Chris Gordon
MLED 402.001
DD
Teaching Philosophy
A Mosaic of Philosophies
My philosophy of education is more a mosaic using different ideas from several of the major philosophies. Essentialism is the first I have incorporated because I believe that children should learn at least the basic major subjects in school because one subject overlaps another, and so forth. Without knowledge in other subjects, such as statistics, a student may not grasp a concept that the teacher is attempting to portray in their science classroom. I believe that teachers need to teach in an increasing more difficult method and build their knowledge like stairs with a broad understanding on the bottom and more complex steps and the move up in their education.
Another piece in my mosaic philosophy of education is progressivism. This is based on my own experiences with education and how I felt that I understood more and could relate how a subject was important in my life if a teacher intertwined numerous real life activities. Therefore, if you put in examples about why this is important in their everyday lives I believe that they will strive to gain a better understanding about themselves and their environment.
Idealism should be a part in the classroom because I believe that each teacher is responsible in facilitating character development and citizenship in their classrooms. Students may not feel like a big piece in the country that they live in, however they are still citizens in their school and community and should learn responsibility based on their actions in that smaller community. Teachers are also responsible for helping students develop character in their classrooms through a system of rewards and consequences. To me this would take the form of tests and homework. If a student tries and does well on their understanding they should be rewarded with a good grade because the effort and initiative was clearly displayed in their work. This builds character and confidence in themselves because if they work hard and acquire knowledge then they will remember the good feelings they received with a good grade and will continue to strive for that understanding.
The last theory I believe should be included in my mosaic of different philosophies is existentialism. This philosophy is included because I do not believe that any teacher can incorporate just one of these philosophies into their classroom. As educators we need to provide a stable environment for our students to come and learn in. Existentialists also believe in critical thinking and the ability to see life as a whole or in little pieces. Engaging students in a classroom is vital because these students should be able to grasp an understanding about one subject and then apply it critically to other points of emphasis throughout their lives.