JAMIE SHUMAN

Philosophy of Education

“Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires
and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become.” – C. S. Lewis

It is a delight to know that education can carry hope to students and enable them to grow into partakers of a flourishing
life. My current educational philosophy is based on both my experience and coursework. While I cannot claim that this
statement will stand immutable through what I hope will be forthcoming decades of teaching experience and professional
development, I do hope this document reflects my current philosophy of education, love for people, and dedication to
pursue utmost instructional effectiveness. I believe that the same determination and patience that will drive me toward
mastery of educational instruction is also what will urge me to daily teach in a manner congruent with whatever
instructional beliefs or styles best suit the needs of my students and community.

I believe that education exists to foster students’ growth as individuals, so they may each heartily and productively take
part in the world around them. My ambition for my students is that they would each gain and grow 1) a love for learning,
2) a confidence of self, and 3) an appreciation for others. When students have these, they have practiced the behaviors best
suited to excellence in any area. I believe those three aims are best attained when: 1) the whole person of the student is
intentionally considered and developed, 2) when curriculum consistently challenges students toward growth and
excellence, and 3) when the classroom has an appropriately student-centered environment and culture, so that each student
is safe, valued, and supported.

When I consider the whole person of a student, I know that my students all come from different combinations of familial,
socioeconomic, racial, cultural, and educational backgrounds. Remaining cognizant of this is necessary in planning for
potentially necessary differentiation, flexibility in class times, and the refusal to lose hope in any student. These
considerations must exist in a functional framework of professional instruction, because students need consistent, explicit
exposure to a variety of learning strategies, along with consistent classroom procedures, policies, and expectations.

The nature of language itself is a human experience integral to all others – thoughts, feelings, and needs require the
infrastructure of language for communication (much like education is the infrastructure in which intellectual and character
growth exist). I believe language is the framework on which not only our interactions with others rely, but also our very
thinking relies. In a Language Arts class, the functional framework is the learning and application of proper grammar,
vocabulary, and language conventions – when these are deeply understood and manipulated, we are able then to
implement rhetorical devices. This engenders the learning of clear, critical thinking. Within this intellectual framework
thrives personal reflections and exposure to experiences beyond one’s own. My classes would read literature that –
whether students read the same text or choose from options – is specifically curated to provide opportunities for students
to analyze intentional literary, poetic, and rhetorical devices wielded by the masters of such crafts. We would then seek to
emulate that mastery with our own voices in the crafting of our own essays, speeches, and other media of communication
(including digital platforms). I think these considerations can have an even greater effect if the masters we emulate
represent the diverse backgrounds of the students and of others in our community.

Beyond acquiring academic proficiencies and literacies, I believe education has a vital role in its pupils becoming
thoughtful and productive citizens. This involves the opening of one's mind to other perspectives and involves being able
to relay one's own opinion or perspective to an audience (with that audience's perspective in mind). This is useful for
personal relationships, for analyzing current events, and, most important to me, for the cultivation of empathy which
drives the creation of healthy communities. I believe that an educational environment ought to be an exemplary in
empathy, and Language Arts education can have the power to soften hearts, sharpen minds, and affect lives. I am eager to
teach as an example of the habits of mind and behavior that exhibit such a lovely reality.