philosophy of ed

[Brit]

as I prepare for yet another round of interviews, I face this stumper of a question yet again: what is my personal philosophy of education?

Now, I have all sorts of ideas about how children should be educated, and what the goals of education should be (and how that relates, or doesn't, to what the goals of the system actually are). But is that a PHILOSOPHY of education? Waht does that actually MEAN, and what does it mean if each teacher has their own personal philosophy? are the philosophies not bound to conflict with someone elses in the school? should there not be A philosophy of education adopted by each province or district that teachers under it are expected to adhere to?

What IS a philosophy of education, why is it valuable for each teacher to develop their own personal philosophy, and what is your philosophy of education? I know, it sounds like a teacher's college essay question, but I really want to know what you think.

maybe more importantly, what's the right philosophy of education to have in an interview? Because I know my own personal thoughts on the system as it is could be a bit of a roadblock to getting through an interview smoothly....

[Boxcar]

I've got my actual philosophy written out and inside my portfolio. It is saved to my portable HD, so I'll post it tommorrow.

Basically, I think a philosophy of education answers several questions:

How do children learn?
What is the teacher's role, the family's role, and the student's role?
How can a teacher create a team with child, family, and teacher?

[David]

My philosophy of ed is based on Maslow's Heirachy of needs. Put very simply the childrens affective needs e.g. feeling needed. self esteem,etc need to be addressed before cognitive learning can really take place. ( this is the Readers Digest version)

[silvana]

My philosophy on education begins with and ends with the addressing of childrens needs no matter what form they take and a belief that all children can learn. I see all children as travelling along a continuum of difference where all are included in the life of the school and community.

[Brit]

so it sounds like philosophies vary based on the population you work with, to include benefits to that population. And they're very general. what is the application of each of your philosophies in daily teaching?

[Boxcar]

I changed my mind about putting up my actual philosophy. I'll PM it to you if you want to see it. I just don't like the idea of making it too easy for someone to come along and copy/paste it for thier own use in a class assignment or portfolio.

[Boxcar]

Here's how I apply it:

My first section talks about play. All my lessons are play-based and hands-on activities. The children interact with and learn from one another. They have one-on-one and group time with the lead, co-teachers, and me.

The second section talks about using the children's input to create themes. This means doing webs with the children, making lists together, and really listening to the students.

The third section discusses the areas of development. Each of my plans must cover at least one area. At the end of the day, I have to have given attention to all the areas.

The final section is about communication. The same communication strategy will not work across the board. Individualizing the way I address communication is an continuous project.

[merrynl]

My philosophy discusses the importance of everyone being able to understand the science they encounter daily, and how to go about getting the students to learn about science. I especially mention the importance of getting kids hands-on authentic experiences in science, rather than just the textbook presentation.

Since you're probably not a science teacher (based on your other posts), this isn't totally relevant but the basic idea here is that your philosophy should relate to what you're teaching, how you teach it, and why you teach it that way.

[dsmms]

It's been awhile since I have looked at my philosophy but I know it included something about knowing all children have the potential to learn, and realizing that not all students learn the same way, so I use a variety of strategies to give ample opportunity for all learning styles. I want to instill a love for knowledge and a desire to become a lifelong learner.

[SiobhanMarie]

I just want to share my appreciation for topics such as this, as a student teacher because it's fantastic to see and consider other approaches and views of education!

[Brit]

so my ideas about how children should be educated and what the goals of education should be are my philosophy.

now i'm worried, because in an interview, how honest can you be?

I believe that children should be taught in an environment that fosters creativity and constantly challenges their perceptions of the world, forming deep thinkers who take nothing at face value, but question recieved knowledge based on their experiences and understandings, even from an early age (for example, I think all student should be ENCOURAGED to ask "why", and be given real answers -- as far as they can comprehend them).

I believe that students need to be taught how to do this in an assertive but polite and appropriate way -- I'm a BIG proponent of manners and old-fashioned ettiquette, which in this case means not interrupting and framing dissention in a collaborative or politely questioning way (stating what you base your question on (what you know), posing a question so that it is truely a question, not a challenge).

I believe that children should learn in a highly creative environment, and have opportunities to express learning and explore topics through the arts.

I believe that parents ought to be a very present part of learning and that there should be no "parent community" and "school community", but that the two should be fused, with all parents working together as a team with the teacher, in a way that everyone understands each other and in a way that supports each child's growth, and can encourage each child's individual interests.

I think all that's good. HOWEVER, they're lofty goals, and the truth is that I don't exactly see how to make all of them happen on a daily basis in my room. There ware days, even weeks, where we have just needed to sit down and work, and I donèt always have the energy or the drive to find a creative way to present the topics I need to teach or the time to discuss students' thoughts on a topic. Sometimes it just needs to be "because that's the way it is". I mean, my thoughts on education are pie-in-the-sky, and 5 years from now, maybe I'll be able to have that classroom that I think epitomises my philosophy, but right now, finishing my second year, I feel like I've made a dog's breakfast out of everything, and I don't know how I can say that I believe all these things if I'm not sure how to put them into daily practice in the fall.

[dsmms]

I think what Brit says about "lofty goals" is true for all of us. While we try to achieve the ideal, it is always a work in progress.

[Boxcar]

I think that a philosophy is kind of like a foundation. You build your classroom on it. Yes, these statements are VERY idealistic. Having visions and goals for your classroom sort of become part of you. I think sorting out a philosophy is part of knowing who you are as a teacher. You won't meet these goals in a month, a year, or even five years. However, each class you teach brings you closer to the end result. Every year, you'll modify the way you did things in your room. For example, you'll change the way you communicate with families. You make the alterations because these things are important to you. Without a philosophy, you may feel unsure of how you want your classroom to run and of what you want to achieve.

I'm not sure how much sense that makes... I hope I was able to get my message across. I don't think I wrote that logically...