come from different backgrounds and
histories, so getting along and truly creating a family foundation may be difficult and
uncomfortable at first. However, in order to formulate this sense of community, completing
community building activities and demonstrating through my actions, my passion for
establishing a loving and caring environment is crucial. Being able to walk the walk and talk the
talk is essential for students in order for them to understand and learn by example. Noddings
indicates that educators who care, are more aware and in touch with their students. Comparing
teachers to parents in emphasizing the value of establishing a caring environment, she
acknowledges that, watching students, listening to them, working with them, living with them,
teachers have a reasonably clear picture of how students are developing (p. 6). By
understanding the value of caring in the classroom, my ability to reach my students on a deeper
level increases.
In addition, since many school districts have their own curriculum, I recognize that
providing an experience where students are presented with multiple avenues to access the
curriculum may be strenuous. Due to the limited amount of time that students are in the
classroom, the ability to create an engaging environment that touches upon all of the subject
matter is challenging and at times problematic. In spite of the demanding curriculum, in order
for my students to move forward academically and obtain a rich and interactive education,
collaboration is key. I will incorporate pair shares, group work, and community building
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activities where students are given the opportunity to share their ideas and opinions. Students
will be given the opportunity to work and learn from one another as a family. Developing strong
relationships with the individuals who surround them on a daily basis, my students interests,
desires, and needs will be met. Creating an atmosphere where students feel supported and cared
for, my ability to focus on the material instead of their behavior, will further lead to an ever
evolving and fluid classroom.
Overall, although my list of objectives may seem never ending, I have come to realize
that love is my overall arching theme within each of my goals. If I demonstrate and create a
loving and caring environment, then my determination to see my students succeed will lead to
the completion of my objectives. With love comes hope for a better future. Freire confirms this
belief when he writes, as long as I fight, I am moved by hope; and if I fight with hope, then I
can wait (p. 92). Although my objectives and goals may seem arduous, I have hope that I can
create and establish an equitable education for my students. Working collaboratively, hand in
hand against the many educational challenges that we may face, my students will be given the
opportunity to see themselves reflected in the curriculum and feel valued for the individuals they
are and the people they hope to one day become.







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References

Darder, A. (2002). Teaching as an act of love: The classroom and critical praxis.
In, Reinventing Paulo Freire: A Pedagogy of Love (pp. 91-149). Boulder, CO:
Westview Press.

Freire, P. (2010). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York, NY: Continuum.

Mercer, N. (2007). Words and minds: How we use language to think together. London, England:
Routledge.

Moll, L.C. (1998). Proceedings from the twenty-first annual statewide conference for teachers of
linguistically and culturally diverse students: Funds of Knowledge: A new approach
to culture in education. Illinois State: Board of Education.

Noddings, N. (2005). Caring in education, the encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved
September 7, 2012 from http:
www.infed.org/biblio/noddings_caring_in_education.htm=[online]

Oakes, J. & Lipton, M. (2000). Teaching to Change the World, Contemporary Learning
Theories. (pp. 67-94). San Francisco, CA: McGraw Hill.