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Carly Calabrese

Dr. Templeton

Schools In Society

18 November 2015

Educational Philosophy II

As a pre-kindergarten through fourth grade teacher, my goal still remains the same: to

educate the whole child. However, after completing most of the semester of Schools in Society, I

have now come to realize the true meaning of education the whole person. It is more than just

teaching the basic reading, writing, and arithmetic; but about inspiring children and giving them

the tools they need to flourish throughout their life. In my first educational philosophy, I

discussed the ideal learning environment for students in three concepts: (1) Giving the child the

ability to let their curiosity lead them on their educational journey, (2) Providing a stable and

nurturing environment, (3) Instilling the boundaries of respect between children, their

classmates, myself, and the world around them. However, after this semester of Schools in

Society, I understand these concepts in a different light and also added more concepts to my

educational philosophy.

When I wrote my first philosophy statement, I was not certain on exactly what kind of

qualities were needed in a teacher. As a teacher, I am viewed by my students as a role model,

and I have the right to support them in whatever way is possible. In my first philosophy

statement, I went into great detail on how I plan to focus in on each childs specific educational
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needs. After observing the structure of a classroom and reading several articles about teaching, I

realized that this idea is not always achievable. It is extremely difficult to give each and every

one of my students undivided attention, therefore it is imperative to find a style of teaching that

fits the classs needs as a whole. One way I can accommodate all students leaning needs is by

teaching each subject visually as well as verbally. Visual and verbal learners are the two most

common types of learners, so by adjusting lesson plans in a verbal and visual way, I will be able

to help the students.

As an educator, it will also be my job to encourage the curiosity of each student and

nurture their young minds. Being a teacher is about helping students learn to their full potential,

so when students express their curiosity in the classroom, it shows that they are trying. During

my observation placement at Gompers, the teacher always encourages the students to think out

loud. Sometimes students may not be able to understand what they are learning, so it is

important to encourage them to figure out the answers to their questions through comprehension

instead of being given the answer. I strongly agree with this approach towards education because

I feel that it encourages students to to learn up to their full potential. Children are the future, so it

is important for them to ask questions freely and gain the critical thinking skills that are so

important in life.

I also strongly believe that a stable a nurturing environment is key to a successful

classroom. Letting a child know that their classroom is a safe place can help them strive

tremendously. Children come from all different backgrounds and their lives outside of school
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may not be very stable. That is why the classroom should be a almost like a second home for the

students, giving them a sense of safety and comfort. This includes teaching them the importance

of each others feelings, taking care of them, and being the best leader I can for them. I want to

provide the best environment possible for my students so that they are able to grow and blossom

into young, educated human beings.

I also want to be able to teach the children the value of respect. As their teacher and an

authoritative figure, I demand respect. It is also implied that I will treat my students with that

same respect. I think this concept leads into a multicultural curriculum. While that is difficult to

maintain, I think it is important for students to understand a respect other cultures. In our world

today, equality may not always be prominent, but if we instill this value in children at a young

age, maybe the future will be brighter and equality will be obtained. It is important for students

to learn these core life values so they are able to thrive both in and outside of the classroom.

While all of these points are extremely important, I have learned this semester that there

is more to being an educator than just three concrete concepts. From John Dewey, I have learned

what kind of authority that a teacher is supposed to uphold with their students. This quote from

his book Experience and Education perfectly depicts my views on authority, And what is even

more important, the authority in question when exercised in a well-regulated household or other

community group is not a manifestation of merely personal will; the parent or teacher exercises it

as the representative and agent of the interests of the group as a whole. As a teacher, it is

important for me to take the well being of all students into consideration when dealing with a
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disciplinary issue. I think often times people believe that teachers discipline a student to teach

the individual right from wrong, when in reality the whole classroom benefits from that

discipline. In my first educational philosophy, I did not address the issue of discipline but after

learning about this major topic from Dewey, I realized how important it is to maintain a well

balanced classroom.

The article Only for My Kid by Alfie Kohn also changed part of the way I viewed my

educational philosophy. A school is a community made up of more than just students and

teacher, but the student's parents as well. It is important to maintain a good relationship with the

students parents and keep them updated on the progress of their children. However, some parents

are way too focused on their childs success and not the success of the classroom as a whole.

Khon perfectly quoted John Dewey in the article saying, What the best and wisest parent wants

for his own child, that must the community want for all of its children. Any other ideal for our

schools is narrow and unlovely, acted up on, it destroys our democracy. It is expected for

parents to want what is best for their child, but as a teacher it is important to make decisions to

benefit the whole classroom and not just one student. I think this topic is so important because

parents are such an important part of students lives, therefore being able to make decisions for

the whole class and not just one individual is extremely important and at times challenging.

Being a teacher involves finding the balance of helping each child individually versus doing

what is best for the class as a whole; Kohns article brought up a harsh reality that faces many

schools.
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The Death and Life of the Great American School System by Diane Ravitch also helped

me re-evaluate my educational philosophy. This book analyzed what aspects make up a good

teacher. In the book, Ravitch talks about different styles of learning that were used to help

students improve their standardized test scores. Ravitch then talked about how standardized test

scores do not measure what a student is capable of learning and that by teaching to a test,

students lose out on basic knowledge. Being a teacher means helping children understand as

much information as they can and gain the knowledge they need in life. I think that by Ravitch

addressing the topic of test scores, it shows the value in a true education. What you learn in the

classroom may not always be reflected through a standardized test. Basil knowledge however, is

key to educational success. I think it is important for me to remember as a teacher to push the

kids to live up to their academic potential and encourage them to do the best they can do. As a

future teacher, I believe that improvement in the classroom measures what has been learned

rather than a standardized test. The work done in the classroom is the most important, even

though many people may see my view in a different light.

As well as reading and discussing articles in my Schools and Society class, I have also

learned a lot from my field placement at Gompers Elementary School in Ms. Foxs special

education class. There is no better place to learn how to teach than by actually observing in a

classroom. Ms. Fox has taught me so much about what it means to be a teacher. It is obvious

that Ms. Fox has a passion for teaching and she does everything she can to help the children.

One thing that I think is extremely remarkable about her is she sacrifices all of her extra time for
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the students. This represents passion, which I is a huge part of my educational philosophy. Ms.

Fox spends all of her free time making sure the kids are taken care of by creating new exercises

to help her students, retesting the students to make sure that they are getting all of the extra help

they need, tracking their progress consistently, and so much more. I think the most important

thing about being a teacher is loving what you do. As a teacher, you have to be open to learning

and growing with you students and doing whatever it takes to help them succeed. Ms. Fox

shows her true dedication to the children each time I observe and she has really showed me what

it is like to be not just a teacher, but an educator.

Overall, I think my educational philosophy has expanded throughout the semester. Every

class and every day of field placement inspires me to expand my educational philosophy and

open my eyes to the world of teaching. I started the semester thinking the three key points of

being a good teacher was letting the children be curious, teaching respect, and maintaining a

stable environment. While these three points are true, I do not think it is possible to pick just

three concepts to base an educational philosophy off of. I want to be able to see the children

improve over time and have them walk out of my classroom knowing that they worked their

hardest and did the best they could. I want my students to be able to experience the magic of

comprehending the material and the joy go applying their education in daily life. My educational

philosophy is about watching the students grow and flourish into the inspirational human beings

that their education has lead them to be.