Learner Autobiography and Philosophy of Education 1

Learner Autobiography and Philosophy of Education

Kevin Mark

ITL 600: Becoming a Teacher

National University

Terry Shorey

September 9, 2018

[Abstract: Through analysis of my current philosophy of education and my past

experiences with positive and negative teachers this essay reveals the launching point
Learner Autobiography and Philosophy of Education 2

of my continuously evolving perception of education. To be a successful and inspired

teacher one must possess an open mind, responsibility, and the willingness to keep

learning in a dynamic field.]

With every role one decides to take on in his or her life, a philosophy is forged

around that role. Theories, actions, beliefs, and motivations of how one is supposed to

carry out this role is developed, either consciously or unconsciously, by the performer.

Success is determined by how adaptable and fluid one's philosophy is.The development

of a dynamic philosophy helps guide an individual in their decision making as they

progress in their given field. With the beginning of my own journey as an emerging

professional educator, I reflect on my own life experiences that will contribute to the

development of my own unique philosophy of education. In order to activate the

evolution of my philosophy of education I must gather a sense of where my current

ideas of education are located.

A worthy tool in helping me determine the orientation of my current philosophy

was the “Educational Philosophy Survey.” This survey revealed that my philosophy of

education was chiefly rooted in progressivism followed secondly by essentialism. These

results are not surprising to me. The “Philosophy of Education Survey” (1997) labels

progressivism as a belief that “education should be student-centered, focused on active

participation, questioning, and experimentation.” The reason I was not surprised by this

result is because the way I live my individual life is defined a lot by the principles of

progressivism. It seems natural that my own life philosophy would align flush to my

philosophy of education. Another factor that contributes to my current view of

Learner Autobiography and Philosophy of Education 3

educational philosophy is my past experiences, negative and positive, with teachers

during the course of my education.

Teachers come from all backgrounds and makes of life just like students do.

Some teachers fit naturally into their role as a teacher, while others leave you

questioning how this teacher was able to successfully fulfill the requirements to reach

the point of having their own classroom. During the course of my education I have had

both outstanding teachers and unmotivated teachers. The particular teachers that

receive my accollations have embodied what Moore (2015) labelled as the “four critical

areas that are paramount to classroom success: adult learning environment, flexibility,

authenticity, and competence.”

These areas that contribute to a successful classroom were practiced efficiently

by my sixth grade teacher. I’ll never forget the effect this teacher had on my life. He

treated each student like he knew them on an individual level. He never left anyone out

of classroom activities and was able to transition smoothly through the different roles a

teacher must transform into. A notable memory I have regarding my sixth grade teacher

is when the students were brought to a large tree that stood outside our classroom.

Under the tree was a baby bird struggling for its life. It had fallen from the tree too soon

without the mastery of flight. My teacher talked to us of what had happened and why.

The class then successfully took the baby bird into our classroom and we nursed it back

to health. Many lessons outline this experience which my sixth grade teacher facilitated.

Without knowing it, I was getting a first hand taste of our teachers dynamic philosophy

of education which exemplifies a respectable code of ethics.

Learner Autobiography and Philosophy of Education 4

Contrary to the strong ethics of my sixth grade teacher was my high school math

teacher. This teacher was was barely holding onto things in the classroom. He would

constantly be unprepared and disorganized. He picked favorites and it was obvious to

all the other students who his favorites were. Math is one of those subjects where

students might need a little more “hand holding” than other subjects. This specific

teacher never took into account the individual needs of a student. This resulted in a

polarization of the class; his favorites did really well and all other students fell behind

and were left without a lifeline. This teacher failed to embody a strong philosophy of

education and his students were able to tell because his lack of a good reputation on

campus.

When looking back at what teachers inspired me and why I look at those

teachers like my sixth grade teacher or later on in my education, my college capstone

professor. These educators took pride in their philosophies and it was palpable to their

students. Their philosophies aligned with the Code of Ethics for Educators (2018). A

landmark for both these educators was that they took “responsibility and accountability

for his or her performance and continually strives to demonstrate competence.” These

teachers have been paramount to my inspiration to become a teacher.

The reasons to why I’m becoming a teacher include, firstly, that I value

education. I belief holding education in high regard can inspire my future students. With

education, one is able to achieve their dreams. The education field is dynamic and

challenging. The challenge this career brings makes the career even more rewarding.
Learner Autobiography and Philosophy of Education 5

Becoming a teacher gives the educator the power to make a positive change in their

community by adopting a fluid view of their own philosophy of education.

For whatever role one chooses in life, one must adopt a unique philosophy

surrounding that role. In the pursuit to become an educator, the emerging professional

must look to his/her past, future and inspirational teachers in order to develop their own

philosophy of education. As a future educator I will strive to take responsibility for myself

and my students. I will work to create fruitful experiences for my students by keeping an

open mind, being competent, and be willing to attend to each individual students needs.

This will aid me in the evolution of my philosophy of education.

References
Learner Autobiography and Philosophy of Education 6

Code of Ethics: Association of American Educators. (2018). Code of Ethics for

Educators. Retrieved from https://www.aaeteachers.org/index.php/about-us/aae-

code-of-ethics.

More, E.T. (2015, August 7). My Educational Philosophy. Retrieved from

https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/philosophy-of-teaching/my-

educationalphilosophy/

Sadker, M.P. & Sadker, D. S. (1997). Teachers, schools and society (4th ed., pp. 403-

405.) NY: McGraw Hill.