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Jaime Coleman
Philosophy of Education

The old proverb states by giving a man a fish you feed him for a day, but if you teach a

man how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. This idea of teaching someone a skill essential for

sustenance relates not only to my purpose as an educator but also in the way I would like to

teach. The information taught to the students will not only be retained for the test but can also

one day be applied to a situation important for that students success in life. If the student only

retains the information for the test, I have only given him a fish and not taught him how to fish.

I believe that students must feel comfortable and respected within a classroom. Turning a

classroom environment into unity and a feeling of family is something that is ideal. To obtain

this type of environment the teacher must understand the personalities and backgrounds of their

students. School can be an escape for some students, and I would like to have that escape be a

positive one that the students can enjoy.

Activities such as projects and inquiry-based assignments permit for more problem-

solving scenarios, making students more self-motivated in accomplishing a goal. The students

can learn by finding the solution either on their own or with a group of students in a process of

trial and error and student inquiry which involves problem solving and critical thinking skills,

emulating a real-world situation. Group work also encourages social interaction between

students. In a world of communication through technology it is important for students to have

social interactions.

Giving students authentic life-long learning experiences are what counts in education.

Having the ability to have learning experiences in a comfortable environment will allow students

to thrive. Referring to the old proverb, students will probably not remember something handed

to them, but what they will remember is a skill that gives them something to be proud of because
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of earning their knowledge. Instead of being the sage on the stage the teacher now acts as a

facilitator guiding the thinking of the students and leading them to the point of independent

learning. Guidance on the side encourages students to take a more active role in learning. A

teacher is a facilitator; teaching students how to think and not what to think is a key to

progressivism in education.

The overall goal is to leave students feeling empowered by being independent, but aided

in learning rather than to just be given answers. The man given a fish is satisfied; however, the

skill of fishing will last a lifetime just as the skills of problem solving and social interaction will.

Society is ever-changing so understanding life-long skills to adapt to our ever-changing society

is a key to a students success in life.