EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

Educational Philosophy
Samantha Grubb
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No matter how good teaching can be, each student must take the responsibility
for his own education (John Carlous S.J.). This statement explains why I believe every
classroom should be focused on the learner. A student-centered classroom is one that
will nurture the unique characteristics of each individual learner as well as push
students towards communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity. As an
educator, it is my desire and drive to challenge my students and help them reach their
full potential. In order to accomplish this, I know that I will need to provide a safe and
nurturing environment that is also welcoming to a diverse population of students. There
are four elements that I believe are essential in order to establish this kind of
environment: the teacher becoming a guide in the classroom, making learning relevant
to the student, instituting a sense of respect and leadership amongst students, and
implementing differentiation into lessons, activities, assessments, and more.
In every classroom, I believe that the teachers role is to become a guide in
student learning. The instructor should provide information and sources that students
can use to discover new information rather than being the primary source of all that our
students learn. Gone are the days of lecturing to a class of learners seated at their
desks and taking notes. Students need the opportunity to discover for themselves,
practice key skills, and apply the knowledge that they have obtained. Hands-on
activities, visuals, and discussion groups (which also appeal to the different types of
learners) are key to a student-centered classroom where the learner is driving their own
schooling. Allowing students to be in charge of their own learning gives them the time
they need to obtain knowledge and retain what theyve learned. The teacher becoming
a guide will grant students the understanding they require to master any skill.
Along with a student-centered classroom comes the need to make learning
relevant to every student. The learner should have the opportunity to make what they
are learning relate to their own lives, interests, and the world and events happening
around them. As the educator, it is my job to create lessons that include activities
relevant to students interests which will motivate them and stimulate a passion for
learning. In a classroom that is focused on the student, allowing the learner to speak up
and verbalize what parts of the lesson interested them, what parts were relevant to
them, and what parts they really didnt like will help the teacher revise, edit, and reflect
on how they are planning and instructing. When given that opportunity, I have found that
students often come up with ideas that are more creative and innovative than I may
have ever thought of myself. Having ownership of the curriculum will also motivate the
students to work hard in order to master the skills and reach their goals.
Encouraging students to learn how to become leaders and role models will in
turn help them guide others in their school work, allowing the class to become a place
where the learners are teaching each other. Showing them how to have respect for
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themselves, others, and the environment around them will create a classroom
environment where students feel safe to express themselves and share their ideas and
opinions. I believe that modeling, group discussions, and class discussions are ways to
implement this kind of environment in the classroom. Showing students how to
communicate and respond to each other respectfully will nurture a setting where they
can speak with one another, leading themselves and their classmates in their own
learning. When students learn information from their peers, they are more likely to retain
the information than they would be if I, as the instructor, told them directly.
Lastly, I believe that differentiation is fundamental when creating the perfect,
student-centered, classroom environment. No two students learn in the exact same
way, which forces us, as educators, to change our instruction so that it will
accommodate all learners. This can be seen in many different ways in the classroom:
giving students assignments at their level, holding small group instruction, providing
multiple ways in which an assessment can be turned in, or my personal favorite, the
implementation of technology. Technology provides a multitude of ways to differentiate
for students. There are millions of websites and resources out there that allow teachers
to assign students differentiated work, and that allow the learner to showcase what they
know in many ways. A differentiated classroom gives students the ability to succeed at
the goals they are required to accomplish.
Personally, I believe that teaching gives the instructor the opportunity to
constantly learn and grow. One of the things I wish to accomplish is instilling the love of
learning in my students. I want to show them that I have a passion for learning. I believe
that in order for students to be successful, they need to be the force that drives their
own learning. Anything that I teach should be relevant to what my students know or are
interested in, and my classroom should be a place where students are free to express
themselves in a respectful way. Differentiation is key if I want my students to really
showcase what they know and what they have learned. As an educator, I will continue
to learn along with my students. I will always strive to be the best that I can be for them.