Dietrich

K. Perchy
Philosophy of Education

I believe the root objective of teaching is to foster learning and creativity. Learning takes
place in many different environments and contexts. Although everyone is capable of learning, a
student's desire to learn is vital to the process. Humans are able to learn through a variety of
methods: discussion based classrooms, side-by-side learning where students demonstrate their
understanding of concepts based on teaching one another, blended classrooms where traditional
and more modern educational methods are combined in a symbiotic relationship, and other
students absorb material best when the classroom is flipped and the teacher and students work
together to solve problem sets and then watch a lecture as homework, and others learn best
through gamification. The classroom setting can encourage or inhibit learning depending on the
dominant learning style of each student. Accommodating different learning styles through
differentiation creates an atmosphere that is conducive to learning. Students take many of their
learning habits from the instructor, because of this it is important that the instructor show their
passion for the fields they study and convey these concepts and skills to students in such a way that
stimulate their own interests and inspire their future learning. Creativity is also an important
aspect to promote in the classroom, as students must be ready to approach future problems and
work in strategic ways that may not be immediately identifiable. I structure my teaching to give my
students the tools to create their own success regardless of how they begin their learning style.
As an educator, my job is to create an environment that facilitates learning and ingenuity. I
am an educator because I have a passion for guiding students through the learning process as well
as a passion for the material I present. One of the best ways to foster learning is to demonstrate
those feelings to my students. I encourage learning by creating a relaxed environment for students,
stimulating conversation about concepts being presented and organizing material in a way that
makes it easiest to understand. I treat subject matter in a multidisciplinary way, emphasizing that
everything students are learning fits together into a holistic understanding of the world, from which
they develop their worldview. Finally, I believe the respect I have for my students will contribute
greatly to their success, and mine as an educator.
Evaluating what my students have learned comes in a variety of forms, and I aspire to
ensure students understand the concepts and materials presented. As learning takes place in the
mind where it is invisible to others, the way to determine what students are capable of is through
performance. Most of the time these performances are exams aimed at proving student knowledge
through writing down the correct answer. I like to see what my students can do with their learning.
Having students present and teach concepts they have learned in class, along with classroom
dialogue, and having students show how concepts can be applied in a multidisciplinary sense are
some of the methods I utilize in the classroom to test my students understanding of the material.
Each students education should be a valuable experience that continues on for the rest of
his or her life. One of the most important concepts I hope to impart to students is that learning is a
process that never ends and that they will continue learning beyond the parameters of the
classroom. For me, the learning process includes improving myself professionally and personally. I
want to be up to date on the learning theories to expand my understanding of how learning takes
place. As I continue to instruct classes, I also aim to enhance my ease and confidence in front of
classrooms and audiences. Finally, I plan to introduce differentiated methods and means of
presenting information to classes in order to improve the learning atmosphere I create for students.