My+Philosophy



My Philosophy of Education
 * I believe that education is the realm intended to provide each student with the necessary information needed to succeed, mature, relate, and intrinsically grow. In order for all students to do the previously listed things, schools have to offer knowledge in the form of academics, character, and cultural awareness. As a preservice middle grades language arts/social studies teacher, I believe that adolescents are like sponges in the sense that they have a lot of previous knowledge which gives them overall stability, but they also have a lot of room for the absorption of much more. This comparison may seem a bit unprofessional, but I use it to show just how capable I think each and every student is of learning if given the correct guidance, or “substance.” **


 * I think that school should be about much more than academics, and this is simply because life is made up of much more than that. In my own classes, I will indeed follow the curriculum guidelines created by the government, but my main goal will be to allow my students to think individually and creatively while learning that specific material. I believe that the subject of language arts allows students to explore a lot more about people, places, and events than they ever think is imaginable. By reading novels, short stories, poetry, and even magazines, my students will be able to think “outside the box,” and start building their own ideas, which is a number one priority of mine. If my students can analyze the literature they will be reading then they will be setting themselves up with the ability to analyze everything else. I want to be able to encourage my students to write and express themselves in an appropriate manner so that their thoughts and logic are more easily expressed in other subjects and situations. **


 * Along with the capability to analyze and think independently, I believe education should encompass the importance of character building. Early adolescents are going to have heard terms such as “respect,” “honesty,” and “perseverance,” but are they going to know how to properly display them? I think middle schools specifically should focus on making their students better citizens. I have heard that many people think this is too young, but I do not think any age is too young for doing the right thing. Students should be introduced to community service and how it is they can get involved in their own communities. If planned correctly, a school should be able to include community service within the curriculum. There are plenty of resources available to make this happen, and all subjects can be involved. As a language arts teacher, I could have my students write poems or act out a play for a retirement center. Many children do not know the goodness in giving until they have actually done it for themselves, and I think that school is sometimes the only place where children have this opportunity. **


 * I believe that school is a place where students should be exposed to cultural identities and the importance of diversity. The reason I think this is necessary is because the “real world” is full of differences, and this is important for students to recognize. I think the best possible way for me to teach my students to think in a multicultural manner is to practice being a multicultural educator. I believe that teaching students through experience is a great way for them to learn about discrimination and its wrongfulness. For example, in the film //Freedom Writers,// Mrs. Gruwell stops the bullying in her classroom by explaining the torture of the Jewish population during World War II. As soon as students are able to relate to what is being taught, they are then able to understand and cooperate in respectful learning. It is also important that I will use varied literature in my classroom. I have done a textbook analysis and found that much of the content is directed at a white middle-class population, and this is not what I want my students to be exposed to. There are several resources such as newspapers, magazines, online readings, etc. that I will want to use to make sure all of my students feel connected. **


 * I believe that including world news/knowledge in my classroom will be a lot of help in promoting cultural awareness, also. Although I think some news may be inappropriate for the minds of middle grades children, some things can be helpful in allowing them to learn about different places. For example, I know that if I would have been teaching a class during the earthquake tragedy inHaiti, I would have told my students about the country’s history, schooling, and current status. By teaching this way, students can understand that they are not the only people who have “problems,” and they can come to realize that living in theUnited Statesis much different than living in many other places. Teachers have to be current, and they have to learn to use all of the information out there in order to grab their students’ attention. I believe that the more students hear and read about other countries and the people in them, the more open they are to accepting new people and new ideas. **


 * In my classroom, all students will feel welcomed and respected. School is a place for learning in many ways, and with unnecessary disruptions, no one can learn. I believe that focusing on the students and where their thoughts take them is how to avoid disciplinary issues because it keeps the learning moving and their brains working. If a teacher detects that a student is having problems, he or she should ask, “What’s wrong?” instead of letting it worsen throughout the day. By practicing active listening, teachers can get very far in helping students figure out how to better their situations. Along with discussion and reflection, I do plan on welcoming mainstreaming in my classroom, and this is because I believe students with and without disabilities should work together. By having students with disabilities in my “regular” classroom, it allows a more diverse population, which then allows more opportunity for acceptance. Students with disabilities open the eyes of everyone else around them because they often prove that academics are not the only important thing, but learning to work with and respect others is of more importance. I believe that mainstreaming can teach students and teachers a lot about classroom management and how to properly go about various learning. **


 * I believe that as a teacher inNorth Carolina, my duties are to respect and respond to the community in which I will be teaching. I think that teachers should always understand their surroundings and just what the school environment is made of. If I know the area in which my students come from then I will definitely understand them on a better level. I also think that my job as a teacher will be to provide my students with opportunities other than just sitting in the classroom. I think that by using the people and various resources around me, I will be able to make learning cooperative and active. It will be my job as their teacher, to listen to my students. There is a big difference in hearing students and listening to students, and I want to make sure that my future students understand that I am a person who truly cares. I want to make an impact in the school that I will be placed in, and I also want to contribute to the ideas of the local government. I am not the type of person to sit quietly whenever I think something is unfair, so if I believe something will negatively affect the lives of my students then I will certainly speak up. It will also be my job as a middle grades teacher to advocate for adolescents. Many people speak badly about young teenagers and how they think and/or act, but I honestly do not think this is okay. Students feel pressured and bullied as it is by their peers, and I feel strongly that adults should support adolescent feelings rather than push them away. **


 * Five years from today, I see myself as a teacher who has been shocked and surprised at what education in general has to offer. I think that I will still be very open to new ideas in my classroom, but I genuinely hope that I have my own way of teaching. I think that I will still be very sensitive, but I also think that I will have developed somewhat of a backbone. In regards to educational reform, I think the one I will be most uncomfortable with is the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) reform. Although I will not be teaching science or math, I will be very self-conscious about new technology and how to use it. I do not like the idea of every child having his or her own laptop at the moment, but I might enjoy it once I have seen the positive outcomes. I feel as if technology is a great tool in the world of education, but I need to make myself more comfortable with it for my students’ benefit. I think that I am more old-fashioned in the sense that I like to read actual books and newspapers as opposed to looking them up online, but times are changing very quickly. **


 * I believe the role of the student and the role of the teacher fall hand-in-hand. One cannot succeed without the help of the other, and this means that everyone has to work together to accomplish meaningful learning. I do not believe that a student will have to memorize all conjunctions and comma rules to be successful in my classroom, but I do think that if that student leaves my classroom with an open mind and desire to know more then I will be doing well. Learning is about application and using the knowledge already in existence to enhance the knowledge left to come. **

The following is a link to a Wordle I created from the text of my philosophy: media type="custom" key="13535222" width="150" height="150" align="center"