Revised Philosophy of Education

My Philosophy of Education was an idea of what I thought education should be. At it’s

core, my idea was that all students, regardless of ability, should have access to all the tools they

need to have a quality education. Now that I have had some time and experience within a

classroom, I find myself reshaping my view of education and changing my view of my role

within it. I now have established beliefs, rather than ideas of what the educational experience

should be.

Education is much more than an adult teaching the curriculum to a student. Students

currently have access to multiple tools for a quality education. The issue isn’t about access,

rather understanding of how to utilize the appropriate tools safely, at the appropriate time and

finding a meaningful way of doing it. Learning is a life-long process. We develop an

understanding of what to learn and how to learn while we are in school. Learning happens daily

throughout our entire lives.

After being in a classroom I now know that students don’t want to be taught by a teacher.

They want to experience learning with a teacher, with classmates, and with the world around

them. Students don’t want to look at the world and read about it. They want to see it, touch it,

live it. In our twenty-first century classroom environments technology is constantly at our

fingertips trying to develop new ways to allow students the ability to do this type of learning. It

is my role as a facilitator to make sure that this type of hands-on learning can be as carried out as

safely and as authentically as possible.

Teaching is now more than ever about collaboration. Students want to play a part in their

learning. They want to have an input in what they are doing, how they are doing it and why they

are doing it. I have tried to establish a community of collaboration within my classroom. I think
this helps to establish respect and integrity so that students feel eager to step into our classroom

and feel they are ready to learn alongside of their peers. I provide students with multiple

opportunities to make choices in daily work. I think this helps students to establish a connection

in what they are doing. They need to feel as though they are a part of the experience and be able

to find value in what they are doing for themselves. After being in the classroom, I now see that

isn’t about how I motivate a student; rather, how I help a student to find what it is that motivates

them. They need that personal connection. My enthusiasm alone is not enough to inspire them

to learn. I need to be able to show them how to learn and show my students why the material we

are covering is important to their learning. I plan to do this by starting with what they already

know and building connections from it.

I must always treat my students with respect. By modeling for my student’s what respect

is, I will receive respect from them in return. It is my intent to show my students how to take

care of and respect themselves, others in their lives, and others in the world around them. I will

do my best to teach my students to work independently, to be responsible, how to use time

wisely, and how to be organized. I need to show my students how to learn and how to think, not

tell them what to think. My plan for doing this by allowing them to make decisions regarding

their daily activities. I believe a teacher should be child-centered, therefore, I will try my best to

take the time to connect with every student on a personal level. I will strive to always be

sympathetic and caring towards my students. I will also hold them accountable to high standards

that are attainable, in an effort to help them reach their fullest potential.

All classroom lessons and activities should be engaging and authentic. I want my students

to be inspired and motivated to learn. I hope to be able to help my students to understand how to

apply what they learn in our daily lessons to practical use within their everyday lives. In order to
do this, I feel it is important to try to develop curriculum around what is of interest to my

students. This can help to develop and create intrinsic motivation within my students. Hopefully

it will stimulate their passion for learning. I truly believe that each student is a unique

individual. Planning for instruction of them should then contain the consideration of what they

skill levels and interests are, as well as their specific goals contained within their IEP’s. I need to

plan for their diverse academic needs. I will incorporate a wide variety of kinesthetic, hands-on

and technology-based activities in my classroom. I feel using a variety of techniques helps me to

reach multiple learners. Overall, I know tailoring my teaching style to fit the particular needs of

my student’s will create many meaningful learning opportunities for every student I have.

In conclusion, education is an ever-changing entity, thus I should always strive to be

rethinking my views on what education is, how it should be experienced and what best practices

are. It is my goal to help develop students who are intrinsically motivated, life-long learners. I

vow to lead by example, not just in my classroom but in my everyday life. I will strive to always

express my passion for learning and to convey my dedication to helping and teaching my

students.