Philosophy of Education 1st Draft

Hello Ladies!
I am thankful to have each of you look at my POE.  I was writing and am feeling uncertain about my 1st draft.  I am struggling with having to include references to something that is supposed to be personal and a living, breathing document that will assist me in my career.  Please give me as much feedback as you feel necessary.  THANKS!!!! Miriam

Philosophy of Education

Miriam Copeland

July 5, 2011

EDUC 2250 – Foundations in Learning

Education was always priority in my home growing up.  We were expected to learn and do well in school.  My parents were always there to push, prod and help whenever needed; even when the information being taught was beyond their abilities.  I was taught to value an individual based on their merits and decisions they chose to make and not by their skin color or ethnicity.  I believe that every person has value and therefore has something to offer.  Every student has the right to receive a good quality education regardless of race, color, gender, ethnicity, location, and socioeconomic status.  A good education is one that prepares them for their future, regardless of what that future might be.  Based on the way I was socialized, I believe that students in my classroom will be impacted in a positive way that is conducive to learning.  Though I have high expectations and values, due to believing in the worth of each individual, my students will benefit.  My desire is to be a teacher that positively impacts all the children in my classroom, ones that are similar to me personally and those that are not, and to challenge every student academically, both those who struggle and for those to whom learning comes easy.

            Teaching is a very important role in society.  Teachers are adults that have direct connection and impact on the next generation.  Though teachers enter the education field to focus on the learning of students, the nature of the job requires a teacher to take on different roles: role models, instructors, friends, authority figures, counselors, and coaches, to only name a few.  A teacher needs to be someone the students can look up to and respect not someone who distracts, leads a student in a negative direction, or potentially harms a child.  A teacher must realize that the life they lead will be one similar to a fishbowl.  Parents, students, and society will all be looking in to not only ensure proper education but also the well being of children.  My desire is to be an individual to look up to.  One that portrays herself well and causes children to want to be like her: That the way I portray myself to my students causes them to want to learn.  My job is to be my best and give my best to every student I have contact with.  I have high expectations for my students and thus will have high expectations for myself- both personally and professionally.  Ultimately, I want to impart to each student that we all have choices in life; what decisions we make with those choices and how we implement them will determine our personal future and our academic future. 

            My goals as a teacher will be to expand student knowledge and assist them in achieving their greatest potential and to prepare the next generation for a future that can be applicable on a local, national and global scale, regardless of what that future the student may choose.   To achieve success I first need to look at my students and then look at teaching methods, parental involvement, and professional collaboration. 

In New Mexico the needs and cultures of each student will be very broad.  The state of New Mexico is extremely diverse and is overall considered poor.  My students will be impacted by their culture, race and socioeconomic status.  New Mexico incorporates Native American populations, Hispanic and Latino populations, Asian, African American, and Anglo populations.  This diversity requires a teacher to be willing to understand and work with each of these groups without causing the others to feel neglected.   By understanding different cultures (making the effort to know basic information and differences that are important to each culture -such as eye contact, focusing on self achievement, etc.) and culturally responsive teaching a teacher can ensure the classroom is a place where the conduits of cultural characteristics, experiences, and perspectives of ethnically diverse students allow for teaching more effectively (Gay, 2002).  Along with understanding students’ culture, a teacher needs to understand the child’s home life.  If a student is from a family where basic necessities are not always provided (food, clothing, shelter) their focus on education will not always be the priority.  Understanding a student’s beginnings can be challenging to overcome and will ultimately assist a teacher in meeting the overall learning needs of the classroom.  It is also important to gaining the cooperation of parents.  I believe that most parents want what is best for their child and to see their child succeed.  I plan on having portfolios of my students and will strive for parent contact of all children not just those that are in trouble or in need of extra assistance.  This will allow parents to be more involved in their child’s school process and allow them to see their child’s progress.   

            It seems that today many students have been passed to the next grade even though they are missing the essential building blocks of learning.  In order for a student to have a successful academic career, these building blocks must be learned so they can be built upon in subsequent grades.  As an elementary school teacher, that responsibility belongs to me.  A classroom atmosphere is to be inviting and not distracting so a student has the best opportunity to learn.  Students need to feel comfortable, respected and appreciated in the classroom.  I intend to focus on each child, meet them where they are at (personally and academically), and understand their personal background.  These factors will assist me in understanding the way a student will learn and what might be affecting that learning process.  At that point, teaching the basic tenets of learning and keeping the information interesting is the challenge and will be addressed in methods used in the classroom.

            The methods I will use in my classroom will be a blend of traditional and constructivist methods with an integrated curriculum.  By beginning with high (but realistic) expectations, the stage for success will be set.  Snowman et al. (2009) indicates that a teacher’s expectations can propel a student to success but the effects can have both a negative and positive outcome (page 154).  In New Mexico, state standards are given and will guide what information is presented and taught at each grade level.  On way I intend to give the students the expectations is by presenting the actual standard(s) to the student.  Once a student knows the standard the focus will then shift from peer comparison to student-standard evaluation.  In order to teach these standards, I intend to provide students with different activities that will capture many different learning styles (worksheets, small group instruction, individual practice, group response practice, guided practice, etc.) and also integrating technology through the use of computers.  In order to provide students with small successes and build up their knowledge and self-esteem, I will present information in a variety of ways and thus target different learning styles and allow the students to succeed scholastically and personally and ultimately propel them to success.  I find it to be important to have students experience what they are learning and incorporate real life examples of the information thus incorporating constructivist methods.  Providing hands-on activities and experiments that supplement the information allows a student to have a greater chance of grasping the concept being taught through the textbooks and lectures.  Integrating curriculum is an effective way to keep learning interesting and incorporate standards across subject areas.  It also enables students to see the big picture, to understand the topic’s relevance and real-life context, and to engage in higher-order thinking skills (Drake, 2001).

            A final way for my goals to be reached will be through professional collaboration.  I feel that in order to succeed, I need to rely and draw from the experiences of those who have gone before me.  By noting the successful methods, the teaching styles and classroom set up, I can try many different ways to see what will work for me and my students.  Along the same lines, through critically reflective practice, I will asses what works best for me and my students.  Teaching is both a science and an art.  Though I will have the knowledge to teach to my students, the art portion can be tested and tried by observing other teachers and being flexible in my own classroom. 

            Through the methods mentioned, soliciting parental involvement by keeping them informed, recognizing the need for diversity and implementing culturally responsive teaching, teaching the standards through an integrated curriculum, students’ knowledge will be expanded, they will reach their greatest potential personally, and will be prepared for their future.

References

Drake, S. M. (2001). Castles, Kings...and Standards. Educational Leadership, 59(1), 38. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Guskey, T. R. (2001).  Helping Standards Make the GRADE. Educational Leadership, 59(1), 20. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Jung, L., & Guskey, T. R. (2007). Standards-Based Grading and Reporting. Teaching Exceptional Children, 40(2), 48-53. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Snowman, J., & McCown, R., & Biehler, R. (2009). Psychology Applied to Teaching. Boston, MA:  Houghton Mifflin Company.