Lindsay Calvin, USC Upstate Spring 2014

Educational Philosophy

I know that the role of an educator comes with the ability to continually learn and grow; we are
life-long learners. With this being said, I know that my educational philosophy will be molded and
modified throughout my career as I grow in my abilities and find out what works for myself as an
individual, and as an educator. I will continually look for new methods to implement in my classroom
and I will encourage the use of technology as the opportunities arise with the changing times. As a
teacher, we are provided with the best resources for ideas; our colleagues. Upon teaching I will be
placed with several teachers, we will be considered a team. I will collaborate among my peers and
encourage the same of my students. As I ask that my students grow and learn throughout the
educational year, I will expect the same of myself.
As an educator, I feel my job is to provide my classroom with engaging lessons that not only
interest them, but help them grow as young adults. The ultimate goal is to provide the young learners
the opportunity to learn concrete material in an authentic, real-world, method; one that they can take
with them wherever they go. In teaching, it is just as much about the material as it is the lessons that are
presented, allowing the students to mature and grow both in their mind and in their attitude.
Accomplishing this is possible with reinforcement of behaviorist theory methods that help students who
find it more difficult to gain motivation and encouragement. This encouragement can also be found in
the utilization of technology and differentiation of instruction to ensure that all children receive the
same opportunities for holistic growth.
The differentiation of instruction was proved important by Howard Gardner and the idea of
multiple intelligences. The bodily-kinesthetic intelligence prefers to touch to learn, the musical
intelligence learns best when a theme is applied to music, the interpersonal learn best when interacting
with others, the intrapersonal learns best when performing a task alone, the linguistic focuses on the
use of words, and the logical-mathematical learns through reasoning and calculation. Understanding
these intelligences can help a teacher further understand how their students learn. One thing that I have
found that could help with these differences, is a learning style quiz at the beginning of the school year
to inform me of the individual intelligences that I have in my classroom. After this assessment, I would
know whether to differentiate with visuals, words, sound, motion, or any other change in lesson to
reach the most students.
In order for any individual to succeed, especially children, it is important for them to be in an
environment that allows meeting a hierarchy of needs. This guideline, if you will, was defined by
Abraham Maslow and sets specific conditions which must be met in order for success. These criteria are
grouped by category. The lowest level is the physiological which includes necessities such as breathing,
food, water, and restroom opportunities. This section, I feel is the most important in a classroom
setting. As a teacher I must provide students the necessities if I am expecting their attention and effort.
The second level is safety. As humans, we seek safety and comforting environments. Security in a
classroom setting that I would provide would allow each child to connect to not only the material, but
Lindsay Calvin, USC Upstate Spring 2014
also the people in the classroom on a personal level. As a teacher, it is important to understand that
each child comes from a different background and home life, but the environment in your classroom
sets the tone for the motivation and desire to learn that is ultimately the goal of an educator. The third
level in the hierarchy is the need for love and belonging. This directly correlates with the aspect of safety
and connecting with your students on a personal level. This feeling of friendship can be taught through
the welcoming environment and culture that a connected classroom can present. The last two needs are
very similar; they are the need for esteem and self-actualization. I feel that if I, as a teacher, provide the
students with a physiologically appropriate, safe, accepting environment, then I am only helping build
their esteem. Through the support and encouragement that I would expect of all my students, each
individual child would be provided the opportunity to grow and understand the importance of
individuality, not only in Ms. Calvins classroom, but in society.
In order to obtain acceptance and individuality among all students, ideally I would teach with a
mixture of progressivism and essentialism in my classroom. I do believe that there is specific information
that should be learned in the classroom and as a teacher I find it important to follow standards placed.
However, I most certainly feel that the role of education is to also create growth of the whole child as a
young adult. With this being said, the goal of my education would be to provide each individual student
the basic knowledge that I am required to teach, in a method that sparks interest and allows inquiry and
questioning, leading to further knowledge. I feel that my role as a teacher is to present material in a way
that encourages growth and deeper thought with encouragement and enthusiasm from the students
and myself.
Education is a career that is mastered through practice. The best analogy that I can think of to
describe this trial and error occupation is the work of a chef. A chef achieves success through practice
and background knowledge, much like the teacher, who performs best after having learned theorists,
methods, and hours spent in the classroom, the kitchen if you will. I would like for my students to
know that I am learning with them and to remember Ms. Calvin as the teacher who allowed them to
question freely, voice their opinions, and to grow as much as they could. While the goal is to help
students understand concepts and correctly perform on assessments, mistakes show room for growth. If
the students never made mistakes, what need would there be for a teacher in the first place? I feel that
learning occurs best in an atmosphere that accepts all questions and allows for research, both individual
and collaborative.
As I move through my educational career, I will continue to move through the same motions
that I expect of my students. I will voice concern or questions. I will accept each individual that comes in
my life. I will utilize new tools for learning. I will understand the importance of making mistakes. I will
always attempt to dive deeper into information. And, most importantly, I will stay creative and enjoy
learning, thus allowing my students the ability to learn in a positive, ever-changing environment.