Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Dr. Ellis
EDUC 1301.200
Philosophy of Teaching
Teaching our future generations of society’s leaders and workers is a responsibility which
cannot be taken lightly. It is imperative to find the most effective means by which to accomplish
this goal. Students vary in many ways. These include their aptitudes, learning abilities, and
differing outside influences, which can affect their opportunities for success. Thus, I feel that
teaching methods should somewhat change from earlier years to later years, as students mature.
Through studying different philosophies and styles of teaching, it appears that a more
structured philosophy of education would be more effective. Early levels of school would most
likely benefit from a more rigid Essentialism philosophy, as espoused by William Bagley, which
focuses on traditional academics, and core curriculum. When students enter the earlier grades of
school, it is necessary to establish good study skills, and grasp the basic concepts that will help
them be able to comprehend the material that they will encounter. This will require that
educators control what and how that material is covered. Concepts such as Existentialism would
not bode well at this level. Letting these young students steer their own curriculum would be
akin to allowing them to choose their own diet. Many would choose to exist on candy and junk
food, which would have detrimental effects on their developing bodies. The Existentialism
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As students come from so many different environments, there will be dynamics which vary
from student to student. Such difference may include: ethnic, or socioeconomic situations
differentiating them from the majority of other students, single parent homes, learning
difficulties, etc. A single parent is often burdened with work, often single handedly having to run
a household and raise the family. Thus, the single parent may be unable to assist the student with
school assignments. Whereas, children with a more intact nuclear family likely receive more
assistance. Students of different cultures may have language barriers which make learning more
difficult for them. It is incumbent upon us as teachers to determine how to best reach out to these
As students advance to higher grade levels, I believe that the style and philosophy of teaching
should transition, or evolve, into a more Progressivism philosophy of teaching. John Dewey, a
founder of the Progressivism philosophy believed that the book learning of students could be
augmented by a more hands-on type teaching method. This will prepare students for real world
budget, could not only be an exercise for what was learned in mathematics, but would develop
As a teacher entering the profession later in life, I believe my life experiences will be helpful
in teaching real world skills to our students. I want to teach, because I feel it is important to pass
welcoming and encouraging to students. Positive reinforcement is a great motivator, and helps a
student be more open to participating in the class. Increased involvement by students helps all
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Standardized testing, while not ideal, is a good indicator of how well students are developing
and retaining what they have learned. Testing anxiety and other factors should be considered as
possible causes when some students do not do as well as expected. The true assessment of this
philosophy of teaching will be realized as these students develop into successful and productive
members of society, equipped with the knowledge and skills to help society function well.