I believe the first purpose of education is to construct meaning from your experiences so as to determine how you fit into that experience and how that experience fits into the surrounding world. Therefore, school is a place where people can engage in new experiences, socialize with others who are developmentally similar to them, develop problem-solving strategies, and become exposed to tools and resources that can aid them in their quest for meaning in their lives. Since school is simply one piece of a person’s entire life, albeit a significant piece, a primary purpose of school is to promote learning as a life-long endeavor. Learning should not be a compartmentalized thing you do for a specific subject, or test, or period of time before you can then move onto your real life.

I believe that learning is an active process that everyone participates in whether they realize it or not. We begin learning from the day we are born through our experiences in living and coming to understand how those experiences impact and affect us. Initially, learning is not a formal, but rather an informal process we engage in to grow and develop into functioning humans. Because of this, I believe that creativity, new discoveries and experiences are essential to the learning process and therefore, need to be essential in a formal, school environment.

    Since learning is such an integral part of our everyday lives, I believe a teacher needs to take into account the whole child in the learning process. This includes the intellectual, personal, social and physical development of a child. Basic development includes physical, gross-motor, fine-motor, language, social and emotional skills. Depending on the age of the child, basic activities will differ. This is why awareness of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) is critical so as to set goals and choose activities that are realistic, yet engaging and promote growth. Additionally, recognizing that every child is unique, and is at his or her own stage of development, it is crucial to choose activities that are challenging, yet not outside his or her DAP range. 

As an elementary teacher, I also need to be aware of children’s personal development of self-concept and self-esteem. These areas are constantly being manipulated and altered in children based on both external and internal factors. Parents, peers, teachers and the media play a vital role in how children perceive themselves including what they think they are good at and what they want to learn. The perceptions they develop at a young age will affect their academic choices for the rest of their lives. To promote a positive perception of themselves, I want to provide authentic learning tasks that promote self-efficacy and from which they can construct meaning for themselves and their lives. I also want to constantly check in on how they feel about what they are learning to ensure they find it relevant, meaningful, and worthwhile. They need to be satisfied with the materials and with their learning or they will lose their intrinsic interest in learning. Providing positive, accurate feedback is essential. Additionally, assessing students using multiple methods, such as projects, tests, papers and self-evaluation will offer them more instances to see their own abilities. I hope every child will discover his or her own self-worth in my class.

Overall, I believe children learn best when in an emotionally safe environment where students are encouraged and validated. I want learning to be based on a community of diverse people of all ages, stages and backgrounds where everyone’s unique talents and perspectives are valuable. I believe in the power of education and the positive affect it can have on every single person’s quality of life. Therefore, my role as the mature member of a community of learners is to act as a model. This includes respecting others, believing in everyone’s abilities, promoting engaging activities where everyone can participate and is valued, and demonstrating my belief that everyone is learning new things throughout their entire life.

Additionally, I want to continue to foster this sense of community by using cooperative learning groups, promoting inquiry, discovery, and group investigative learning activities. Young children are inquisitive and excited about life. They want to touch things, go places, and examine what interests them. I want to promote this natural enthusiasm and challenge it with new ideas and expectations. It is important to me that children not lose this quality because they are in school. Rather, school should encourage and deepen this quality. As adults, they have an even greater need to learn by asking questions, digging in to find answers, and finally coming to conclusions. Learning is a process, not simply an end-product, and oftentimes, the process of doing something is where the true meaning is found.

I believe children learn best when they are part of a community that promotes discovery. Competing against each other, or comparing them to a single standard, stifles innate interest in learning. Therefore, a classroom where competition is limited, and emphasizing each child’s unique experiences and contributions will promote learning and allow them to make their own, meaningful connections. Then reading, writing and math become tools for more learning rather than the end-product of learning. Children also benefit from an environment in which they feel they have some choice and control over what and how they learn. I want to encourage my students to be active participants in the learning process. I believe course objectives can be better met in an environment that incorporates students’ interest and needs into the classroom. This means I must work to discover them and strive to accommodate them in lessons.

As a teacher, part of my role is to always be striving to meet every child’s needs. Understanding the general stage they are in will aid me in determining what is challenging and meaningful to them. Treating each child as an individual, with unique needs and abilities, is essential and will promote a positive learning environment. Advocating for what is best for the whole child, not just the intellectual or social or physical or emotional child is also part of my role. If a child’s basic needs, such as food and a safe place to live, are not being met, then the rest of the child will be neglected. The different parts of the child are not compartmentalized but are interdependent. The same holds true for a child whose native language is not English. This child’s needs are different than the needs of a native English speaker. You cannot focus only on a child’s academic growth because the social, emotional and physical growth will demand your attention. Additionally, advocating for positive, healthy school environments, with excellent equipment and textbooks, and void of unnecessary stresses is essential.

As a teacher, I believe all students can and want to learn. I also believe in the value of school. Therefore, I will have high expectations for every student’s achievement. I am committed to working with every student to help him or her define what achievement is, set challenging and realistic goals, create activities and situations that promote success of those goals, and support and celebrate with them through the process. Sometimes teaching approaches will be direct. Other times inquiry and discovery learning will be used. It is my hope that no matter what teaching method I use, or the subject mattered covered, or whether we are working on the basics or a complex problem, I will strive to provide relevant, authentic tasks that truly promote learning.

My philosophy of education is a work-in-progress with which I consistently reflect upon so as to align my actual teaching methods. My love for children, my belief in the innate desire we all have to learn, and my confidences in the value of education are some of my strongest characteristics as a teacher. It is my hope that these same characteristics will help me stay true to my ideals.