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Philosophy Essay

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Philosophy

Why I want to teach:

Children are far more likely to smile and laugh than grown ups. Their giggles and humor tend to be contagious and so I love to be around them. They have a tremendous capacity to learn but still manage not to take things too seriously. I admire that and would like to spend my career helping them. My education philosophy: Each of the major philosophical approaches to education has merit. However, to strictly employ only one philosophy is limiting and hampers all possibility for improvement. Essentialism, progressivism, perennialism, and existentialism all contribute valid ideas to the teaching profession. I will choose to use aspects of each in varying degrees as is appropriate to different …show more content…

In addition, a respect for authority may hamper a students ability to freely express opinions or pursue change in their educational institution.

Progressivism, like essentialism, reveals merit in its name. Progressivism holds that "education should be an enriching process of ongoing growth". Teachers should demonstrate that learning is an ongoing process of enrichment and enlightenment. The idea of interdisciplinary study contributes to this. For example, a student who excels at math may grow to appreciate chemistry for its mathematical component. Or, a cooperative learning approach to a "real world problem" can allow students with various intelligences to experience success while contributing their respective talents to a group. Progressivism also seeks to teach different points of view, and this is essential for students to appreciate other cultures. Furthermore, catering to the different interests and experiences of students provides a broader, more enlightening learning experience for all. Finally, the emphasis placed on problem solving and using previous experience and knowledge can benefit all students and may be applied to any subject.

Perennialism emphasizes a study of philosophy and a pursuit of knowledge simply for the sake of learning. I agree with the perennialist ideal that students should be taught to think critically, analytically, and

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