Educational Theories: Humanism and Constructivism

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Teachers in most schools today are expected to focus on fostering academic competence, and overlook the spiritual life of their students. Unless we teach in a private school that incorporates religion into the curriculum, it would be a challenge to include spirituality into the subject matter without violating the separation of church and state in the 1st Amendment of the United States Constitution.
The leadership of the educator is pivotal because ultimately “We teach who we are.” I believe those of us who are comfortable with our own spirituality will be able to integrate our faith in our pedagogy and be in a better position to make a lasting impact on the lives of our students. It is my desire as an educator, to inspire learning with creativity, enthusiasm, and motivation to help students mature to their fullest potential. Humanism and Constructivism are two of the major educational theories that correspond most, with the ideals of my personal philosophy of education.
The humanist educational theory is concerned with enhancing the innate goodness of the individual. It seeks ways to enhance the individual development of the student, which I believe fosters intrinsic motivation and stimulates a passion to learn. According to the humanist, education should be a process of developing a free, self-actualizing person. The teacher who follows humanistic theory emphasizes instruction and assessment based on student interests, abilities, and needs. A humanistic school environment is one in which the teacher and students share their thoughts, feelings, beliefs, fears, and aspirations with one another. I believe when students have ownership in the education process, they are motivated to work hard to master the skills necessary t...

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...reat sacrifice, but the rewards are everlasting! Living the Golden Rule benefits both, those who give and those who receive. Your life becomes more meaningful! You become a ray of light that draws people to you in a positive way; and in the end, you will experience a peace that surpasses your own understanding.
Having the Golden Rule as a family value has made my life less complicated. I learned in a philosophy class, that the Golden Rule is absolutely a way to use the Universal Law of Cause and Effect, which applies everywhere and in all things. The saying, "What goes around, comes around" or that giving and receiving are just the opposite sides of the same circle. This is basically true! Our actions and, or choices direct us through the cycle of life. If we believe and practice this principle much more diligently, the world would be a better place to live.

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