Essay about Philosophy of Teaching Statement

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.

When deciding upon a philosophy of education, I was torn between two: Progressivism and Essentialism. The idea of educating students with real-world experiences is one reason I can identify with Progressivism. On the other hand, the "back-to-basics" approach to teaching is a reason I believe in Essentialism. It is my belief that combining the

Throughout education there are six main philosophies to take into consideration, and they are as followed. From a teacher centered classroom approach they include Essentialism, Behaviorism, and lastly Positivism. In a student centered classroom approach they are Progressivism, Humanism, and Constructivism. What do these terms mean? Essentialism is and educational philosophy that there is a common core of information and skills that an educated person must have. Behaviorism is a psychological theory and educational philosophy that asserts that behaviors represent the essence of a person and that all behaviors can be explained. A person acts the way they do for a reason. Finally positivism is a social theory and educational philosophy that limits truth and knowledge to what is observed and measured. These are all important for a teacher to take into consideration. Progressivism is an educational philosophy that emphasizes that ideas should be tested by experiments and that learning is better developed in questions developed by the learner. Humanism is an

My parents moved to the Philippines from Saipan due to some health and family issues. At the age of seven, I could say I had a simple life with my family. As I grew up, I saw lots of young students coming to class with an empty stomach, barefooted, and only has a piece of paper and a pencil to use in class. I also saw many teacher finding ways to educate their students even if they were lacking of books and teaching materials. Despite the circumstances that the students and teachers were encountering everyday, the smile and excitement they have in their faces makes my heart so full. The willingness of students to learn, as well the perseverance of teachers to teach gave my life an extra meaning. From that moment, I realized that I wanted to

Undergraduates in introductory psychology courses are often fascinated by the unique experiments and observations that reveal insights into human nature. It can be challenging, but also more rewarding, to help students understand the theories that try to make sense out of research. However, when students are able to understand psychological and educational theory, they are better able to construct the story of the human experience from birth through adulthood. As a teacher, the value and excitement lies in connecting the research and theory to students’ own lives, and to their professional development. To the extent that my teaching supports content knowledge, but also an

“The statement of teaching philosophy (also called the teaching statement or teaching philosophy statement) promotes reflective practice by encouraging instructors to describe their teaching methods, to justify why they use those methods, to analyze the effectiveness of those methods, and to consider how they might appropriately modify those methods in future courses.” (Schönwetter et al., 2002) Stake holder motivation, engagement, cognitive associations, and personal values are the principal elements of education. The attainment of knowledge, standards mastery, and the ability to reason come second to a student 's overall well-being. Elements of behaviorism, essentialism, progressivism, existentialism and

As a result of my aforementioned philosophy, discussed below, are some classroom practices, structures, procedures and routines that I intend to use in my future classrooms.

If being taught in a progressive education classroom each student can be expected to be the main focus of the room. Progressivism is a child-centered curriculum, which is peer-centered and growth-centered. The students were thought to have learned best by engaging in the discussion instead of just sitting and listening. Dewey believed that education should be, “based on what

Every teacher has a different idea of how and what their students should learn. Therefore, every teacher has a different philosophy of education, and what purpose education serves in a child’s life. The five philosophies of education that we recognize are: Essentialism, Perennialism, Progressivism, Social Reconstructionism, and Existentialism. I would most recognize my philosophy of education as Essentialism.

The philosophical orientation that suits my teaching style best is essentialism because I believe there are not only certain topics such as math and English that students need to know, but also the mix of subjects such as science, social studies, etc. help a child see

The philosophy of education that I will use in my classroom is eclectic. I agree with the progressivism approach, in that I believe that the world will inevitable change, but that we can manipulate this change if we are educated. I also agree with the progressivists’ viewpoint that group work, social interaction, and experimentation within the classroom is essential to the students’ development. In addition, the essentialism viewpoint fits into my philosophy because it stresses the need for the fundamental subjects such as reading, writing, and arithmetic. I believe it is very important for children to get a strong grasp on these basics before they try to tackle more modern subjects such as social studies, but I think these subjects can best be taught through the progressivist techniques.

Teaching is about preparing an individual to survive in the world around them. In an educational institution, not only are you relaying information of a certain content area to a student as a teacher, but also you are showing this individual how to learn, listen, cooperate, and be responsible. Concepts that are foreign and unknown must be made familiar, from the ancient civilizations to working in groups with people unlike you. Preparing students with this kind of knowledge allows them to successfully undertake the demands of higher education or any career. Cooperation is especially essential to our ever-changing world where national and cultural boundaries are being

I received most of my education in Jamaica, where teaching styles and practices mirrored that of an essentialist classroom. Now, I do not agree wholeheartedly with the views of an essentialist, especially the fact that the interests of the children are not taken into consideration, but there are certain aspects of this philosophy I will model in my classroom. For instance, I am a strong believer that students should be taught the basics in learning to read, write, speak and compute clearly and logically. They should be taught hard work, respect for authority, and discipline. The reason why I hold this belief dearly is because growing up in Jamaica,

Before a person goes into the education field, most have to do a lot of thinking to make sure that what they are beginning is something that they will truly enjoy doing. Teachers do not go into their profession for fame and fortune. They are there to educate children for a lifetime of learning.

I do believe in a student centered atmosphere so Progressivism and Reconstructionism are most logical choices. Progressivism focuses on the students benefits, this theory allows for greater student involvement, which I find to be a very important aspect. I believe it also hinders there learning, this theory overprotects students too much. When they reach the next grade or transfer schools they are unprepared for the harsher ways of learning. So I do not believe this method should be as a whole. I would use certain features in my classroom. There is also Reconstructionism which promotes social progress but this only focuses on developing an improved world. People say its student based but I believe that its more teachers based because it tries to turn student into socially reformed adults. It doesn’t focus on each child but rather the whole group. I would not use this theory in my classroom.