Philosophy of Education
I truly cannot wait to become a teacher. I’m excited to use my life to instill a love for learning into my students. My goal is to treat each and every student fairly, not equally. Every student is different, with individualized needs. Not every lesson plan and activity will work for every student. I will do my absolute best to provide every student with what they need to be successful. Most importantly, I will respect my students. I won’t teach them because it’s my job, but rather because these are small human beings that will grow and develop into adults that will one day run society. I want to set my students up to be successful and productive members of society. I want to help my students to be curious. Where there is curiosity, there is learning.
I want the students in my classroom to be encouraged to reach their full potential, no matter what that is, and through any means necessary. I do not want to simply provide information to the students. I want them to learn through all activities, whether it be group work, individual work, hands-on activities, guided reading, read-alouds or whatever helps them to learn and be their best. I will use all types, genres, and styles of literature to make sure that every student in my class can use literature in the way that best works for them. The students deserve to learn in whatever manner they are most comfortable and able to learn, and it is my goal to help them achieve that.
Dr. Seuss once wrote in his book Horton Hears a Who, that “a person’s a person no matter how small” (p. 122). I agree with this statement wholeheartedly! Each person is different and unique in their own way, but that makes them no less of a person! My classroom will be filled with several different bodies and minds, each different from one another and from my own. However, like Sepon-Shevin (2010) notes, “Inclusion means we all belong. Inclusion means not having to fight for a chance to be part of a classroom or school community. Inclusion means that all children are accepted” (p. 9). This is the kind of classroom inclusion that I strive for.
In regards to management, it will be my goal to establish a caring community within the classroom where children feel accepted and respected enough to feel free to make mistakes. Children learn through their mistakes. I want students to be active members in the classroom; help create a set of classroom expectations, have choice in the activities we do, and be active members in their own learning. In my classroom, I want to be a facilitator and a guide, not a dictator. Kohn (2006) states that “the more we ‘manage’ students’ behavior and try to make them do what we say, the more difficult it is for them to become morally sophisticated people who think for themselves and care about others” (p. 62). By allowing children to have freedom to choose and act in the classroom, they practice self-regulation and autonomy.
In my classroom children will learn how to think critically and that each of their choices has logical and natural consequences. Taking a time-out for hitting a friend is not a natural consequence, whereas feeling guilty about hitting a friend, and having to confront that friend about why they did that, is a natural and logical consequence. It is important for children to make mistakes and break the rules in order to learn from these situations. Davis and Yang (2005) note that logical consequences for breaking the rules “help students fix and learn from their mistakes while maintaining a safe and orderly classroom” (p. 125). This is why a strong sense of classroom community is needed; so that students can make choices, learn from their mistakes, and still be accepted by the rest of the group.
I will want my students to see and be accepting of others and understand that there are different perspectives than their own. I will have many goals for my students. Perhaps most importantly, I want them to find something that they are passionate about, and help them to explore that through education. If students can relate what we’re learning in school to something they feel strongly about, I believe that they will truly learn and understand the course material. In addition to this, I want my students to have a love of learning that stems beyond the classroom walls and into all facets of life.
I want the students in my classroom to be encouraged to reach their full potential, no matter what that is, and through any means necessary. I do not want to simply provide information to the students. I want them to learn through all activities, whether it be group work, individual work, hands-on activities, guided reading, read-alouds or whatever helps them to learn and be their best. I will use all types, genres, and styles of literature to make sure that every student in my class can use literature in the way that best works for them. The students deserve to learn in whatever manner they are most comfortable and able to learn, and it is my goal to help them achieve that.
Dr. Seuss once wrote in his book Horton Hears a Who, that “a person’s a person no matter how small” (p. 122). I agree with this statement wholeheartedly! Each person is different and unique in their own way, but that makes them no less of a person! My classroom will be filled with several different bodies and minds, each different from one another and from my own. However, like Sepon-Shevin (2010) notes, “Inclusion means we all belong. Inclusion means not having to fight for a chance to be part of a classroom or school community. Inclusion means that all children are accepted” (p. 9). This is the kind of classroom inclusion that I strive for.
In regards to management, it will be my goal to establish a caring community within the classroom where children feel accepted and respected enough to feel free to make mistakes. Children learn through their mistakes. I want students to be active members in the classroom; help create a set of classroom expectations, have choice in the activities we do, and be active members in their own learning. In my classroom, I want to be a facilitator and a guide, not a dictator. Kohn (2006) states that “the more we ‘manage’ students’ behavior and try to make them do what we say, the more difficult it is for them to become morally sophisticated people who think for themselves and care about others” (p. 62). By allowing children to have freedom to choose and act in the classroom, they practice self-regulation and autonomy.
In my classroom children will learn how to think critically and that each of their choices has logical and natural consequences. Taking a time-out for hitting a friend is not a natural consequence, whereas feeling guilty about hitting a friend, and having to confront that friend about why they did that, is a natural and logical consequence. It is important for children to make mistakes and break the rules in order to learn from these situations. Davis and Yang (2005) note that logical consequences for breaking the rules “help students fix and learn from their mistakes while maintaining a safe and orderly classroom” (p. 125). This is why a strong sense of classroom community is needed; so that students can make choices, learn from their mistakes, and still be accepted by the rest of the group.
I will want my students to see and be accepting of others and understand that there are different perspectives than their own. I will have many goals for my students. Perhaps most importantly, I want them to find something that they are passionate about, and help them to explore that through education. If students can relate what we’re learning in school to something they feel strongly about, I believe that they will truly learn and understand the course material. In addition to this, I want my students to have a love of learning that stems beyond the classroom walls and into all facets of life.