Melnick, Susan

My Philosophy of Education
Abstract: My philosophy of education includes my perspectives on the
purpose of education, the learning environment, commitment to social
justice, the curriculum and the teacher. Combined, these areas represent my
beliefs concerning education and the teaching of students, so they can grow
up and become productive members of our society ensuring a better world
tomorrow. Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change
the world. Nelson Mandela
Purpose of Education: Everyone agrees, the purpose of education is
to teach children the basic skills such reading, writing and arithmetic, but
everyone also agrees the purpose of education goes beyond teaching basic
skills. Consequently, the content beyond that of the basic skills elicits debate
and controversy among educators, parents, students and society in general.
It is my belief the purpose of education is to ensure that our future
generations are not only proficient in the basics of language, math, history,
science, the arts, and health, but it is equally important to address areas of
social behavior, as well as psychological aspects while providing that
education. This is critical to ensuring children grow up to become productive
members of society and are able to make this a better world for everyone. To
me, it is important to teach children how to thrive, not just survive as
humans. The child becomes largely what it is taught; hence we must watch
what we teach it, and how we live before it. Jane Addams

Melnick, Susan

Learning Environment: When it comes to creating an environment

conducive to learning, aspects I consider mandatory are safety, comfort,
stimulating, positive mood, interesting, challenging, consistent, and
disciplined. These items encompass both a physical and psychological
perspective. This list is even more challenging when consideration is given to
the fact that each of these dimensions are defined differently for each and
every student. Also consider that the learning environment is dynamic rather
that static since students are a part of that environment and they are not
static. This is why I recognize the importance of flexibility and constant
review and adjustment required to maintain a highly effective learning
environment. The secret of education lies in respecting the pupil. Ralph
Waldo Emerson
Commitment to Social Justice: A key in addressing social justice in
education is to keep in mind that fairness, not sameness lead to equality. In
order to provide equal access to learning for everyone it is critical to
remember that that means not treating everyone the same, but ensuring all
student needs are equally met. Therefore, consideration is required to
address differences in students due to language, culture, ethnicity, physical
and mental capabilities, gender or any other characteristic that make a
student a unique individual. Not only should all students have equal access
to educational opportunities, but embracing their differences and unique
qualities are imperative to facilitating a rich learning experience from both a
content and social perspective. Education is power, understanding and

Melnick, Susan

tolerance. Though people with disabilities have become more vocal in

recent years, we still constitute a very small minority. Yet the Beautiful
People - the slender, fair and perfect ones - form a minority that may be
even smaller. Debra Kent
Curriculum: The Common Core State Standards address a broad
range of subjects at levels appropriate for each grade level. As students
progress from one grade to the next, the Common Core subject areas build
content covered the previous year. I believe this standardization benefits
students by proving consistency. It provides consistency in preparation from
one grade to the next, between classrooms within a school, between schools
within a district, between districts within a state, and between states within
the entire country. So, whether a student progresses from elementary,
middle and high school in the same city or moves several times within a
school year throughout the entire United States, all students receive the
same educational from a content perspective. I also believe in content
integration; combining content and skills from each subject area taught
together. This demonstrates to students application of skills, for example
utilizing the math skill of averaging numbers with a physical education
lesson with running by calculating speed, miles per minute, or average speed
of all students, average speed of a student over a month. Another example is
using art to have students recreate a scene from history, by creating puppets
and writing their own puppet show, then performing the show; combining
visual art, performing art, history, and literacy. Additionally, I believe

Melnick, Susan

providing students lessons that incorporate a variety of delivery methods

help students to better understand ideas and concepts. Lessons that require
the student to not just sit and listen, but involve the student such as using
something they can see and touch bring a deeper level of understanding by
making abstract ideas concrete. Therefore, I feel the use of manipulatives
are essential in every classroom. Give the pupils something to do, not
something to learn; and the doing is of such a nature as to demand thinking;
learning naturally results. John Dewey
Teacher: A few of the characteristics shared by effective teachers
include a love of children, a passion for teaching, creativity, resourcefulness,
adaptability, resilience, respectfulness, objectivity, compassion, patience,
disciple, organization, a love for learning, and the ability to work part of
cooperative learning team. To begin with, in order to be effective in any
classroom a teacher must have a passion and love of teaching and their
students, but teachers also must possess characteristics that allow for the
adaptability required in the very dynamic classroom environment, while
providing the safety and consistency required for children to learn. It is also
imperative that teachers continue to earn and develop professionally. If
teachers do not have a love of learning and love of the academic
environment, how can they instill this in their students? Especially since
education in the United States rates average at best in comparison to the
rest of the world, we have a lot to learn about education, and teaching
methods. Teachers have a responsibility to learn about and receive training

Melnick, Susan
in new or additional methods of teaching core content, motivating the
dynamic pool of students, and classroom management, just to name a few
areas. The world and society are ever changing and evolving, professional
development is a critical too for teachers to be able to change and evolve
with it. If a child cant learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the
way they learn. Ignacio Estrada