Running head CHAPTER 5

Bailey James
Personal Philosophy of Education
EDU 1010-003
Sept 23, 2015

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Through the education classes I have taken at SLCC and my own experience in the
classroom, I have developed a personal teaching philosophy that I plan to implement into my
future classroom. Through my career pursuit, I have continually debated on which grade or what
specialized subject I would enjoy to teach the most. Recently, I have been greatly inspired to
become a high school physical education teacher. I have had a lifetime passion for fitness and
health. I was a gymnast for 14 years, continually pushing my body to exciting new levels both
physically and mental. Although my gymnastics career is over, it taught me so much about the
bodys physical capabilities, but more importantly it taught me priceless values and ethics that I
will take with me for the rest of my life. As a p.e teacher, I would hope to do the same for my
own students. My personal goal is to challenge and inspire my students both physically and
mentally to help them reach their full potential.
In todays society, the level of physical activity for children and young adults is a
problem and a known contributor to the rising of obesity in America. This breaks my heart for
our bodies are incredible machines; to never use its full potential would be a lost opportunity. I
hope to provide that opportunity for students to find enjoyment in physical activity by sharing
my passion for fitness and living a healthy active lifestyle. I believe if my students understand
and appreciate their individual body and all its capabilities, they will be more inspired to take
care of it.
It starts with the teacher! I want to be a role model for my students. They deserve my
time and full attention in regards to their education. I want to illustrate what it means to live
happy and healthy through my own actions. I want to demonstrate the right attitude and respect
that I expect to see in my classroom. I want my students to know I care by connecting with them

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on a personal level. I want to make sure my classroom is a safe environment where my students
feel confident about themselves and their ability to try new things. I want them to feel
comfortable to reach out to others, whether they need help learning a skill or want to include
others in the game. I dont want fitness to be solely based on a competitive perspective. This will
only bring the students self-esteem to an all time high, resulting in arrogant behavior, or an all
time low, where students compare each other and are never satisfied with their own strengths.
Lastly, all through school, students are told what to do and how to do it. Therefore, the
skill I find most valuable is teaching students self-determination. An understanding of one's
strengths and limitations, together with a belief that they are still as capable and effective is a
characteristic worth implementing. One thing about self-determined people, they make things
happen in their lives. They are goal oriented and apply problem-solving and decision-making
skills to guide their actions. They know what they do well and where they need support. Selfdetermined people are actors in their own lives instead of being acted upon by others. For that
reason, I want to encourage my students to focus on the things they alone can control. I want
them to know they have the power to control their own attitudes, their health, and their lives,
instead of having someone else make decisions for and about them. Its something I feel is
important to a students self-esteem and self-worth and will better prepare them in handling
important life choices.
At the end of my class semester, I want my students to feel they have accomplished and
improved based on their own personal goals. Whether it be strength, flexibility, becoming more
active, drinking more water, trying a new exercise or recipe, swapped a junk food for a healthy

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snack, but more importantly I want my students to leave my class with more confidence in
themselves then when they came in.

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References

Kauchak, D., & Eggen, P. (2014). Introduction to Teaching: Becoming a Professional (5th ed).
Florida. Pearson Education, Inc.