Tabitha Williams

Foundations of Teaching

Philosophy of Education

Due: 12/2/16

                                       My Philosophy of Education

     Education, by dictionary definition, is “the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university.” Education is used to further the knowledge of human beings, developing their intelligence levels continuously. A school’s education system brings in people who have expert knowledge on a particular subject so they can teach what they know to others who don’t. A college education is to add additional information to an already known subject for someone, helping them use this knowledge to land a good and steady job they will enjoy. We need education because the world is constantly advancing and if we do not keep ourselves updated with all of the new information coming to us, our race will surely die out. As educators of this updating knowledge we must make sure that our students understand what we are trying to explain to them. We have to be aware that some students will not process the information right away as most others will, and they may need extra help understanding the subject. Educators jobs are to reassure that all students will get the information taught to them so they will be ready for the next level of education.

Diversity is seen in schools everywhere, which means students come from various different backgrounds, cultures or countries. When I teach I will have to keep in mind not every student will understand what I mean when I say, “Teddy bears were named after Theodore Roosevelt.” Some students will not know who Theodore Roosevelt was or what a teddy bear is. I will have to elaborate on certain things so that everyone, including students who are from other countries, understand what I’m teaching. If a student’s culture differs from traditional ‘American” culture of, for example, Christmas, where instead they are Jewish, I would have to take into consideration their culture when planning holiday festivities.

     I believe all children learn differently therefore different methods of teaching have to be applied so that all students understand the subject that’s being taught. Some children learn by seeing, others by doing and others by hearing. So as a teacher I would incorporate multiple ways to teach like first showing my students a presentation and then explaining the aspects of the topic, then ending with having my students do a hands-on activity to wrap up the information on the topic. By incorporating all three  parts of learning, I give my students three separate ways to retain the information I want them to learn. I would give my students the opportunity to ask questions before, in or after class, that way they know if they don’t understand something they are able to ask at anytime. I would assess my students by having them take tests and quizzes but I would design some sort of “study day” into my curriculum plan so that my students get a last minute study session where if they have last minute questions before the test, they can use the study day to ask about what they don’t understand.

If one student needs more time on a subject when the rest of the class is ready to move on, I would focus some time on helping them and see if they need additional help. If they do, I would set up time before or after class to help them get to the same level as the rest of class. The goal I want my students to achieve would be to learn, understand and retain the material I’m teaching them.

     If I’m teaching English to a secondary education class I don’t want to teach literary pieces from just American authors. I want to bring awareness to the diversity in writing from other authors around the globe. I would incorporate different literary works from separate countries into my curriculum so that my students will read them and see how the authors differentiate from one another by their use of language, style and the thematic issues they present.

     I believe my relationship with everyone I come in contact with through my teaching job will be professional yet personal at the same time. I want to keep the parents updated throughout the school year, so they know how their child is doing academically. I want to build a personal relationship with the parents so they know that I am serious about how well their child is doing and I’m dedicated to seeing their child succeed. I would ask my colleagues for teaching advice when I begin teaching and even after I’ve been at the school for a while because even as a teacher I can never stop learning.

     I think that anyone can teach but only certain people have the ability to teach well to where their students learn, understand and enjoy the subject that’s being taught. As a teacher I would have to consider many things when I teach like my student’s academic learning level, learning style, and ethnic background. I want my students to get the most out of what they’re being taught then I’ll know that my choice in becoming a teacher was the right one.