Educational PhilosophyThrough an inquiry-based learning approach I am able to motivate my students to become independent learners. My approach to teaching can be illustrated through my personal philosophy of education.
Role of the School The school is a multipurpose social institution connected to and related to the society of which it is part. However, the school’s primary purpose is to provide an academic education to students. I believe that the focus of the school should be on academics. In today’s world, the school has become an extension of the “family”. This means that character education, values, morals, community involvement, etc. that was once taught in the home must now be taught at school. Role of the Teacher The teacher acts as the guide for the students as they pursue their learning. Genuine educational goals come from within the students, not from a teacher driven lesson. While essential information is provided to the students, they learn from their experiences, not solely from a direct lesson. The teacher should encourage students to work to solve problems in order for them to enhance their creative, critical thinking skills. The teacher would be more of a mentor to the students, not the sole authority on the subject. Teacher-Student Relationship The teacher is a mentor or model for the student. The teacher-student relationship is a source of character formation. Teachers need to be cultural and ethical models that inspire their students. Teachers model excellence and encourage their students to follow these patterns. As students work to creatively solve problems, the teacher acts as a mentor or source of support. Teachers model the behavior that they expect to see in their students. Students are encouraged to find solutions without being led directly to the answer by the teacher. How Students Learn Students learn to read, write, and calculate through a variety of methods, including the use of computer skills and electronic information-retrieval technologies as tools in acquiring information. The Socratic method of dialogue is used, as well as mentoring and modeling by the teacher. Students should be able to make choices and be actively engaged in their learning. Students are active problem-solvers. They first identify a problem. Through research using many available tools, they seek to find a solution to the problem. It is important that the students be actively involved in identifying the problem, as it becomes more personal to them, causing them to be more personally engaged. Curriculum Emphasis The curriculum is enhanced by the students’ experiences – their interests, needs, and problems. The curriculum does not consist of separate, discrete subjects, but rather subjects are interrelated in an interdisciplinary way. As students seek to identify and solve a problem using creativity and critical thinking skills, every academic area is incorporated. The subjects are all interwoven, and solutions are sought across the curriculum. |