3.+Philosophy

My general philosophy of education is child centered progressive view, however my philosophy is at same time eclectic. “Eclecticism” has its drawbacks such as “the problem with inconsistency and is liable to make everyone confused” (Cooper, R. p. 318). I feel perfectly comfortable and confident that the advantages of eclecticism in taking the best philosophical principles of various philosophies are best for structuring my philosophy of education. Teachers should always reform and refine their philosophy of education through intasc standard nine reflective practice throughout their teaching careers. The best philosophical principles of Progressivism that I believe structure my philosophy of education is the classroom management principle of being child centered meaning “the place to begin an education is with the student rather than with the subject matter” (Cooper, R. p. 309). I strongly agree with the progressive’s principle of the teacher as an intellectual guide or facilitator of problem solving skills. I believe with the progressive’s principle of “encouraging students to be imaginative and resourceful in solving problems” (Cooper, R. p. 308). In the classroom this principle creates originality and gives practical advice on how to solve difficult problems in today’s world. I believe in the progressive’s principle that curriculum should be relevant and experience centered, the students should find meaning and knowledge through their daily experiences and the teacher must build and teach to what the students’ interests are, and their prior knowledge and experiences. I believe in the progressive classroom management principle of the democratic process, the teacher must have a democratic leadership style described as “ setting policies through group discussion and decision, encouraging and helping group members to interact” (Johnson, D., and Johnson, F. (2009) p. 183). The democratic student “takes more initiative and responsibility, and continued to work even when teachers are not in the room” (Johnson, D., and Johnson, F. (2009) p. 183). I most identify with the teaching methods of Progressivism, project methods, critical thinking, and problem solving because I believe students should study and learn what they are interested in, this promotes originality, creativity, and individualism in the classroom. The best philosophical principles of Essentialism that I believe structure my philosophy of education are that all students should know and learn about the past, however I don’t believe they should study the classics only. In Essentialism, it is subject-centered curriculum which I do believe plays an important role in developing intellectual knowledge, but the curriculum must be practical and viewed as a need for a productive life today. I do believe in the concept of the teacher in Essentialism, that the teacher “is an expert of content knowledge, teaches essential knowledge, and maintains task-oriented focus” (Cooper, R. p. 316). I don’t believe the teacher should be an authority figure. If the teacher displays an autocratic style of leadership, the student will display aggressive behavior. I don’t believe in the essentialist’s evaluation process of students that evaluate on subjective appraisal, because this promotes teachers’ bias, and the teacher’s opinions of the students are based on their own interactions with students, individual knowledge, and experiences. The best philosophical principles of Perennialism that structure my philosophy of education is the view of education, “develops a person’s mental disciple and rationally, which are necessary to the search for truths that will help humans avoid being dominated by the instinctual side of human nature” (Cooper, R. p. 299). I agree with the perennialist’s view that “education is a preparation for life” (Cooper, R. p. 300). However I don’t believe this can only be achieved through studying the classics and great works rigorously. I do believe in the perennialist’s principle of evaluation though objective examination and essay examination, because it promotes evaluation based on standards not on individual bias. The best philosophical principles of Social Reconstructionism that structure my philosophy of education is its view on teachers, as change agents and shapers of a new society, change is inevitable as teachers we must be comfortable with change and lead the students with practical, relevant, and problem solving skills that can be used in a changing new world. The best philosophical principles of Behaviorism that structure my philosophy of education are its views on the teacher. The teacher should be trained in the scientific method and planner and user of behavioral objectives, however I believe that the teacher should not be an authority figure rather let students guide their learning. In conclusion, my philosophy of education is always a reflective practice, what I believe in now, is not necessary what I will believe in during my whole teaching career. This quote exhibits this reflective practice. Don't try to fix the students, fix ourselves first. The good teacher makes the poor student good and the good student superior. When our students fail, we, as teachers, too, have failed. ~Marva Collins
 * Paper Written for the Teaching Master's Program Sociology Class for the 2010 Fall Semester at Sierra Nevada College**   ** My Philosophy of Education **