As an undergraduate I
developed a philosophy of education that seemed destined for the hall of fame
for using educational jargon. A lot has
changed since then as I have realized that the purpose of an educational
philosophy is not to sound overly intelligent, but more so to attach personal
meaning to the teaching and learning process.
Since developing that first philosophy, many aspects of education has
changed. From the introduction of high
stakes testing to the proliferation of technology, it is important that
educational philosophies evolve along with changes in education.
The newest version of my
educational philosophy is grounded in the use of research-based learning
theories and the use of technology to support content instruction. As a first grade teacher it is important to
develop students awareness of their role in the classroom and to establish behavior
that will lead to academic success in subsequent years. Because of this, I firmly believe in the
behaviorist theory for establishing a disciplined classroom where students are
rewarded for positive behavior and students receive consequences and positive
reinforcement for negative behaviors.
Behaviorism also applies to my instruction. I try to constantly reinforce learning and
participation with praise and rewards.
However, most of my instruction is centered around cognitive learning
theory. This means that my students are
active in developing understanding and knowledge. Because so many students bring differing experiences
to the classroom, it is important to provide experiences that will allow
students to reconsider their previous experiences.
There are aspects of the teaching
and learning process that are essential to my classroom instruction. I use social activity to encourage dialogue
among my students. This supports the
cognitive learning theory, but it also supports social constructivism. According to both theories, learning occurs
as students evaluate the knowledge and behaviors of other students, then
measure those actions against their own knowledge and values. Another aspect of instruction that is
essential to my classroom instruction is the authentic use of technology. Students are encouraged to use a variety of
technology applications. While first
graders have a limited knowledge of technology applications, I incorporate
applications that students can easily learn and use. We use these applications constantly to build
experience and essential skills.
Reflecting is a powerful
tool that allows someone to see progress.
As I reflect on the changes I have made to my philosophy, I see a
progression in my teaching methods and see how I have modified my habits to fit
the environment around me. This is
essential in any classroom. The teacher
should be a chameleon and change with the evolution of teaching methods, while
keeping proven methods that will endure change.
