Teaching Philosophy Statement

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Teaching Philosophy Statement

“People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.” (Dale Carnegie) This quote best fits my views toward education. I feel that a majority of students, today, dread going to school and no longer look at it with a positive mentality. I believe this attitude toward schools is why overall grade performance has decreased and United States students rank lower when compared to students of foreign countries. I want to change all this, at least, in my classroom. I want to restore the positive energy and ambition that some students have lost in education. I want students in my classroom to thirst for new knowledge and have a productive and enjoyable time doing so. I personally believe that students, at all age levels, do their best work, and get more involved, when they are educated in an interesting, creative, and hands-on environment.

My aspect towards which philosophies to use in education is eclectic. I predominately agree with the Progessivist theory because it is student centered and perceives students as individuals. I believe that these individual needs should be expressed and accommodated in the classroom. I also feel its important for the educational environment to include a democratic process, where students have a chance to voice their opinions about the material they will learn and the rules that they must follow. I feel that when students help direct their own path, that they gain more respect in the classroom and increase their drive to learn. Another factor I’m akin to about using Progressivism in the classroom is that it is experience-centered and deals with actual problems that students face in life. I agree with John Dewey’s belief that students learn more by doing because it has meaning. An additional belief that Dewey and myself consider vital is that students should learn how to apply previously learned information and skills to solve new issues. This teaches students’ critical thinking skills and problem solving methods.

I also favor the Essentialist’s philosophy because it has a strong curriculum based around the traditional subjects of reading, math, and science. I think core curriculum furnishes students with a strong foundation, which they can build upon as they continue to learn.

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