Garbarino 1

Natalie Garbarino
Professor Curry
EDU 200
December 17, 2015
Philosophy of Education
Education is the foundation of society. Without it, the people of this nation would be
passive observers rather than active participants who shape the world around them and evolve
with it. I, an educator, see myself as a sculptor. Early interactions with my students will be like
working with clay, but will gradually mature into working with marble: having shaped their
minds, I will chisel away rough edges and create smooth works of art out of my pupils. But my
role will not stop at interaction with students; I want to actively provide classroom data and
information to the community, particularly parents, and host events in which parents and
guardians of current and future students can ask questions, get to know me as a teacher, and
provide input and personal opinions of how they believe their children should be educated. I
hope to work with colleagues and school administration as often as I possibly can to brainstorm
and acquire feedback.
As an elementary school teacher, I will be accepting of all cultures, religions, and
abilities, doing everything in my power to provide for the specific needs of individual students.
To increase global awareness, I intend to incorporate as many aspects of my lessons as possible
into current events. Knowing about the world around them scientifically, socially, and
historically is vital to student development, especially at the elementary level; what they learn
early in their lives shapes their opinions and experiences for years to come.

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Although not all of Marzanos educational strategies are equally efficient, I will
incorporate all of them within each unit to the best of my ability. Each lesson will begin with an
anticipatory set, and an activation of prior knowledge. I will then set goals, and provide feedback
and nonlinguistic representations throughout, thereby appealing to visual, auditory, and
kinesthetic learners. My units will finish with lessons involving creativity, demonstrating that
students can function on the highest level of Blooms Taxonomy. I do not expect students to
operate on all levels of the taxonomy in one lesson. I will use projects, crafts, verbal questions,
and group work as formative assessments throughout and provide a summative assessment at the
end of the unit. I will encourage students to think for themselves and ask the right questions
rather than just provide the right answers; independent discovery fosters a love of learning and
helps students grow in confidence.
Whenever available, I will use technology to help students research their interests and
connect their knowledge with the world around them. I believe, because of its prevalence in
society today, that technology should be used at every opportunity to further learning. Providing,
at the very least, a basic knowledge of computer use will be a high priority in my classroom.
I strongly believe that every student should be held to the same educational standard, and
that my role as teacher is to help each pupil reach this standard, regardless of ability. To students
in need of special education, students with language barriers, and students who are struggling for
any reason, I will provide additional time and patience and work with them one-on-one
whenever possible to ensure understanding. I will students according to level of mastery and
learning style; in this way, they can help each other reach goals. I believe inclusion is important:
taking the time to ensure the thorough involvement of each and every student is a high priority
for me.

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Children of all ages perform well when instructions are clear and they are aware of what
is expected of them. I will spend the first two weeks of each school year enforcing class rules,
such as being respectful of authority, completing assignments quickly and quietly, and always
being ready to listen. Students will be reminded of class rules throughout the year, as I believe it
is important to continually reinforce proper procedures. While I find organization and structure
to be very critical at the elementary level, I think a little controlled chaos is also useful.
Elementary age students have quite a lot of energy; I will incorporate activities into each lesson
several times a day that are hands-on and give the students an opportunity to move and be
physically active, though not disruptive. If the space is available, I would like to arrange desks in
groups, leaving a wide area in the center for bean bags or cushions; reading will take place on
this floor area so students can spend time out of their desks.
What students learn in the classroom can and should be reinforced at home. Each time a
report card is sent out, I will make personal phone calls to the parents of each of my students and
inform them of the specifics of their childs grades. I will discuss with them their childs
intellectual strengths and weaknesses, and discuss with them any concerns they have regarding
their childs education. I will also encourage parents from the start of the school year to contact
me by phone whenever they have concerns or comments.
As a teacher, I will be a guide rather than an instructor, pointing students in the right
direction and helping them discover questions and answers on their own. I believe a structured
classroom provides the best learning environment for most students, but all of them will still
have large amounts of energy to expend, and I will see to it that they have opportunities to
incorporate movement into their lessons. I want to instill in my students a love of learning and a
willingness to seek knowledge for the rest of their lives. One of my highest priorities in the

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classroom is helping students develop creativity and confidence, as well as good problemsolving skills. I would rather have them think for themselves and include their own personal
additions to their creative assignments than simply do what I tell them to do. I believe learning is
considerably more interesting when students understand the importance of what they are learning
and how it relates to the world around them. However, without a strong educational foundation,
learning is severely stunted; I will therefore emphasize the basics of each subject before
beginning the corresponding lesson, particularly in history. A thorough understanding of the past
will help guide children in the future. Through these strategies, I hope each and every one of my
students learns to enjoy school, and take the knowledge that they acquire there, using it to
become active participants in the world around them.