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Dr. Airey
EDU 124
Philosophy of Education
5/5/16
I firmly believe that the purpose of education is prepare a child for the world, develop
their life skills in tandem with learning the subject matter of the class, and cultivate the
abilities from other classes to further prepare themselves for the outside world. In their future
adulthoods, students must be able to juggle using different skills. As stated in Those Who Can,
Teach, educations purpose is to help students become good citizens [that are] familiar with the
workings of democracy and good problem-solving skills (298). While getting an A is the
goal, it is not the most important. Instead, my teaching will aim students to become stronger
individuals, to learn and cultivate essential life skills, and become effective collaborators.
The content taught in schools should not be a wide-based, sweeping curriculum. Creating
a school curriculum that can successfully educate and prepare every student is an absurd concept.
Each student is not a number, rather each student is a human. Each student possesses their own
thought processes, beliefs, strengths, and weaknesses. The lesson should be based around
individual student attention, not attempting to paint broad brush strokes. When this is attempted,
those broad strokes simply erase the beautiful differences that make distinguish individuals. A
common curriculum is comparable to testing a monkey, fish, giraffe, and a turtle by having them
climb a tree. Not all of the animals are proficient at that task, similar to how not all students have
the same abilities. Also, in the classroom, a mixture of teaching strategies should be
implemented. A balance must be achieved between lecture, individual learning, and student lead
While all content should be taught in an individualized way, there should be structure to
what content is taught. In an American history class, for example, the students should learn about
the causes, events, and the results of the American Revolution. Having standards that need to be
learned is not the problem. The issue is how those standards are taught and if the students are
In my opinion, the role of the teacher in the classroom is a fluctuating one. A teacher,
For myself, again, the trick to the occupation is finding the balance between teacher-led
instructing and student-led learning. The teacher should be an expert in their field and be able to
facilitate knowledge to their pupils; however, the teacher must also be willing to step back and
guide students. Students should have a say in their classroom, and the teacher must be able to act
In the classroom, the students must be willing to embrace their individuality, for it is the
greatest strength they possess. Through the emphasis of individual strengths, the students will
become self-confident and believe their abilities. By nurturing their individuality, each student
becomes invested in the material being taught. Feeling important is critical to a successful
learning environment.
students input is not appreciated, their level of passion will drop considerably. If students are
not invested in their education, the practice is worthless. Exams and homework have their place
in the curriculum as well, but they cannot be placed on a pedestal. Not all students are proficient
at taking tests. Also, to prepare students for their future, collaborative group projects will be used
in my classroom. Some of the most effective learning occurs when young minds work together
and solve complex problems. Growing interpersonal skills is critical to the development of a
Teaching is an ever changing profession, as is the content to be taught. The world never
stays the same, and as teachers, we must grow with it. I strongly believe that all teachers must
continue to hone their craft. Whether it be through conferences, books, or lessons, no teacher is
perfect and their skills can always be improved. Also, the importance of conversing with other
teachers cannot be ignored. Bouncing ideas off of other professionals allows for individual
teachers to share their own philosophies, viewpoints, and teaching styles with each other.
Works Cited
"ED416 - Module I." ED416 - Module I. Oregon State University. Web. 06 May 2016.
<http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/module1.html>.
Ryan, Kevin, James M. Cooper, and Cheryl Mason Bolick. Those Who Can, Teach. 14th ed.