My Educational Philosophy: Educating students today for a better tomorrow-the "why" of education

The process of learning requires a goal. If there is no goal, then why bother learning? Every day, people process information that increases their learning. Even babies who cannot talk yet are learning each day how to eat, see, sleep, and move independently. If learning is so prevalent, then it must be concluded that learning is vital to life. While learning can be accomplished independently, it is true that people rely on each other for optimal learning and living. Therefore, education is necessary. Education is defined as “a process of teaching, training, and learning, especially in schools or colleges, to improve knowledge and develop skills” (OLD, 2020). Teaching and training implies the need to be taught. But why? People need to be taught to not only survive but thrive in life. Thriving is necessary for functioning in a society. Only good citizens can truly function in society, so it is imperative for people to learn how to be a good citizen. In order to truly learn what society considers a good citizen, people need to be taught their society’s values and systems. In today’s world, it is also valuable to be taught other society’s values and systems since people are far more connected and integrated than in the ancient world. Education should ultimately produce model citizens.

Philosophy of Education

Schooling should seek to produce young adults equipped to contribute to their communities as valuable citizens to their community and, ultimately, their country. Each state holds to qualities that make its community unique. If children in that community are to one day be adult citizens of that community and contributing back to the community, it is best for their schooling to adhere to cultural distinctives of that community (Ornstein et. al., Ch. 7.4). Therefore, it is important for schools to remain primarily under the authority of each individual state instead of primarily under federal authority. Federal involvement, however, is still important. The Supreme Court holds power over all the states regarding what is legal in schools, and the government also supplies states with federal funding for various school operations (Ornstein et. al., Ch. 7.4a). Private schools also benefit from federal and state involvement. It is because of various state and federal laws and policies that private and religious schools are still able to operate and issue state recognized diplomas (Ornstein et. al., Ch. 7.5). While a heavier emphasis is made on the local community and state-level authority over schools, it is also important for federal organizations like the US Department of Education to impact schools. If the ultimate goal is for schools to produce productive citizens in the country, then there needs to be some form of unity in fundamental beliefs across the country. Teachers should share the goal to produce effective citizens, and parents ought to support teachers’ efforts to fulfill their task.

Professional Practice

Teachers should include all learning modalities in order to produce well-rounded individuals (Navarro et. al., 2020, p. 205). Teachers should not tailor all instruction to the learning style that best suits the group of students, because the one flaw to truly assessing learning styles is personal preference rather than actual ability (Kirschner, 2016). Many students may be highly capable of achieving certain scores in a subject or might learn well naturally one way, but if they do not enjoy the subject or the medium of learning then their grade will suffer. Instructional practices should vary weekly while still providing some consistency. Strategies and activities should also be age appropriate but challenge the students for the next level. I believe learning is loud, especially in today’s generation of learners. Due to the influx of technology, more people are equipped with finding the answers rather than problem-solving and analyzing. Fewer people hold conversations face-to-face anymore. Therefore, the greatest and most effective way to learn is to work with others and hold discussions (Clinton & Kelly, 2017). Researching and talking with others are the best ways to arrive at truth. Students that are engaged and hold ownership of their assignments are the ones who learn the most (Clinton & Kelly, 2017). For high school students especially, interactive lectures, Socratic seminars and group assignments due at the end of class with designated roles for each group member increases the likelihood of student learning. These practices combine many of the key elements of the realism and pragmatism philosophies of education (Ornstein, 2017).

Educator-Learner Relationships

To be educators implies that they have previously been educated. Not only have they been educated in order to thrive in society by contributing as a model citizen, but they have been specifically trained to better educate others. Even though it has been established that learning happens naturally and individually, certain aspects of learning require assistance. In a world with high demands and specific expectations for citizens and their roles in certain occupations or communities, it is even more helpful (and necessary) to have someone equipped to teach someone in those specific expectations and roles. The learner must be willing to be taught and believe they need the help from an educator. Without this humility—willful submission—the most effective learning will not occur. Both should treat each other with respect while also acknowledging their proper roles. Educators are more knowledgeable and experienced, regardless of age in many situations, which earns them the right to exercise authority. The learner, once recognizing their need to be taught, should then accept the authority figure.

Diversity

Educators should promote diversity in their classrooms and curriculum. It is important to focus on the local community, but even a small community can be comprised of multiple ethnicities and cultures that creates its own unique culture. Students need to learn about the different cultures of the individuals that they already, and may in the future, encounter. Helping students see themselves in their learning encourages them to believe in themselves and fight against any kind of stereotypes, oppression and self-degradation. Teachers should regularly include key individuals and events of various ethnicities in the instruction and choices for assessments. Required and choice learning of diversity better prepares students to be model citizens in their own local community as well as their country and the world (Ornstein, 2017).

Content Philosophy

I believe the best way to teach English at the middle and high school levels is holistically. In life, if people must first learn what something is, then how it functions and why it is necessary, why not teach English the same way? First, teach a vocabulary word or a literary concept and what it means. Then teach how it functions and how it is used in literature and how to recognize it in literature. Once students know what something is, can recognize it and even use it through replication, then they are capable of discussing why it is important to the literature. Oftentimes, a holistic approach to teaching English is confused with a novel-based approach, although they are similar. English teachers should start with the students’ existing foundational knowledge from elementary school that primarily reached proficiency in the what and how levels of learning. A short interactive lecture or engaging activity could be used to reinforce the what, and then throughout reading a particular novel the students can practice the how of learning through various discussions, activities, group assignments, presentations, scavenger hunts and more. Occasionally during the novel but especially at the end of the novel should the teacher lead the why level of learning.

Conclusion

Students need education in order to be effective citizens. Education specifically focuses on areas that are not normally learned by natural means, like religion and economics and government and types of communication. Education also teaches life skills that may be specifically required for certain roles within a community. The learning achieved by individual means or with the help of parents and other authority figures should not be overlooked or diminished. It is, however, important to recognize the necessity for learning and education, especially to thrive in today’s world.

References

Clinton, V. & Kelly, A. (2017). Student attitude toward group discussions. Active Learning in Higher

Education. Accessed 29 November, 2020: DOI: 10.1177/ 1469787417740277

Kirschner, P. (2016). Stop propagating the learning styles myth. ELSEVIER: Computers & Education 106.

Accessed 28 November, 2020: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2016.12.006

Navarro, O., Anguita, J., & Gonzalez, A. (2020). Motivation of university students towards the use of

information and communication technologies and their relation to learning styles. IJET 15(15).

Accessed 28 November, 2020: https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v15i15.14347%0d

Ornstein, A., Levine, D., Gutek, G., & Vocke, D. (2017). Foundations of Education. Cengage Learning.