The Realist Philosophy in Education

Although the IOM (2011) report contains a multitude of recommendations and potential solutions, the call for action is truly urgent for all key stakeholders including nurses, physicians, hospitals, universities, and so forth. As the healthcare field continues to evolve so must the nursing education system.

My overarching philosophy of education is a very simple one: intentional inclusion of everyone and creating a safe haven for all students. In order to accomplish this, the teacher should have a clear understanding of the goal of education, the role of the teacher, responsibilities of the students, roles and opportunities among parents and community member, and the power of knowledge.

What is the philosophy of education? It is a set of ideas and beliefs that guides teachers’ actions and provides a framework for thinking about educational issues. (Kauchak and Eggen, 197) Teachers use philosophy everyday in their classrooms. From the time the first student enters their room until the last student walks out, philosophy is affecting the way the teacher runs his/her classroom and how they interact with their students. There are four different types of educational philosophies: Perennialism, Essentialism, Progressivism, and Social reconstuctionism. There are also five classroom applications that help teachers decide which philosophies are used while they

My philosophy of education is very much a reflection of my worldview. Although I wrote my philosophy of education over a year ago, I never had to write or even think about my worldview. When I started my Christian Worldview class and was introduced to what a worldview was. I had to think long and hard about my worldview and what is important to me, what influences me in the way I live, and how I look at life. This would come together as my worldview. My worldview impacts everything I do in my life. It is my guide and a reflection of where I came from, who I want to be, and where I want my future to go. It’s my commitment to my values, morals, and beliefs that I hold dear to me and motivates me to be the best person possible.

Currently, I am responsible for managing the science instructional programs and personnel in a chartered middle school. As a supervisor for the department, I develop/source curriculum materials for teachers and collaborate with them to plan and implement instructional lessons daily. I manage the financial resources for the department and constantly monitor the teaching practices that will impact our organizational goal and vision.

From their initial approaches to their ultimate goal, the traditional and progressive style differ in almost every category. While the progressive style is widespread and used in a greater percentage of the world, both it and its counterpart, progressive education, are rooted in the ides of John Dewey, an American education reformer and philosopher. The traditional style sees school more as a preparation for life and focuses less on the individual more than it does on wave after wave of passive absorbers of information and authority. The progressive style views schooling as a sort of “stepping-stone” in life, a part that we use to further ourselves and our

When I started my career as a high school science teacher, I had no idea of the extent to which it would impact me and the path it would drive my life down. Many years before, I developed a love for science that began during my sophomore year of high school in chemistry. My teacher was a once-in-a-lifetime teacher that took a subject many found boring finding ways to inspire and motivate. This single class was the true starting point of the long, winding journey to medicine. As I moved on through my high school and college education I searched for a way to stay within science and continue to grow. The clear and only visible answer to me at the time was to be a teacher.

According to the existentialism philosophy, the teacher’s role is to guide students to think for themselves (Huerta, 2009). In education, we have to teach children how to think critically and how to solve problems on their own. Students are like sponges and absorb information very quickly. They are eager to learn new information and get excited when they have achieved something on their own. Learning the core subjects is vital in the classroom, according to the essentialism theory (Huerta). Students need to know how to read, write, handle money, have a general idea of important dates in history, and have some concept of important inventors to help them be successful in life. In addition, kids need to be taught to make an impact on society. Education should not be boring; students should have a fun time learning about areas that interest them. Progressivists’ believe that students’ needs and interests should be addressed in the curriculum

My personal philosophy of education as a teacher is to have the kind of elementary classroom in which students feel safe, welcome, curious, and happy. This can be done by implementing some of the techniques found in Teach Like A Champion by Doug Lemov. Some of the techniques that I plan on implementing are the techniques of: stretch it, format matters, and warm/strict. One way in which I would make my students feel safe is by implementing some of the ideas found in Is everyone really equal? by Ӧzlem Sensoy and Robin DiAngelo. As a teacher, it’s important to help a student understand where they are in relation to others while not placing judgment. Above all, it is important for the student to learn respect for self and others.

Every school teacher has their own set of related beliefs--a philosophy of education--that influences what and how students are taught. A philosophy of education represents answers to questions about the purpose of schooling, a teacher's role, and what should be taught and by what methods. I truly believe that every student can learn when given the right tools to do so. There is much more to it than just giving them the opportunity. Students need to be given an environment where they are free to express themselves and be themselves. Nowadays the diversity in our schools are drastically changing and we need to be able to teach in a way that addresses all students. My personal philosophy of education is that we need to provide students with

The definition of curriculum can be as mysterious as the curriculum itself. Oliva (2013) described the hunt for the curriculum as being similar to “efforts to track down Bigfoot, the Bear Lake Monster, [and] the Florida Everglades Skunk Ape …” (pg. 2). All of these elusive beings have left tracks, yet there isn’t a single photograph to prove their existence—just like there isn’t one tangible definition for curriculum. Sure, there’s a binder labeled “curriculum,” but that doesn’t mean it’s merely a set of plans. Initially, I believed the curriculum to be something elusive; I loosely interpreted it as the information that should be taught in a given subject and the corresponding objectives or learning intentions. I believed that the “curriculum [could] be conceived in a narrow way as subjects taught (Oliva, 2013, pg. 3). What I was unaware of was the interdependency of curriculum and instruction. I learned that the curriculum is just as reliant on instruction as instruction is on the curriculum. One is “the what” while the other is “the how.” Now, I view the curriculum as more than just a framework of content and standards. It includes “all the experiences that the learner encounters under the direction of the school” (Oliva, 2013, pg. 7). The curriculum is transient. It can be molded, shaped, and restructured to meet the needs of the children

Children are the future and their education is the key to our society’s success. When considering this, I realize I have an immense responsibility as an educator. The main focuses of my teaching are active learning, building character within students, and providing meaningful curriculum. I want to create a comfortable setting where every student feels safe to learn. In many ways, my philosophy agrees with the holistic approach to education. I feel this challenges the student to not only learn the academic curriculum, but also provides them with opportunities to learn about themselves and the world we live in. I also admire this approach in that it provides students with challenges they must solve themselves. I believe this is extremely important in teaching the 21st century skills they will use their entire life. I believe we must look at the larger picture of what skills and knowledge we are giving our students so they may find success in their future.

My philosophy of education is that every student gets an equal opportunity to learn in a safe, comfortable and fostering environment. As I reflect on my teaching and learning principles, I realize that my mission as a teacher is based on the following thoughts: to enhance positive learning, provide equal opportunity to learning to assist closing the education gap and to use evidence based teaching strategies to present concepts in various modalities.

During diurnal period in 1938, John Dewey addressed a room of professional educators and urged them to take up the task of “finding out just what education is”. In response, his own view on the term is presented in this piece as it is consistent with the basis of this philosophy. “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself”. John Dewey, 1859-1952, philosopher, psychologist, education reformer. My ultimate goal is to teach ideas that that are so outstanding that they live forever, in order to find truths which are consistent. It is my belief that the curriculum is essential knowledge and skills and academic rigor that must be learnt by students in order for them to function effectively in society.

The learning experience should be that of a collective nature where students are able to indiscriminately relate to the information, re-teach the information and have a balanced incorporation of all the learning centers in society; including the home and the church. The goal of this incorporation is to create a balanced learning environment that facilitates holistic development in the young mind. As professionals entrusted with the shaping of young minds, teachers must facilitate learning and personal, spiritual, ethical and academic development. My philosophy for education is a multi-part philosophy that encapsulates the idea of holistic and inclusive learning. The philosophy caters for the overall shaping and development of the young mind and includes aspects of balanced training, incorporated teachings and it generally focuses on training students to become teachers.