Running head: The Formation of My Philosophy of Education

The Formation of My Philosophy of Education

Jacqueline Ryf
Molloy College

The Formation of My Philosophy of Education

The Formation of My Philosophy of Education
Philosophy is the love of wisdom and the search for knowledge. Education is a vital aspect of
an individual's life and its main purpose is to facilitate learning, create a safe environment, and give
children structure. Education should also expose children to new knowledge and thoughts, and allow
them to think freely. An educator uses her philosophy as the groundwork to teach her students. My
philosophy will be a guide to how I would manage my classroom and develop activities.
A branch of philosophy that has a great influence on formal education is epistemology. It
considers how people come to know what they know, and is concerned with the nature and origin of
truth and knowledge. Some philosophers, such as Socrates, believed that knowledge is within us, and
we need to bring that knowledge out. On the other hand, philosopher John Locke believed that
individuals come into the world with no knowledge at all, a tabula rasa, or blank slate mind. He then
believed that individuals learn all of their knowledge from the environment around them. Dewey is
another philosopher who believed in interest centered learning. This type of learning lets the child
decide what to explore and experiment with based on his own interests. He also believed that the
teacher should be walking around the room, helping and facilitating the learning, instead of directing
the learning. Other philosophers, called social reconstructionists, want to preserve cultural heritage,
while recognizing that the culture is constantly changing. The modern classroom consists of many
different cultures and it is important to promote the acceptance of diversity. Behaviorism is an
educational philosophy stating that individuals react to physical stimuli. Therefore, altering the
surrounding circumstances and environment of the child will alter his behavior. The goal of
behaviorism is for the learner to receive intrinsic rewards.
I have formed a philosophy through my own personal experiences and knowledge. I tend to be
an authoritative person and teacher. This means that I believe in firm but fair teaching. I feel that rules

The Formation of My Philosophy of Education

should be in place, however they could be made flexible for a particular situation. I will make sure each
student is cared for based on his own personal needs, and make sure the students are learning the
material through reinforcement and examples. However, I will also have an efficient form of discipline
in order for the classroom to keep order. I believe that parents, teachers, and students have an important
role in the education system. Parents should encourage learning and home and be involved in their
child's education. The student's role in education is to be well behaved, cooperative, courteous, kind,
and considerate. The student should also be conscientious in his work and give his best effort. Finally,
the teachers role in education is to be an effective teacher, display classroom management techniques,
and have time management skills to allot time for activities or subject planning. The teacher's role is to
also make sure time spent with children is a balance of group work, individual work, and teacher
directed work. The content taught should address the whole child, such as his physical, emotional,
social, and intellectual skills. The teacher should know how to teach this knowledge to children by
making the material relate to each student. I also believe testing is important because it evaluates the
children and the teacher. As a teacher, I feel very strongly about intrinsic rewards. Intrinsic rewards are
the best way to encourage and foster growth and effort, and allows each child to work to his own
potential. When given in a meaningful way, intrinsic rewards may allow the child to display selfesteem, confidence, and pride in his work.
My philosophy of education reflects my beliefs in effective teaching strategies and will guide
how I manage my classroom. The classroom should have a safe and warm atmosphere, where the
students can grow individually, and as a unit. I want to create a respectful relationship between the
students, adults, and all objects in the classroom. I believe my educational philosophy will enable each
student to enjoy learning and want to seek new knowledge.