For the past few weeks I have been struggling with an assignment for my art class. I was required to write my philosophy of education, but keep it confined to one page.
(See my previous post)
It took a while, but I was able to write a one page version on my philosophy of education.
I still struggle with this assignment. Confining this to one page, "
One that you might want to take into an interview" as my professor said, seems counter productive.
Maybe one day it will make sense.
Enjoy!
Assignment Five
#5 PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION Write a brief description of what your purpose is in becoming a teacher. This should be no longer than one page.
My purpose in education is to make the world a better place while answering an internal call to service. I believe that most of the social issues that drag down society can be reduced or eliminated by providing all children with a quality education. I strongly believe that all children can learn and be successful in school.
I am called to education to be an agent of change. Problem solving, project based learning, differentiation, and inquiry are common elements of my classroom. Teacher-centric instruction, the “sage on the stage” model, does not exist in my learning environment. I am a facilitator, an “educational travel guide” who helps student learn to think, reason, question, and experiment. Learning by doing, solving problems, and collaborating with others are the backbone of my educational philosophy.
Because children learn in different ways, they must be taught in different ways. Instruction must be presented using a variety of approaches so that the multiple intelligences of the students are engaged. My method of instruction includes hands-on activities, music, visual arts, reading, writing, and collaboration. I do my best to provide what each child needs; whether it is a quiet place, access to technology, the ability to move freely, or an alternate method of displaying mastery of an objective.
I believe that the unwritten curriculum of building social skills is just as important as state standards. Building community, conflict resolution, and learning to work together will always take a high priority in my classroom. My purpose as an educator is to teach and nurture the whole child, not just increase his or her test scores.
4/20/11 update: I received the equivalent of an A+ grade on my one page submission. :-)
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