Freedom And Learning : The Philosophy And Theory Within The Western Tradition

Democratic and “freedom-based education” (Koonce, 2015, p. 79) is anchored in the belief that people are “naturally curious” (Koonce, 2015, p. 80) and have an “innate desire to learn” (Koonce, 2015, p. 80). Children are more engaged in learning by what motivates them.

As a student of education, I have been able to gather many ideas and opinions about practices and ideals I want to implement in my future classroom. My philosophies about education are still being formed and continually change with every class I visit and with every educator I encounter. My ideas, admittedly, come from random experiences and intangible texts, but as I gain more experience in the field through my courses, my philosophies about teaching will become more clearly defined. These few ideas I have now will undoubtedly be added upon as I enter student teaching and my professional career, nevertheless, they are concepts of which I hope to never lose sight.

An educational philosophy is a personal statement of a teacher’s goals or belief. A teacher comes to the classroom with a distinctive set of principles and ideals that affect how a student learns and expand the child’s potential in his or her venture into knowledge. I believe that education should be active, and focus on the whole child, rather than just the content or the teacher. The three (3) principles I believe that work harmoniously with my educational philosophy are the teacher acting as a facilitator to foster critical thinking, allowing the child’s natural curiosity to steer his or her learning for personal development, and

My philosophy of education is to ensure the dynamics of the classroom providing continued support to ensure a positive learning environment, while providing instruction for all learners and to inspire my students to be productive members of society.

To be an effective educator, I believe one must have a foundation of moral and ethical principles. An educator should support the learning environment, while being flexible and teachable. He or she must also lay a foundation of beliefs on how individuals learn, seeking to enable individuals to reach their optimal potential. My personal educational philosophy begins with believing all children are unique individuals, with different emotions and different styles of learning. An educator has the incredible challenge of attempting to meet those needs. As an educator, I believe all children deserve the opportunity and resources that would better enable them to reach their maximum potential.

I believe that all students should be given the opportunity to excel to their greatest possible potential. I also feel that there is no one hundred percent correct philosophy on education. However I do agree with many of the ideas of the six primary philosophical views. The child as and individual is the basis of my teaching philosophy. This is I feel, that each child has specific needs that need to be dealt with in a specific manner. The teacher needs to look at each child individually to decide how what is the best way to reach that child this is why my particular philosophy incorporates a variety of ideas from others such

In my English class at Capital High School, we recently read the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, and we discussed whether freedom is really free. We wouldn’t even have to get educated at school. Nothing is really free because basically your being your own boss, and then you would only need to follow the rules. If you don’t follow those rules then you will be even more unfree.

Academic freedom has a long history with higher education in the United States and has impacted institutional mission statements, as well as the role of faculty members (Kaplin & Lee, 2014, pg. 286). Kaplin and Lee argue that academic freedom has definitions based in education, as well as law. When examining the educational component of the definition, they write, "educators usually use the term with reference to the customs and practices by which, and the aspirations with which, faculties may best flourish in their work as teachers and researchers" (pg. 286). The practice and policies pertaining to trigger warnings may help to further this, as the definition makes reference to "flourishing as teachers". One way to flourish as a teacher is

Ryerson believed that the purpose of education was to shape children into becoming “perfect” adults, and this was accomplished through setting restrictions on their development (Prentice 2004, 33). However, this is a concept that is unfamiliar in the present due to students being encouraged to be “free” in the way that they pursue their own interests. This contemporary notion of “freedom” is something Ryerson would disagree with: "The helplessness and innocence of infancy look up to us for its future destinies. Children were clay, to be moulded into vessels of honour or dishonour - to be made the ornament or disgrace, the benefactors or the plagues, the blessings or curse of their race” (Prentice 2004, 32). For example, in the classroom there

I remember the early years of my childhood when I arrived at school and was received by the warm greeting of my teachers, who seemed to have special abilities to perceive if I was angry, sad, or hungry. In the classroom, I felt safe and had the confidence to tell my dreams without fear that they would make fun of them, when I was a child, my teachers made me feel loved and protected.

Freedom begins with understanding. Understanding sprouts from education. Education comes from an environment where the student can feel

My philosophy as an educator entails many different ideas and techniques. I feel that certain basics must be taught and from there, students should be challenged to use these basics to develop their minds. I also feel that education should help a person become an individual who thinks for himself.

Wood and Robert’s discussion about the development of intellectual autonomy reminds me of a Pedagogy term, “scaffolding.” This term refers to the gradual process of teachers preparing students to have the training wheels removed. The teacher begins by presenting the students

Aristotle once said, “The one exclusive sign of thorough knowledge is the power of teaching.” Teaching enables students to gain the intelligence needed to excel in life. I believe that a teacher’s philosophy of education is a crucial role in his or her approach to leading students on their educated path. A philosophy of education is the set of beliefs that every school and every teacher stand behind. The certain philosophy that one chooses provides the answers to many vital questions, such as the purpose of schooling, a teacher’s role, and what should be taught in the classroom.

When understanding education there are many different ways which the purpose of education may be applied and defined. My personal philosophy of education is, 'educators must nurture/guide students within the academic field, to that the aims, goals and results during this task of educating or being educated are achieved '. This philosophy is used to understand that both teachers and students play an integral role in education. Academic performance, classroom methods/practices and also meeting the requirements of both the senior secondary Australian Curriculum Framework and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers Framework are examples of these roles. This essay will discuss in detail how my personal philosophy of education, reflects on the role of teachers and learners, the aim of education and the methods and practices used in the classroom. Jean Jacques Rousseau, Paulo Freire, Locke, and Plato/Socrates are the four theorists that shall be used within this essay, to support claims and justify statements regarding this philosophy. John Dewey and A.S Neil are two non-supporting theorists that shall be used in contrast to justify this philosophy.