Melissa Tetreault

EDUC 110
December 1, 2014

Philosophy on Education
I believe that education is an individual, unique experience for every student who enters a
classroom. In order for children to benefit from what schools have to offer, teachers must fully
understand the importance of their job. First, they must consider teaching to be a lifestyle, not
just a forty-hour-a-week job, because a teacher's goals for his/her students encompasses much
more than relaying facts to students from books. As professionals entrusted with the education of
young minds, teachers must promote learning and growth academically, personally, and ethically.
By providing a quality education to each individual in one's classroom, a teacher equips children
with the tools necessary for success in life.
In order to accomplish these goals, I believe it is important first to establish a mutually
respectful, honest relationship in which communication is key. Through this relationship, an
environment based on trust and caring can be built in the classroom. Once this foundation is
established, the teacher has met a major goal: equality for all students; open, honest
communication, and trust have been emphasized and utilized without having to preach to
students.

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Learning must begin with motivation and inspiration. Students deserve an educator's
passion for both the subject and learning as a whole. Teaching and learning become a
simultaneous journey for both the teacher and students because everyone is ready and willing to
participate. To achieve active learning, a teacher must show enthusiasm and confidence in the
students' abilities to learn and be successful. Using constructive methods of teaching in one's
classroom forces students to take an active role in their education. For example, discussions,
projects, and experiments ensure student achievement and allow students and the teacher to
discover individual student's preferences and strengths.
Every classroom presents a unique community of learners that varies not only in abilities,
but also in learning styles. My role as a teacher is to give children the tools necessary for
learning based upon their individual needs. To accomplish this goal, I will teach to the needs of
each child so that all learners can feel capable and successful. I will present lessons that involve
the interests of the children and makes learning relevant to life. I will incorporate themes,
integrated units, projects, group work, individual work, and hands-on learning in order to make
children active learners. As theorist John Dewey said, Give the pupils something to do, not
something to learn; and the doing is of such a nature as to demand thinking; learning naturally
results. I firmly believe that every child that comes into my classroom has the ability to learn,
but it is up to me to tune into what each students strengths and weaknesses are. Once I
familiarize myself with each students abilities, then I can incorporate different methods into
lessons so that each child has the opportunity to learn the material in such a way that is
successful for them. I also understand that not all children can learn all things, but they can learn
something.

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I think that teaching and learning are a reciprocal processes. When teachers focus on
individual talents in each child, they can build self-esteem. This mutual respect for individual
skills builds a professional academic relationship, leading to a give-and-take educational
experience. This allows students to feel that they are on equal ground with their teachers, and
that they are all there sharing a common purpose, rather than feeling intimidated or almost
inferior to them.
Adaptability is another important part of education. John Dewey believed that the world
was in a constant state of change, and the classroom should reflect that. One obstacle, when it
comes to changes in education, is technology. I will continue to seek out educational
opportunities as the world evolves and to remain current with technological advancements. By
not continuing my education, I would be doing my students an injustice and allowing them to
move up through their education career potentially unprepared. Another part of adapting I will
embrace as a teacher is if the need arises for me to change what or where I am teaching. If one
year I am in fourth grade, but the following year I am needed in second grade, I will take the
move as a learning experience.
In addition, it is extremely important for teachers to form partnerships with fellow
educators. Solid communication among teachers will promote the sharing of ideas and methods
and provide a network of support. By working as an educational team, teachers will continue to
develop their craft and give the best education possible to their students. A well-trained, devoted
teacher that has been in the classroom for many years is just as important, if not more so, than
anything we will learn from any college text or class. They can be a wealth of knowledge, and
finding that teacher to model your methods from can prove to be extremely beneficial.
Especially in the early years of my teaching career, I will take the opportunity to work with my

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mentor and respect whatever advice or criticisms they give me, for in the long run, it is
beneficial.
As an educator I need to be aware of the role I play in a student's life. Life offers an
infinite realm of learning opportunities, each building on personal growth and expanding
knowledge. As a teacher, I need to be a flexible role model who demonstrates an unconditional,
consistent acceptance of all my students and continuously seeks to facilitate an education that
matches each individual. In my classroom, I will provide a safe, student-centered environment
which fosters a respect of individual self-concept and learning style. Everyone has a significant
contribution to offer to this world.