Philosophy of Education

Man lives in a world of surmise, of mystery, of uncertainties.

John Dewey
In my philosophy of education, I will discuss my personal views on the purpose of education, the role
of the teacher and the role of the student. I also discuss the teachers role in the overall community as
well as why I chose to become a teacher. I wrap up my philosophy by aligning my philosophy with
existential and progressive ideals.
I think the purpose of education is to:

Let students discover knowledge rather than train them for tests.

Teach the foundation of learning like reading, writing, math, and social studies.

Have students build interpersonal skills through group work and everyday interactions.

Use hands-on examples to teach lessons, concepts and life skills.

Progress society as a whole by forming individuals that are self-sufficient.

Instill a thirst for learning outside of the school system.

To pass the knowledge of one generation onto the next generation.

The role of the student is to:

Be an active learner, not a passive one.

Be responsible for their own learning.

Be respectful to the teacher and other students.

Accept knowledge passed down by the teacher.

Be open to new ideas even if they don't agree with them.

Be able to explain to other students their own ideas without attacking or being disrespectful.

Be on time, make up any missed assignments, be prepared for class, and bring necessary materials.

Become a self-sufficient individual through education.

Learn the subject matter enough so that they could teach the class.

The role of the teacher is to:

Show students respect by treating them like they're a peer.

Motivate students to learn, think and acquire knowledge in their own way.

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Create an environment where students feel safe to ask questions and talk openly without fear of
punishment by peers or other teachers.

Be able to evaluate a students progress without bias.

Pass knowledge down to the students.

Engage students in the lesson plans by using project and participation.

Accommodate the needs of special students.

Adapt or modify curriculum to fit the needs of the students.

The role of the teacher in the community is to:

Be active in the community by staying after school, coaching a sport, supporting a student fund
raiser, or donating time to help with student project.

Be someone a student could look up to.

Be an upstanding member of the community.

I have decided to become a teacher for these reasons:

No two classes are the same; everything changes with new students and classes.

Seeing students you taught succeed in the real world.

Being a teacher helps you learn a topic more in depth so that you can better teach the students.

Interacting with students is never dull.

My philosophy align with existentialism and progressivism in these ways:

Answers are discovered through real world experiences

I think technology education is very progressive because you show students how to use a tool
properly and then let them use it. It is not reading about how to use a tool, it is learning by using
that tool, making mistakes and learning from them.

Students are given a task and the means to finish it, and they are set free to finish the task in
whatever manner they see fit. It gives a lot of power to the student.

Existentialism is much like progressivism in that students are their own teachers. If a student wants
to learn something, the student teaches themselves with the guidance and overview of a teacher.

With these two philosophies, my students should become independent, intelligent, problem solver

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that are self-reliant.

However, these are not the only philosophies that should be followed. There should be a mix of all
the philosophies to produce a well-rounded student.

Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his
successes. John Dewey.

I think that teaching does not solely fall onto the teacher; it also falls on the student. If a student
doesn't want to learn and we force it at him anyways, what good is it really going to do? Is a student
passing a test and forgetting all that knowledge any better than that student learning nothing to begin
with? A student needs to be full engaged in learning to get any real benefit. That's why education is not
only the teachers role but also the students. As a good teacher, it is you're role to present material and
motivate students into learning that material fully. As a student, it is to be engaged with the teacher,
show respect to the teacher and peers, learn the material presented to you, ask questions and be an
active member of the classroom.