Abstract
Learning never ends and our education system is consistently progressing and
developing. Children are learning and growing every day and it is a teachers role to guide them
and educate them along their journey. The main focus of this essay is to share my personal
position on the philosophy of education and explain why it is a necessary and vital way to view
education. You will read about educational theory, philosophy and types of research conducted
in the field of education. The main goal of education is to teach children tools, skills and
knowledge that will help them be successful in society and life. However, educating children
must be done in a safe, nurturing and supportive environment that plant the seeds of education as
they grow, develop and learn.
Introduction
The seeds teachers plant in students minds has a lasting impact on how they learn, how
they understand and view the environment they live in, and who they choose to become. A
teachers influence in a student’s life and their education creates a lasting impact and difference in
the quality of their education and how they learn. Teachers have a responsibility and duty to
teach, guide and support children’s education and also nurture and care for their emotions and
personal development. Teachers are responsible for teaching in many more ways than just
teaching the curriculum in their lesson plans. Teachers are role models and examples in the
classroom and in the community. In addition to educating students in the classroom, teachers
must guide and challenge students to think for themselves, develop good morals and standards,
have strong values, display good citizenship, and to develop skills to help them in life and their
future education. Teachers are planting the seeds of self-confidence, curiosity, strength and
education in the minds of students that will continuously grow and develop into successful
members of society.
Philosophy of Schools & Learning
Each and every educator who accepts the role and responsibility of being a teacher should
reflect on why they want to be an educator. As educators we must ask ourselves, what difference
can we make as a teacher? What seeds can I plant, nurture, water, and watch grow in my
students? Gutek says that philosophical reflection causes us to think deeply and profoundly about
meaning in the world, in our country and in our schools (Gutek, 2013). A teachers philosophy of
schools and learning is important to their personal character and pedagogy as a teacher. A
teacher should understand that the purpose of having schools in our communities is to give
children the opportunity to learn and receive an education while being supported by teachers who
care about them and their learning experiences. Schools must have a safe and supportive learning
environment for children to learn and grow as individual students, a classroom and as a school. It
is essential to understand that children learn and understand educational content and social
situations differently and at different rates.
Each students situation and circumstance are unique and deserve recognition and
understanding in order to develop plans, theories and instructional strategies that will help them
learn and be successful. Schools must have adequate programs in place to ensure children of all
learning levels receive resources to aid their education. Schools must also have a variety of
teachers who practice many learning styles, theories, techniques and strategies to help educated a
variety of students and their learning needs. Personally, I believe in many learning theories and
find myself sorting through the educational perspectives from each type of theory when
assessing the educational curriculum compared to the needs of the student. Essentialism is an
important theory to implement to establish a strong foundation in traditional education core
topics like reading, writing, history, English, science and mathematics. However, progressivism
can be an extension to that strong foundation by educating students according to their needs and
interests through engaging activities and projects. There needs to be different learning theories
used by educators in schools to ensure students are learning in a way that is beneficial to their
learning style.
Instructional Practice
Instructional practices and teaching strategies must align with the way students learn to
effectively teach the educational curriculum and content and have it be absorbed and understood
by the student. Some teachers have teaching strategies and practices that work for some students
but to not work for other students. Some students can learn from one type of teacher and the
teaching style or teaching strategy, where other students may not understand or grasp the
teaching strategy or style. This is very common and is a growing problem in schools today.
Teachers need to remember that our job as educators is to create and harbor the desire to learn in
students. “The role of the teacher is pivotal in guiding students to critically reflect and
compassionately consider the ideas, examples and associated feelings of others as well as their
own” (D’Olimpio & Peterson, 2018). Educators must create instructional strategies and practices
that interest and engage students into the content.
Instructional practices that I will implement in my future classroom will first and most
importantly be establishing and building a strong teacher-learner relationship with my students.
According to Bullard & Bullock, current research supports that when teachers focus on
relationship building and promote respectful interactions with their students, they show more
effort and willingness to work collaboratively on goals and projects and are better at solving
problems (Bullard & Bullock, 2004). My students will know that I am a strong support for them,
and that my door is open for anything they need to discuss, personal and educational. My
classroom will be a safe environment for my students to learn, grow, and express themselves in a
respectful and kind manner.
Additional teaching strategies and practices include lesson planning, direct explicit
instruction, modeling, hand on learning activities, assessments and reflection. Reflection is a
strong strategy and practice to determine how the class and each student is understanding the
lesson content, making connection and applying it correctly in the assignments and assessments.
Reflecting and evaluating the students’ progress, assignments and assessments will help develop
future lessons and instruction and determine if there needs to be differentiation or lesson and
content changes or adjustments. Another practice and strategy I will use in my classroom to stay
connected to my students individually will be conducting observations and one on one
conferences with each student, engaging in meaningful conversations about their education and
their learner needs.
Teacher-Learner Relationships
The teacher-learner relationship is arguably the most important relationship in a students
education journey. The teacher is responsible to guide, support and educate the student as they
learn and grow in the classroom educationally, socially and emotionally. The student is to learn,
grow, gain knowledge and skills to help them become successful in their future personally and
professionally. Teachers are to teach but also have the important and challenging job to support
and educate learners in ways that help them progress and learn individual. However, learners
must demonstrate a desire and willingness to learn. A students understanding and perception of
the educational content they are taught and who they are being taught by influence how they
learn (Schut et al., 2020). Students learn in different ways and the teacher must acknowledge,
address and assess the correct methods and instruction strategies to help with that differentiation.
When a teacher focuses on a specific teaching strategy that works for them and does not focus on
the needs of the learner, negative relationships can form and hinder the progress of the learner
and student. When a teacher is supportive to a learners needs and learning styles, a relationship is
formed that creates a safe learning environment where the planted seeds of education can grow
and blossom.
Diversity
Diversity is all around us, in our country, in our communities and in our schools and even
including in ourselves as educators. We all come from different countries, cultures, religions,
communities, demographics and economic backgrounds. Our spoken languages, body languages,
perceptions and understandings are so vast and different from one another that it is important to
approach each other with an open mind and heart, especially children. Most of the time a child’s
world is only as open or big as what they have been shown or taught in their home environment
with their parents. Students come from so many different environments and situations, so it is
our job as educators to be the first line workers in assessing their diverse needs. Those needs can
be education, social or emotional. Diversity needs to be met with inclusion and acceptance in
the classroom and in the school to help all students and staff feel comfortable, safe and
supported.
As educators, we must work to provide an inclusive and diverse learning environment in
the classroom by incorporating multi-cultural and diverse literature, books, text, images and
music that can help students feel connection and positivity to their personal experiences and
lives. All students in the classroom weather diverse or not will learn and benefit from the diverse
and multicultural content and expand their knowledge of the world and diversity around them.
Representing all demographics, cultures and diverse backgrounds creates a learning environment
and atmosphere that enhances and promotes learning and inclusion for every student.
Conclusion
In conclusion, teachers have the most important and vital role in a students life to plant
the seeds of education and self confidence in a child’s mind. Teachers are a student’s first
interaction and perception of education, learning and school so it must be done correctly from the
start. An educator must be willing to be continuously educated themselves by learning new
teaching strategies and practices that will help them teach students in the way they learn. It is a
great honor and responsibility to teach Gods children and lead them in the way they should go. In
Proverbs 22:6, we read “Teach children the way they should go, and even when they are old they
will not turn form it” (NIV, 2011). Let us pray and work steadfast to teach and educate Gods
children with all our might, mind and strength to ensure they are given the best education that
suits their individual growth. As an educator my education philosophy is that I can be an
influence in a student life by planting the seeds of learning, knowledge and curiosity while
nurturing and supporting them as they learn, grow, and blossom into the who they are meant to
become.
References
Bullard, J., & Bullock, J. R. (2004). Building Relationships through Cooperative
Learning.Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education,25(1), 39-48.
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-
journals/building-relationships-through-cooperative/docview/881465369/se-2
D’Olimpio, L., & Peterson, A. (2018). The ethics of narrative art: Philosophy in schools,
compassion and learning from stories.HJournal of Philosophy in Schools,H5(1).
https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/phil_article/53/
Gutek, G. L. (2013). Philosophical, Ideological, and Theoretical Perspectives on Education (2nd
ed.). Pearson Education (US).
https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com/books/9780133472448
Proverbs 22:6 NIV - - Bible Gateway. (2011). Www.biblegateway.com.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+22%3A6&version=NIV
Schut, S., van, T. J., Driessen, E., van der, V. C., & Sylvia, H. (2020). Understanding the
influence of teacher–learner relationships on learners’ assessment perception.Advances
in Health Sciences Education,25(2), 441-456. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-019-
09935-z
Sousa, D. A., & Tomlinson, C. A. (2018). Differentiation and the brain : how neuroscience
supports the learner-friendly classroom (Second edition.). ASCD.
Wartenberg, T. E. (2014).HBig ideas for little kids : Teaching philosophy through children's
literature. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Incorporated.
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