Philosophy of Education

*I believe the purposes of education are to teach people how to become productive members of society.  By learning literacy, math, history, science, social science, and similar subjects people gain the skills needed to be informed critical thinkers and to provide for themselves.  It is also important to learn social skills and moral values.  A man who is smart but has poor moral character can become dangerous to society.  Truly the goal of education is to teach people to be critical thinkers and have high morals and values.  This will make our society a stronger, better, and safer place to live.

*I believe that children learn best when they are taught under certain conditions and in certain ways. Children learn through play, experimentation, and example.  Play involves creativity and imagination.  Play is fun, active, and spontaneous.  Through play children develop physically, emotionally, and mentally.  Play assists children in learning skills, establishing self-identity, and creating social relationships. Through experimentation children learn firsthand about choices and consequences.  In a safe controlled environment children can push boundaries without serious repercussions.  For example, a four year old who takes something from his friend then has the opportunity to learn that it is not acceptable to do that and that actions have consequences.  An adult that makes that mistake can be thrown in jail.  So it is very important that children have the opportunity to explore and learn from mistakes when they are young.  Another way children learn is through example.  As a mother I can tell my children all day how they should act, but then I turn around and see them mimicking me.  As teachers it is so important that we model the behavior we expect from our students.

*The curriculum, all of the activities and experiences, of my classroom should include certain "basics" that contribute to children's social, emotional, intellectual and physical development. These basics include learning in all modalities.  I do not want my students to just sit in one spot and listen to me talk.  They need to experience it in every way possible.  To touch, move, see, hear, and explain the lessons they have learned.  This will insure an optimal learning experience where students understand and internalize their learning. 

*Children learn best in an environment that promotes learning. A good learning environment is organized and individualized to fit the needs of the students.  An organized environment is the foundation to create a positive learning environment.  Learning cannot take place amidst confusion. Students require consistency, enforced rules, established schedules, and a clean organized classroom. The children must be taught to put things away quickly and correctly.  There must be established locations for coats, back packs, lunch bags, and school supplies.  They must have accessible organized spaces for pencils, papers, and crayons.  Children must be familiar with the routines for cleaning up and putting things away. These organizational plans are the foundation to create a positive learning environment.

*All children have certain needs that must be met if they are to grow and learn at their best. Some of these basic needs are structure and consistent consequences.  Children naturally test limits and push boundaries.  When there are structure and consistent consequences children find a sense of security and understanding.  Children react well when they know exactly what is expected of them.  When they understand the exactly what will happen when they choose to act appropriately and when they know exactly what will happen when they act inappropriately they learn to make better choices. I would meet these needs by developing clear nonnegotiable rules and consequences for following rules and breaking them.  I think this should be done on the first day of class.  Speak to the children about rules they think are important.  Ask what the consequences should be if the rules are obeyed.  Ask what the consequences should be if the rules are broken. Help guide the discussion then when all the rules are established post the written rules somewhere where they can be seen and remembered.  Then be consistent in fairly and justly enforcing rules.

*A teacher should have certain qualities and behave in certain ways. Qualities I think important for teaching are fair, loving, and tough.  It is important that children know that you care about them.  Treat students with respect. This does not mean go easy on them.  Some of my favorite teachers growing up were teachers who expected a lot and gave very difficult work.  But I knew they cared about me personally.  They were tough but they believed in me and they gave me the tools and the confidence I needed to succeed.  They were fair.  They did not demand anything of me that they would not be willing to do themselves.  I think those are very important qualities to have as a teacher.

The qualities I have that will help me be a successful teacher are the skills I developed when I was studying to be a Music Therapist. I finished all my coursework but never did an internship so I didn’t receive my degree. I used to feel that these years of school were a waste. However after spending time around children and in schools I realized that I did not just memorize facts and pass classes then move on with my life.  Those classes became part of who I am and I still use knowledge and skills I learned in the music therapy program.  For example, my training and experiences with child victims of domestic violence gives me unique insight on how to spot warning signs and how to assist troubled children. I spent several months working with special needs children, assisting in the development and implementation of individualized education programs.  I realize that I now find myself automatically assessing each child, asking questions like “Where is this child developmentally?” and “What do they need to get to the next level?”  I think these previously learned knowledge and skills will assist me immensely as a teacher.

The qualities I feel that I need to develop to be a successful educator are greater patience and stress management skills.  I feel I need to learn to be calmer and allow things to roll off my back more easily.  I understand that being a teacher is not an easy job.  There will be times and there will be students that try my patience.  Now is the time for me to prepare so I am able to effectively deal with those challenges.  Another thing I think I need to develop is more basic classroom teacher skills.  I need to observe great teachers and develop the skills to become a great teacher.