Running head: GENERATING LIFE LONG LEARNERS: MY PHILOSOPHY

Generating Life Long Learners: My Philosophy

Megan Smith
Wesleyan College

Running head: GENERATING LIFE LONG LEARNERS: MY PHILOSOPHY

Abstract:
In this paper I will discuss my philosophy of the values of education. The different approached
that I feel are essential to making an impact of how a child learns. I compare my philosophy to
idealism to support my belief that its the process in which we obtain our goals are far more
concrete than the goal themselves. I address my experiences throughout my education and the
challenges I faced. I include practices that I feel will compel my students to acquire the skill of
how to become a successful learner that will prepare them for the future, rather than the next
assignment or grade. I conclude with my theory of what I believe will help me to become a
teacher who connects to students on personal level and encourages them to pave the way for their
future themselves.

Running head: GENERATING LIFE LONG LEARNERS: MY PHILOSOPHY

The premises of my beliefs and philosophy of education as a future educator is rooted in

the foundation of how my experiences of education have impacted my thinking and way of life.
From the moment we are born, our first learning experiences are based off of the perceptions of
how we encounter the world around us. The beauty of this matter is that the way we receive and
obtain information is slightly different from the views of our neighbors. For educators I believe
this is an essential fact that we must grasp in order to better ourselves as educators. Although the
diverse groups of children we will receive to help shape as individuals, beliefs may all vary, as
educators we can use this advantage of innocent curiosity that is brought forth by each child. The
position as an educator is not only to teach children concepts required from one grade level to the
next, but rather direct our focus of teaching a child how they obtained the strategies in order to
learn future concepts and tackle whatever challenges they face using the practices that helped
them get to where they are.
As the child develops, his or her physical and cognitive skills will change. Throughout
this development from birth to adolescence the childs learning style will also develop. Its
through our experiences that we are able to create and adjust into ourselves as individuals. My
beliefs of these transitions and how we adapt into our learning styles and who we are as
individual learners can strongly be related to the beliefs of idealism. Idealism is considered to be
one of the oldest philosophies. Idealism stresses mind over matter. Some idealists believe that the
search for truth, rather than truth itself is the ultimate challenge. Through this search we have the
potential to aspire to wisdom, to improve the quality of our ideas, and to move closer to the
ultimate truth (Webb, Metha, Jordan, 2010). This concept is true for all aspect of life for it is a
constant lesson, but I find it to be even truer in education. The concepts that students are taught
through each grade level are not only to test of a childs knowledge but also can be assessed to

Running head: GENERATING LIFE LONG LEARNERS: MY PHILOSOPHY

find out the ways in which the concept was learned. It is important that the process of learning is
the main focus while the child is developing so that we dont only teach a child how to read and
multiply, but strategies that can help them do so.
Education has had a big role in every aspect of my life. Every transition that I have
moved from, my knowledge about the world has helped me face the many facets and experiences
I have encounter this far. Although I cannot say that my experience of learning has always been
positive. However, this could mostly likely be true for many people. My first year in a
classroom, from what I can remember went very smoothly and I loved going to school, mainly
because I loved my kindergarten teacher. It wasnt until the third grade that I started struggling in
school. I believe this was because I hadnt developed the knowledge of how to learn. A
classroom setting was difficult for me to be attentive in for the lack of movement within it. The
structure was beneficial, but the opportunities to explore my surrounding were limited. It wasnt
until that time that I could say my curiosity of learning was lost. I didnt feel very successful as a
student, my self-efficacy was bewildered, and the tasks all grew harder. I shut down. I believe
that the elementary years my be the most beneficial for learners, because it paves the foundation
that a person needs in order to be successful in the years to come. As I have observed and
practice various methods in and outside of classrooms, I have found that there are many
resources that can be used to keep a child attentive. However, it is inevitable that one practice or
activity will not satisfy every childs need that would be too easy. In fact, there are several ways
that individuals learn which are defined as, linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodilykinetic, musical, inter/intrapersonal, or naturalistic intelligence (Campbell, 2004). Therefor, as a
teacher, I feel that it is our duty to assess children to find out how they prefer to learn, which
methods are most effective, and then provide lessons and strategies that compliment their style.

Running head: GENERATING LIFE LONG LEARNERS: MY PHILOSOPHY

This way of teaching is referred to as differentiated instruction, a commonly used term in todays
education. This is because it is not a tool that can be used, rather a necessary practice.
Differentiated instructional planning recognizes a class a community, where the students can and
should be nourished as individual learners. Differentiated instruction provides different avenues
to acquiring content, to processing or making sense of idea, and to developing products so that
every student can learn effectively (Tomlinson, 2001). According to researchers, Differentiated
classrooms are responsive to students various readiness levels, interest, and learning profiles.
This means that teacher will create different levels of expectations and teaching methods for each
task that students must learn (Lawerance-Brown, 2004). Perhaps if this approach to learning
were assessed for me as a young leaner, assignments and concepts would not have seemed so
difficult.
Along with my beliefs of how education should be approached, I feel like school should
be a place where students can freely express their curiosity and style of learning. The classroom
should be a place that promotes a conducive learning environment. Providing an atmosphere in
the classroom that allows room for movement and non-traditional activities. School can also be a
place where life lessons can be presented, ethics instilled, in order to help sculpt students into
moral citizens of high character. Although students values and morals may all vary depending
on their different cultures and diverse backgrounds, it is still possible for teachers to find a
happy medium and facilitate how students will treat their peers in the classroom. In return, it is
hopeful that this act of character will follow the child throughout their life. The value of each
childs education may vary from household depending on the support from home, this is a reality
that cannot be dismissed nor changed. However, as long as the educators purpose of school is to
prepare that student for success in the next grade level as well as in life, and then the main

Running head: GENERATING LIFE LONG LEARNERS: MY PHILOSOPHY

objectives of education shall be encountered.

Not only will students need a positive environment, the also need sense of value and selfefficacy to be successful. Even during the very early elementary school years, children seem to
have distinct and coherent beliefs about what they are good at within different achievement
domains. A study found that students who did well in subjects such as math and reading had
more confidence in their abilities as a student. As a result, overall they preformed higher in other
subject areas (Shin, 2011). Of course the common academics such as reading and math
must be a priority but for some students those concepts may not keep them interested,
especially if they do not feel confident that they can succeed in these areas. Regardless,
since they must be taught, as a facilitator we must find ways to develop an approach to help
motivate and nurture their interests. Motivation for a child may not come as easy. Personal
motivation comes from within; you are motivated from the inside out (Sullo, 2007). By
creating meaningful lessons and making connections that a child can connect to on a
personal level may help redirect their thinking into a more positive outlook on subjects
that they find difficult.
My beliefs stem from observations that I made while pursuing my undergrad by
observing in the classrooms of practicing teachers. I found that there were many students who
are able to compute a math problem, comprehend material read from a passage, and do well on a
final assessment. If I were asked prior to my observations if I thought this was a successful
learning environment, I would strongly agree and take note. However, what I find most
disappointing is that the end result is out main focus. How beneficial if this for preparing
students for the future? Of course if a student is capable of answering most of the questions
correctly, then they will move on to the next concept or grade, but what about the process in

Running head: GENERATING LIFE LONG LEARNERS: MY PHILOSOPHY

which the information to provide the correct answer was found? What cognitive steps did the
student use to develop the knowledge in order to reach the end result? These are all questions
that I need to ask myself as a future educator. I do not believe that every assessment or concept
taught must be this particular, that would not be practical. Furthermore, I do believe that in
schools today the amount of fundamentals and critical thinking strategies are over looked in need
of teaching children how to get to the end result. I would never modulate the practices I
observed, for I know the pressures of testing are inevitable. I have encountered first had the
outcome of how this concept can affect a student. My theory is that if I take the time to instill in
students the practice and strategies that they can use to get from A to B, then the worries of
making sure every student can choose the correct answer will be depleted. Not only for my
higher and average learners, but all students.
All in all, education is the most powerful tool a person can possess. A persons
knowledge and development of a critical mind can take them further that their own two feet.
Sure, this statement is quit metaphorical, but I find so much truth in that statement. The search
for truth is more important that the truth itself. Our journeys are more valuable that the
destination its self. I feel pungently about the power of defining self-efficacy, pushing for inner
motivation, teaching children through differentiated instruction, and encouraging students to be
critical thinkers. These are just some of the few practices that I hope to instill in young children
in hopes of providing them with tools in which they can use to create a brighter future for
themselves. To projecting my main focus on exaggerating the process in which my students gain
the information rather that the ending outcome.

Running head: GENERATING LIFE LONG LEARNERS: MY PHILOSOPHY

Referaces
Campbell, L., Campbell, B., & Dickinson, D. (2004). Many Kinds of Intelligence. In Teaching &
learning through multiple intelligences. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Lawrence-Brown, D. (2004). Differentiated Instruction: Inclusive Strategies for Standards-Based

Learning that Benefit the Whole Class. American Secondary Education, 32(3), 34-63

Shin, R. Q. (2011). The Influence of Africentric Values and Neighborhood Satisfaction on the
Academic Self-Efficacy of African American Elementary School Children. Journal Of
Multicultural Counseling & Development, 39(4), 218-228.

Sullo, R. A. (2007). Theory and Research. In Activating the desire to learn. Alexandria, Va:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms.

Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Webb, L. D., Metha, A., & Jordan, K. F. (2010). The Major Philosophies. In Foundations of
American education: [instructor's copy]. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Merrill.