Julio Vargas

11/22/17
EDU 202

Artifact #2 Educational Philosophy

I am choosing a career in education because I want to make a difference in students

lives. Throughout EDU 202 I have learned that a teacher can be a huge influence on a childs

life. I feel that children are our future and I fear that present day children arent prepared for real

world situations. I feel that, as a teacher, I can not only teach my students the material, but also

tie in real world experiences that can help prepare them for life after school. I want to teach my

students that everyone has dreams, but no one can achieve them without hard work.

I have two people to thank for inspiring me to pursue a career in the education field. My

eighth-grade teacher was a great influence in my life. Growing up, I never liked school; I only

kept my grades good enough to be eligible for sports. My English teacher gave me advice that I

will never forget: You have to come to school every day anyway so you might as well do your

best! That advice, simple as it may be, has stayed with me since. I went from barely scraping by

with Bs and Cs to graduating with a 4.0 as the Valedictorian of my high school class. I hope to

make such a difference in one of my future students lives.

The next person is my uncle William. In high school, he constantly ditched class and

hardly ever did any homework. He was barely able to graduate, but decided to try and turn his

attitude towards school around. He went to college, but again struggled to attend class or do his

work. He met a girl, who is now my aunt, who changed his life. Not only did he greatly improve

his grades, but he also graduated from UNR top of the science department. He got his teaching

license through ARL, and his story inspired me because it was so personal. He now teaches his

students the value of education and how important school is to everyone. He shares his story to

show his students that it is never too late to turn your attitude around.
Julio Vargas
11/22/17
EDU 202
I want to become a specialist teacher; specifically, a physical education teacher. I have

been an athlete my whole life, and it was the only way I was able to come out my shell and be

social. This life time of playing sports has definitely prepared me for my teaching career by

giving me tons of knowledge and skills. I am very knowledgeable in a wide variety of sports, and

I helped coach a youth soccer team for my service learning hours. I have learned coaching

techniques like explaining drills and getting the players focused that I know will be useful to me

and help me be a successful P.E. teacher. Sports have also taught me the valuable skills of

leadership, teamwork, and communication. I can pass those skills on to my students through the

sports and activities we play.

My field observation was very eye opening. I got to see both the good and the bad of the

profession. Its the best job in the world, but can also be the toughest job in the world.

Existentialism dictates my current beliefs on education. I believe that the students should find out

who they are going to be in life and find out how to behave in an irrational society.

Constructivism is the psychological influence on my view of education. I believe that students

are all different and they all process and interpret information differently. My knowledge of

historical events in education sets the stage for me by showing that education is always evolving.

The values and lessons are bit the same they were one hundred years ago, and a current teacher

needs to learn how to incorporate new technologies and teaching styles. Students are also not the

same they were one hundred years ago. Our beautifully diverse country has evolved and become

more diverse. I cant wait to meet new children every year and learn about their respective

cultures.

I will implement instructions to help my students understand how each sport is played,

and how to play them correctly. I will find out how many special needs students I have and find
Julio Vargas
11/22/17
EDU 202
ways to include them in my lessons. For example, if I have a student that only has one arm

during a dodgeball unit, I will teach that student how to use his body to help catch balls thrown at

him.

In order to move forward in my career, I need to learn how to manage student behavior,

learn how to master lesson planning, and learn how to be stern when needed. I plan on getting

my degree from CSN then applying to become a substitute teacher. The subject for which I

substitute doesnt matter to me, it would be great to get as much exposure to each subject as

possible. After CSN, I plan on attending UNLV and getting my Bachelors Degree in secondary

education.