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Philosophy of Education

Raquel Mejia

California State University Dominguez Hills

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Philosophy of Education

A students experience in school is one that has a great impact on their

life. Every

student, every teacher and every classroom is different. But the goal should
be the same; to

educate and prepare our students in an engaging way where students can
discover and

explore. That is a very important part of my philosophy of education. My

philosophy of

education consists of the following; the purpose of education, the learning

environment,

the commitment to social justice, the curriculum and the characteristics that
make an

effective teacher.

The Purpose of Education

Education shouldnt feel like a burden to students. Education should be

about

students discovering new concepts and not about memorizing what is written
on the

board. As a future teacher I feel that I am there to educate and prepare my

students for

their future. Education should open up a new perspective to a student in all

the subjects

that they are taught while creating a passion for knowledge. Another thing I
think students

should acquire while in the classroom are skills that will be needed in their
future

endeavors. These skills will help them reach their own goals as well as set
the stage for

what they decide to do later in their lives.

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The Learning Environment

A students experience in a classroom should be free of any verbal and

physical

abuse. I feel that a student will learn best when they feel that they are in a
safe

environment as they will be able to express their ideas and bring forward
their questions

without the fear of being made fun of by a classmate or the teacher. This will
help students

learn best as they will come to find the answer on their own by making
connections. An

effective learning environment also incorporates teacher-student and

student-student

interaction. This allows students to compare ideas, answers and techniques

and learn from

each other while finding an answer or reaching a conclusion.

Commitment to Social Justice

Students should never be discriminated or held as favorites. Every

student in the

classroom should be treated equally and with respect. No student should be

stripped of the

opportunity to learn. As a teacher I will make sure that I go into the

classroom each day

without biases and with the goal to make sure that every student receives
the attention and

respect they deserve. Every student is different and I will treat each student
as the

individual they are.

Curriculum
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As a teacher I will work closely with the curriculum to make sure the
students leave

having meet the grade requirements. The curriculum should be clear on what
the students

will learn. The curriculum will be set up in a way that ensure the students will
walk out of

the classroom knowing what is required as well as being able to make

connections from

what they have learned. Barbara Stripling mentions in her article Inquiry:
Inquiring Minds

want to Know that inquiry is the best way for students to learn since students
are driven to

investigate and develop new understandings on their own. I agree with

Stripling and I will

incorporate and put an emphasis on inquiry in the curriculum.

Effective Teachers

An effective teacher is one who has high levels of instructional

discourse, makes the

expectations for the students clear, have the classroom and lessons
organized and those

are just a few of the characteristics described by John Brandsford, Linda

Darling-Hammond

and Pamela LePage in their book. As a teacher I will incorporate these

characteristics in my

teaching as it will help the students learn. I will also allow myself flexibility as
I continue to

teach and learn new concepts and adapt to things that will make me a better
educator. In

addition to that an effective teacher is approachable and aware of his or her

students
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needs.

In order for me to achieve my goals regarding teaching and put in

practice my

beliefs of education I will need to follow my philosophy of education. All of

these

components will allow me to successfully educate my future students and

make sure that

they are prepared for their future. The students and their needs will always
come first.

References

Bransford, J., Darling-Hammond, L., & Lepage, P. (2005). Introduction. In

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Darling-Hammond, L., & Bransford, J. (Eds.) Preparing teachers for a

changing world: What teachers should learn and be able to do (pp. 1-

39).

San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Stripling, B. (2008). Inquiry: Inquiring minds want to know. School Library

Media Activities

Monthly, 25(1), 50-52