Breanne Pratt Contexts of Schooling Philosophy of Education December 3, 2010 Through my education courses this year I have learned

as well as observed a lot, and from the course I have been able to develop my own philosophy of education. A teacher's personal philosophy of education is a critical element in his or her approach to guiding children along the path of enlightenment, said Barbara Wilt. My philosophy includes my ideas about school and its purpose as well as the role of teachers. Everyone needs to get an education in order to have a successful life, and school is a great way for anyone to obtain instruction. However, a student will receive the most beneficial teaching from a good school. It should have teachers that care about their students, and they should want them to be successful. Teachers play a very important role in the education of their students. A good teacher will have successful students, however, there are many aspects that influence the abilities of a teacher. As a result of this course, my philosophy of education has changed and developed as I have learned what makes a good school and teacher as well as what methods are useful. As I plan to become a teacher in my future, I find school and education to be vital to the success of an individual. School is an institution designed to allow and encourage students to learn, under the supervision of teachers. A child spends on average eighteen years of their life in a school, and the time spent in these institutions is very beneficial to their success. A child will typically attend primary school when they are younger. Once they become teenagers they attend secondary school, and if they continue to attend school

they will receive a higher education at a university or college. The education that they are given in school is the knowledge acquired by learning and instruction. The higher the education that they receive the more success they will have later in life. When a student attends school they learn, grow and develop. They discover things that will allow them to succeed in their future; however, it is because of their teachers that they are given the chance to do well. Teachers provide schooling and facilitate an education for their students. However, before they can educate students a teacher must first obtain professional qualifications or credentials from a university or college. This will show that they are qualified to educate. Even though a teacher is qualified as an educator they may not be the most productive or informative teacher for students. Many aspects and characteristics can influence the abilities of a teacher. Some of these include experience, educational attainment, certification status, and college major. These aspects will qualify an individual to be an teacher. According to recent work in labor economics, however, personality traits may also play an important role in determining productivity of a teacher (Harris). I feel that the personality of a teacher has a major influence on their abilities to educate the students. A teacher should be a good communicator, enthusiastic about what they do, outgoing, sympathetic and helpful, have good time management skills, be understanding, and they should be motivational. These characteristics will allow them to have control of a successful classroom. A teacher should be outgoing and enthusiastic about their job in order to motivate their students. If a teacher does not want to be in the classroom than their students will not want to be there either. Also, they need to be a good communicator and

feel comfortable talking not only to their students, but also to their parents. Communication is very important in education. They should be able to develop relationships with their students as well so that they will be more motivated to work and succeed. A teacher needs to know how to take control of a classroom and they need to have confidence, if not they will never be successful as teachers in a school. It is very important for a school to have good educators. A successful teacher will make the school even more productive and beneficial to the education of the students that attend it. Without school and an education it would be difficult for anyone to become successful. This is because school encourages students to learn and provides them with the tools they need in order to receive a good education. School gives students the opportunity to find a profession that they can enjoy and become successful in. There are many other reasons for a student to attend school. First, school provides intellectual development for its students. It allows them to grow, develop, and learn. Without an education students would not have many opportunities for professions that would allow them to live their lives comfortably. Also, if an individual receives a higher education then the likelihood of them obtaining a better profession will increase. With more years of schooling it is thought that the individual will be more qualified in certain fields than a person who does not have much education. The individual that receives a higher education is more likely to obtain job that pays more, and as a result they can live a more successful life. There is also the social aspect of school. Nowadays everyone goes to school, and it is almost frowned upon if a student does not continue on in a high education at a college or university. An individual is respected in society if they have an education. Through school relationships develop and connections are made between individuals.

Attending school can increase an individuals social life because everyone goes to school, and a person with an education is respected. School has many purposes and plays the role of providing its students with an education so that they can have a successful profession in their future. School provides many great opportunities to its students; however, some schools will be more beneficial to its students because they are better than others. A good school will have teachers who care about their students. They want to see them succeed because they develop relationship with their students. With the development of relationships the students are more motivated to succeed in the classroom. These teachers will put in the extra time and effort needed to be sure that their students are doing the best that they can. They will push them to succeed. A teacher that cares this much about their students makes a school successful because it guarantees that the child is reaching their capabilities, and as a result they will have more success in their future. Teachers are part of the school environment that have an impact on the success of its students and make some schools better than others. The overall environment is very important to the success of students. A school should have an atmosphere that inspires a student to learn. It should be colorful, especially for younger students. There should be posters and bulletin boards informing students and furthering their education. Also, it should be very well organized so that students know what they are supposed to be doing at all times. Students should know the locations of things such as the library or the offices, and they should also be aware of the procedures such as safety drills that they have to follow (Baker). Schools should also be diverse and accepting of all the cultures and backgrounds of its students. There should be no discrimination. With diversity in a school,

students become more accepting of each other, and this will help them greatly in their future. The environment can have an impact on the students of the school. Another aspect of the school environment that can be beneficial to its students is the technologies and resources available. First off, school should have a well-organized library. It should be stocked with up to date books appropriate for the age and interest of all of its students (Baker). Also, I believe that the technology available to students is very important. There should be computers and televisions in classrooms. These will benefit the education of students if they are more accessible. Also, there are many assistive technologies for students with disabilities, and I believe that school should have these available as well. Technology is a huge part of society today, and early exposure will be very beneficial to the schooling systems and the future of their students in society. Much of the environment of a school is influenced by the schools budget. The more money that a school is provided with the better the education of its students will be. A big budget will allow school to buy up to date textbooks. Classrooms would have more technologies and resources that could bring productive learning methods. Successful technology-rich schools generate impressive results for students, including improved achievement; higher test scores; improved student attitude, enthusiasm, and engagement; richer classroom content; and improved student retention and job placement rates (NSBA). With enhanced technology students gain a better education. For these reasons school budgets should not be cut. Schools need bigger budgets in order to effectively provide a school environment that enhances the education of its students. One way to provide a better environment is to improve technologies in a school. Learning with technology brings basic and advanced skills instruction, assessment of

student progress, and student motivation (NSBA). With more access to technology students will become more educated as they develop skills associated with equipment such as the computer. Also, the use of technology brings motivation to the students to work because they enjoy using it. Technology also makes tasks much easier if people know how to use them properly. The knowledge gained through learning with technology enhances the success of students in the classroom as well as society. Currently if an individual is educated then they are respected in society. Everyone goes to school, and now more people than before are receiving a higher education. As a result, these individuals with more schooling are given more opportunities for their future. In society it is believed that because they have a higher education that they are more qualified in certain fields. Typically this is true because these individuals had good schooling. Since it is more socially accepted for individuals to continue further with their education, people who do not receive more schooling are frowned upon and they are not as respected. In todays society individuals with good schooling and higher education are respected, and they received more opportunities in their future to live successfully. As mentioned before, a teacher is very important in providing a good education for its students so that they become successful. Teachers provide schooling and facilitate an education for their students, and a good teacher cares about their students and their success. They display characteristics that motivate their students to work effectively in the classroom. These teachers will play many roles in the schools for their students. Teachers overall are facilitators. They provide their students with the knowledge and resources that they need to succeed. They guide students through their education. At the same time a teacher is a partner to their students. They provide them with the necessary tools such as

information and resources to discover solutions, and they do not simply give them the answers. A teacher is also a nurturer to their students as relationships are developed with them. The students learn to trust their teachers as the teacher nurtures appropriate growth and development. Teachers take on many roles in order to be successful. However, the role of teachers can vary in different school settings. Sometimes the school environment can limit the abilities and performance of a teacher. For example, if there are not assistive technologies than a teacher will have some difficulty working with a student who has a disability. They will have to come up with different solutions, and this may take time away from the attention she gives to the rest of the class. Also, teachers may not get much support from the administration, which means they have to take on a lot more responsibility as a teacher for their students. Or they may be limited to certain activities that they can do in or even out of the classroom such as field trips. These limitations can inhibit the education of students, and as a result teacher will have to find other ways to provide them with a better education. For an expert teacher finding other methods and techniques comes with experience, and they are able to become successful. Each year of teaching brings a different experience. With each year teachers gain more confidence, and it becomes a little easier each year because they learn from previous experiences. However, since each year is never the same as the one before they never really know what to expect. The students are never the same. They could have different behaviors or academic abilities, or they could be either very outgoing or more on the quiet side. A teacher will experience so many situations each year, and they learn how to adjust as they go through the years. Eventually it gets easier, but for first year teachers it can sometimes be intimidating to teach completely on their own for the

first time. A novice, or beginning, teacher does not know how to adapt to situations, and they can sometimes be overwhelmed. Eventually they will gain confidence and be more comfortable in the classroom. Once they have more experience in the classroom they will become more effective teachers. Teachers as well as schools are very important in todays society. A good teacher will make their students successful because they care about them. They will put in the extra effort needed for them to have a valuable education. Teachers like this will improve the atmosphere of a school, and the students will benefit from it. With an education students become respected and as a result they will have many opportunities available to them in their future. It is because of good schools and teachers that care that students become successful in their future.

Works Cited

Baker, Eva. "What Makes a Good School." The Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing. The Regents of the University of California, 1994. Web. 5 Dec 2010. <http://www.cse.ucla.edu/products/parents/cresst_GoodSchool.pdf>. Harris, Douglas N., Tim R. Sass, and National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER) Urban Institute. "What Makes for a Good Teacher and Who Can Tell? Working Paper 30." National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (2009): ERIC. EBSCO. Web. 4 Dec. 20 2010. "Technology Impact on Learning." National School Boards Association. National School Boards Association, 2010. Web. 5 Dec 2010. <http://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/tiol.html>.