I believe B.F. Skinner couldn’t have said it any better, “Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.”  I strongly believe that the aim of education should be helping guide children in the right direction, in order for, them to become successful adults one day. Teachers play a huge role in children’s lives, not just by helping them learn and gain knowledge through the subjects they have to teach but also by being a good role model, in order to help them make right decisions in their lives. I am looking forward to experiencing what it is like to be an educator one day and hope to make a positive impact on my students as my past teachers have on me.

 The teacher can’t just focus on academics and the entire class as a whole but they have to focus on each individual student. Teachers need to take in consideration that each student learns differently than the others therefore, teachers need to be patient and understanding that most of the students will either need more time to understand concepts or students will be ahead and ready for what is next. The teacher needs to focus on each student and come to a conclusion on an effective approach to teach.

I believe that the purposes of today’s schools include helping students develop personal and social values because, society is always changing, new ideas are important to make the future better than the past.

I believe teachers can best help students learn by being outgoing and trustworthy.  Teamwork and interaction with each student is an important key to getting the students involved and interested in what they are currently learning in school.  Often as a student when I was younger, I felt as though what I was learning in school wouldn’t apply to me outside of school. When becoming a teacher I want to be able to show students that feel that way differently. Students today need to understand the relevance of what they are learning and how it applies to life today.  I think it’s important that teachers in today’s society gain a sense of humility and lose any prideful and arrogant side they might have. Then they need to realize that it is ok to make mistakes because students need to realize that their teachers are human as well. Once teachers are humble and understanding, I believe it will create a comfortable, safe, and more effective learning environment for everyone.

I believe teachers can address student differences by creating the classroom so it is welcoming to all students and create a challenging and conducive learning environment. Different cultures, languages, backgrounds, sexes, and intelligence need to be included in the classroom. Students should be the center of the classroom and contribute to their curriculum and assessment. Teamwork is important because I believe in working together as well  as individually because it will help the student learn more about themselves and who they are. I feel that a student’s growth process and learning about who they are as individuals are major things that should be brought into the classroom.

I believe the very best teaching practices include progressivism which focuses on the child rather than the subject matter. Progressivism emphasis is on learning by doing, hands on projects and experiential learning. It focuses on problem solving and critical thinking and group work developing social skills.  Teachers that follow progressivism help students understand the goals of learning as opposed to rote knowledge, which is extremely important to every individual student.

Some people may believe that education is all about textbooks and writing papers but I believe that helping a child to love learning is beyond measure. The philosophy of education is going to be viewed by everyone in a differently. As someone who plans on going into the education field, it is important that I understand my personal feelings and goals. There are so many parts in making education successful such as; teachers, students, and administration. I find that the philosophy of education comes from within and what you experience is how you are going to take on your profession.