Philosophy of Education

The whole notion of writing your personal philosophy of education may make your heart pump rapidly and find you questioning how one should even get started in this process. Below are the guidelines to provide you support and resources that can present you assistance.

Keep in mind that as you continue on with your studies and have more experiences within the education environments your philosophy of education will change. To provide a user-friendly (and less stressful) guide you will write your philosophy of education in four parts. In your essay, you should indicate (in a few paragraphs for each section) the following:

• The nature of learners
• Your role as a teacher
• Schools
• The role of others (administrators, parents, etc.)

Start your responses with I believe…

For example, do you believe that all students are capable of learning? Do the students in a classroom have something to contribute, or is it the teacher who is the primarily source of contributions? How do you believe that children learn best, through lecture, hands-on activities, a blend of methods, or through preselected district approved textbooks? What role should parents, administrators, and/or other members of society do to participate in the education of youth? Or do you believe that formal education should rely solely on teachers?

Start your responses with I value or my goal is to…

For example, what purpose does education have within our society and world? Are you focusing on their economic imprint, societal expectations, cultural presence, or controlling the education that takes place in your classroom by following the state standards? How will you determine what should and shouldn’t be taught to students? What do you expect children to gain knowledge of under your guidance? What are your behavioral expectations of your students? What rules will you enforce in the classroom? If a rule is broken, what will be the consequences?

Start your responses with I will…

For example, to provide new knowledge/skills to your students what method(s) will you use; lectures-direct instruction, cooperative learning groups, using problem-solving techniques, useability grouping, etc. How will these help you accomplish your goals in providing an education to your students? Have you read or experienced something that supports your belief? How will you set up your learning environment to encourage and support learning?

Finally, in keeping with the United Tribes Teacher Education slogan, you should bring to a close your philosophy of education paper by explaining how your philosophy reflects the theme “Creating Competent, Caring Teachers” by identifying teacher dispositions that effective teachers should possess.

For example, what teacher dispositions are a must to possess to be an effective educator? What traits of effective teachers will you possess and role model to your students?