Educational Goals and Philosophy Essay examples

Who loves school? What makes school enjoyable? Is it the lectures, worksheets, and tests, or the group projects, in-class discussions and high-tech games? When thinking over the answers to these questions, many people unknowingly state a preference for a more progressive teaching style. A progressive teaching style includes student participation and a large variety of modern inventions which allow more students to enjoy learning. Students receive a more complete education through enjoyment in the learning when they have the ability to set a custom pace and are able to learn according to their preferred learning style. It has become increasingly apparent to many educators how disconnected students have become from the learning environment when lectures are the sole teaching method. This discovery has led several instructors to develop new methods to educate the next generation of students for their benefit, not just for the ease and convenience of the teacher. To figure out the best balance for the future of education, like anything else, one must first understand the history of education and where schooling originated. Schooling began with a traditional style of lectures and progressed to more modern teaching methods, which have proven to be more beneficial to a learner’s future, than the traditional practices in a teacher-centered classroom.

Teachers need to use different methods to teach and provide the opportunity to explore, investigate, solving problems. When the students are actively participating, they learn faster and retain knowledge better. Progressivism educational philosophy promotes child-center learning.

Teaching” ranks amongst the nation’s top five prestigious professions where one is involved in shaping the future of a country. Volumes of articles, books, papers, and anthologies have been written; websites developed; and conferences held about teaching techniques and methodologies, learning strategies, and last but not least, teaching philosophies. With this background I would be naïve to think that I could come up with an original, concise, beautifully eloquent, and perfectly structured teaching philosophy. Hence, I describe a philosophy that works for me. Alice Omaggio Hadley writes in 1993 that the continuing struggle to understand, clarify, and articulate one’s beliefs and practices is at the very heart of being a teacher and a researcher. My first academic teaching experience began in my tenth grade on a teacher’s day when my teachers selected a few senior students from the senior-most class to tutor fellow students and juniors on a one-on-one basis so that the regular teachers could get a well earned day off rest on that auspicious day. From that humble beginning many, many years ago to an active teacher today has been a Long Odyssey. Certain qualities that I distinctly possess like my extrovert nature and zeal towards helping my classmates and other tutoring activities through my academic career has slowly developed the “teacher” in me. I firmly believe that the best way to learn is to teach and one continues to learn all through one’s life. In addition to faculty

Along with that there are also certain philosophies that I will use to guide me through teaching, and the ones that I will be the most successful. They are progressivism, and behaviorism-positive reinforcement. Progressivism deals with making education more relevant to the needs and interests of the student’s. The teacher centers the curriculum on the experiences, interests, and abilities of each student. By this, the teacher pushes for the student to be at a higher level of knowledge; because one important aspect I learned is that Progressivism in the classroom students are able to solve problems similar to those outside of the classroom. To me that is very important for the students to take what they learned and take it to another level, even outside the

Progressive education philosophy adopts the idea that teachers should teach students that a test does not measure who they are and teach them how to think confidently. Progressivism influence science curriculum by doing hands-on learning, flexible scheduling, and experimenting. Science make students interact with one another and develop social skills such as cooperation and understanding for different points of view. I feel like progressivism has a lot to do with the certain

Progressivist educators feel that teachers should always focus their instructional methods on the why’s and why not’s, as opposed to striving to achieve basic rote learning. Teachers are not restricted to focusing on only one discipline at a time and expose students to social, scientific, and technological developments. “They must be creative in finding integrated learning activities that can be presented as meaningful to students.” A progressivist educator’s goal is to guide students that will become intelligent problem solvers who are capable of surpassing rote memorization in order to solve complex problems, including those similar to ones they will encounter in society. As adults and active social citizens, they will take an interest in their community and in their country while using prior knowledge and experiences to methodically solve new problems.

Most individuals can recall when they were very young saying, “When I grow up, I want to be a . . . ” For some people, over the course of growing up their ambitions changed several times. But for many, they ended up in a career which was a life long desire, goal, or ambition. Today, students must begin to think about their future on a more serious note than that of childhood during the latter part of their middle school years. This is during their eighth grade year usually, which is a year or two younger now than just a few years past. But, the reason for this is still the same. This will enable students to gear their education in a route which will hopefully benefit them after high school

As I prepare for my life long goal to be an educator, I continuously realize the complexity and great responsibility of this career. Instead of becoming overwhelmed and intimidated by these realizations, I try to concentrate my efforts on organizing my beliefs and goals. In this philosophy statement, I will display my beliefs and goals by discussing the nature of students, the nature of knowledge, the purpose of public education, methods, and curriculum. This is a beginning basis of my philosophy of education.

My life has been greatly influenced by family members who are educators: my mother is a third grade teacher, my father an elementary school principal, my sister a high school English teacher, and my brother who obtains a degree in agricultural education. This has instilled in me the desire to become, like them, a good educator but is defiantly not the only reason for my decision to peruse teaching as an occupation. There are several reasons why I have chose to teach, but three in particular: to make a difference in anyone’s life that I can, help a child who is struggling more than just academically, and simply because teaching remains all I have ever wanted to do since I was just a little

In studying the different philosophies of teaching, I have concluded that I have an eclectic view of my philosophies on education. My goal will be to follow idealism, existentialism and pragmatism. As a teacher, I will study the content that I will be teaching and focus on knowing it very well. Not only will I fulfill my job with the school, but also I will be fulfilling my dream and desires of being a teacher. My passion is to teach children what they do not yet know. I want them to learn what is required, but I want to teach them more than just that. I want them to learn their own strength of their own mind. My desire is for them to learn their own level of intelligence and for them to realize

With English/Language Arts as my content specialization, I will teach my students how to express their ideas and/or feelings properly and how to do it well. Part of this expression will come through venues such as writings and artwork just to name a few. By accomplishing self-expression, my students will grow to respect themselves and others. As mentioned before, the progressive philosophy utilizes practical activities and by using this idea, I can mediate physical interaction to teach communication. Group work, class discussions about inside and outside issues, oral presentations such as speeches, mock interviews if the grade level allows, and hands-on activities will help in grasping the concept.

Teaching is rough, as rough as the seas on a stormy night, and calm, like that after a storm. To be prepared for all cases a teacher must have a detailed guideline and understanding of their own response and what they deem best. In creating such a resource now, before diving into a classroom, a teacher can have time to develop and broaden their philosophy of teaching—be prepared before they take that fatal plunge. So, in order to be best prepared for my future endeavors as an educator, I believe it is in my best interest to lay out a personal philosophy of education—a lay out that will aid me in times of need and a way to gauge change, progress, and growth through my Simpson College career. In doing so I will be prepared to be the best

Education is undoubtedly the most important aspect of a person’s life. It is education that shapes our prospective and creates independent thinkers. It is the foundation of an individual’s future. It is education that pushes us forward in the direction of self-expression because we are equipped with basic skills and the knowledge of how to think for ourselves. Above all, we are our interests; everything we accomplished is the result of our passion. My goal is to be the driving force that helps my students use their curious minds effectively to evolve the world.

My Philosophy of Education is closely related to what the Essentialists and Perennialists believe. Like the Essentialists, I believe there should be a back to the basics approach to teaching. The curriculum should focus on subjects such as writing, reading, history, science, and math. These are essentials that all students should know. There should be mastery of material of the essential subjects before the students move on to the next grade level. The curriculum should be rigorous and the standards should be set high. The high standards that are set for the students should strengthen the student’s intellect and enhance their moral qualities.

Since taking my first few educational courses in education, I have realized that my philosophy on education changes as I learning more about the profession I have entered. Every time I think I have come to a final belief statement, I learn something new about teaching and sometimes the things I learn causes me to alter my philosophy. Therefore, I will share with you what I believe about teaching and what I’ve learned at this point.