George Bernard Shaw once said, “What we want is to see the child in pursuit of

knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.” Teachers need to inspire their students to
not just learn, but love learning. A child that is in pursuit of knowledge is a child that is
motivated to learn and, consequently, has the competency to meaningfully connect old
information to new information. I believe that all people are capable of learning; as such,
teachers are accountable for creating engaging and differentiated lesson plans that meet the
individual needs of students. For my personal philosophy of education statement, I will discuss
three of my core beliefs for teaching and learning. I believe students should be prepared to
collaboratively handle real world situations with their problem solving skills, have an intellectual
curiosity that inspires them to ask questions, and maintain an appropriate level of achievement,
drawing from pragmatism, existentialism, and realism.
Following the theory of pragmatism, I will prepare my students with the problem solving
skills necessary to successfully handle real world situations. I want my students to be able to
work collectively to resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner. Collaboration allows individuals to
come together and share responsibilities in order to achieve a common goal. The most significant
part of the definition for collaboration is that students share responsibilities which means that
everyone has an equal amount of work to do. I want my students to understand the importance of
working well with others; in a group setting, individuals need to set aside their personal wants
and, instead, strive for an outcome that satisfies everyone. Students will need to have the skill
sets to think critically and solve disputes. In regards to collaborative settings, bullying will not be
tolerated. I have high expectations for my students and I expect my students to have high
expectations for their classmates. There will be serious consequences, such as a note home or a
visit to the principal, for students who are teasing or ignoring another student. A successful
group consists of members who are treated equally and respectfully.
Furthermore, in addressing the educational philosophy of existentialism, I hope to
cultivate curiosity within the classroom. Learning is not accepting everything that you are told as
truths; I will encourage my students to be inquisitive in order to further their learning and seek
knowledge. Referencing back to Shaw, a child who is in pursuit of knowledge will most likely
ask many questions to ensure that they fully comprehend any and all new information. From my
diverse classroom experiences, I have found that some students ask great higher order thinking
questions that I am unprepared to answer. Instead of making up answers, I will suggest that we
complete some research together and investigate to find out more information. I have learned
that having open and honest communication is essential in establishing a strong relationship
between a teacher and their students. I want my class to understand that, no matter your age, you
never stop learning- learning is continuous. Additionally, I am an advocate for inquiry-based
learning which I believe is a wonderful way to motivate student learning. By providing authentic
learning experiences through student led inquiry, individuals will be able to extend their thinking
beyond the four walls of the classroom and, in effect, create more connections to the real world.
Although I appreciate inquiry-based learning, the content in my classroom will be
specifically structured to support student development. Drawing from the educational philosophy
of realism, I want my class to be well-managed. I will continuously track students’ growth in
skills such as reading, writing, and math. I want to see how my students are progressing in each
content area in order to determine future instruction. As a responsive teacher, I will differentiate
instruction to accommodate the different types of learners in my classroom. Students of various
levels should be able to enter my classroom and feel ready to learn.
As a future teacher, I will work diligently to create a positive classroom environment that
is safe and welcoming to all of my students. I will consistently strive to utilize the three different
educational philosophies listed above to help promote and inspire learning. I will engage my
students in the classroom by teaching them how to be productive in a group setting, formulate
questions that encourage academic conversations, and differentiate instruction. Successful
students are students who want to learn, and do not feel forced to learn; in other words, students
that are in pursuit of knowledge.