Running head: PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION 1

Philosophy of Education

Sara Merkle

Molloy College
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Philosophy of Education

John Dewey once said, Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.

Being a leader of the educational philosophy of progressivism, Dewey had much insight to offer

to the educational realm and has left a big imprint on it. As an early childhood/childhood

education major with a concentration in psychology, I hold true the values of John Dewey and

progressivism as well as a more rigid philosophy known as essentialism.

The progressivist viewpoint on education is simple- educating by doing. As a future

educator, I look back at my own educational experience in order to gain inspiration for my future

career. Throughout elementary and middle school, I learned from teachers whose teaching styles

were similar to those of a progressivist, and from having these experiences I feel this teaching

style is beneficial to all students. This viewpoint promotes group work and flexibility in the

curriculum to incorporate life experiences and the interests of students. I want my students to

learn by living. I want them to learn everything from adding and subtracting to knowing how to

interact properly with peers. This is what education should be about. It should give a student

important skills needed to conquer anything that life may throw at them even if these acquired

skills are products of ones mistakes. I intend to encourage my students to learn from their

mistakes and therefore, I will provide them with a safe atmosphere to do so. My students will be

encouraged to journal their thoughts and reflections about our classroom learning experiences in

order for them to achieve self-growth and self-actualization- the realization of their potential. In

addition, I will incorporate group work through the use of stations so that children can learn

from each other and begin to understand different, diverse viewpoints. This will prepare younger

students in an appropriate way for the real world and real life debates. I plan to implement field

trips to educational destinations to work with other professionals that can give them extra insight
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on life learning. As a future teacher, especially in the lower grades of school, I believe that it is

my responsibility to not only plant the seeds of learning, but to guide it in growth. I believe that

the role of a teacher is to inspire students and give them the resources needed, but then allow

them to figure out how to approach tasks and when to ask for help.

As a teacher, I also gather inspiration from my high school experience at an all-girls,

private Catholic school to incorporate into my philosophy of education. So, as with essentialism,

I will emphasize the core subjects- math, science, English and history. By doing so, I want to

provide my students with the ground-work needed for success in high school, college and their

future occupations. In order to keep up with the changing standards of the core curriculum, I

intend to continue learning myself, by attending conferences and classes to enhance my teaching

of these subjects. In particular, I hope to take part in one or more of the summer institutes at

Columbias Teachers College. One of the most beneficial aspects of learning, in my opinion, is a

strong work ethic. I will provide all of the materials needed for success to my students in order

for them to establish a strong work ethic. For example, after teaching a math lesson, I will give

students a review packet on how to solve the problems. I will also give them practice problems to

complete as well as an extra credit assignment. This extra credit assignment will be optional but

will give students the opportunity for extra practice. By encouraging students to participate in

extra credit assignments, I hope to build a foundation for them to develop a strong work ethic as

they make the choice to work a little bit harder. The psychological notion of acting and

rewarding plays a key role in the development of a childs future work ethic. I will always be

expecting greatness from all of my students academically and showing all students that as long

as they are working to the best of their ability, achievements will be made. Essentialism plays a
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huge role in my educational philosophy because I will show students the importance and value of

knowledge.

Communication among all learners and caretakers is also key to my educational

philosophy. All students learn differently- especially those with a disability. Having a

background in psychology lets me understand their complications more thoroughly. I am very

passionate about devoting extra time to those who need support through extra help hours and

one-on-one meetings. I also intend to collaborate with all support services such as reading

specialists, psychologists, speech teachers, special education teachers and ENL teachers to make

sure that all of my students are getting the support they each need. In addition, I will be pro-

active with parents- making sure that they too receive all the class information and suggestions

necessary for working with their child at home. I would like to create a class website where class

news and lesson plans are accessible and general questions are easily answered. With most

parents maintaining busy schedules, I intend to take full advantage of todays technology so that

easy and quick communication is always possible and encouraged when more pertinent

situations arise.

Overall, I want to be that teacher that students, parents, colleagues and

administrators find easy to approach and see as an encouraging and motivating source for all.

The two philosophies of progressivism and essentialism, as well as the basic principle of

communication, are what shape my own philosophy of education. I want to inspire my students

to learn from experience, develop a love for learning and to grow in mind and spirit every day.