My Philosophy of Education :: Philosophy on Teaching Teachers Essays

My Philosophy of Education My philosophy of teaching is based on theories or ideas of philosophers and psychologists such as the Sophists, Plato/Socrates, Functionalists, Rousseau, Experimentalists, and Piaget as well as others. I will discuss my views on the nature of humans, the nature of knowledge, the purpose of education, the method in which I intend to conduct my classroom, the importance of library media in schools, as well as my plans of professional development. The nature of humans is a combination of both heredity and environment. Everyone has the ability to learn to some degree (Sophists). Piaget’s stages of cognitive development are to be considered when selecting materials for students of respective age groups. However, there are exceptions to the age ranges provided in Piaget’s stages. The Functionalists’ idea of one’s own choices, efforts, and merits directly effecting one’s success is good, but I feel other factors such as economic conditions, contribute to the outcome. As for the nature of knowledge, it is both relative and absolute. Knowledge is relative because views change, for example the concept that the Earth was the center of the universe was believed as fact at a particular time, but was disproved later. Mathematics is an example of absolute knowledge, because anytime you add the same numbers the answer is the same. I feel the purpose of education is to improve society by helping every individual reach his or her potential. I believe that every child is capable of success. As a teacher it will be my responsibility to find ways to help each child in my class achieve his or her greatest potential. I want to encourage my students, and instill a feeling of accomplishment and self-satisfaction. I hope my students will realize the untapped possibility of human potential. In my classroom, my teaching method will consist of hands-on activities, as I feel from personal experience that this is the most effective way to learn. I also know from personal experience that learning must be applicable to real life, so I intend show as much as possible the relationships between lessons and life. Some lecture will be required, but I intend to keep lecturing minimal and use the Socratic method of questioning. Discipline is essential in the classroom and in life. Discipline starts with rules, which should be reflective of the students’ input as well as any necessary regulations not covered by the students.