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Philosophy Statement The purpose of education is to equip children as they grow with essential tools that will enable them to create for themselves a meaningful and successful life. As a child grows, he/she has a toolbox of knowledge and resources that can be used, added to, changed, and stored as each situation constitutes. The content and skills that teachers must contribute to the toolbox are a solid foundation of reading, writing, arithmetic, science, and history. Teachers are also responsible for teaching social and decision making skills, critical thinking, and problem solving. Children need to be taught how to live healthy and productive lives. Part of such learning takes place in Physical Education classes, art, drama, music and sports. There are wonderful ideas in each of the five philosophies about how we should teach. I will take pieces of each philosophy, particularly, progressivism, perennialism, and combine them to find ways of reaching every student in my classroom. For example, I will teach the core curriculum using cooperative learning methods and real life interactions. I will incorporate the Great Books into my literature courses. I will combine poetry, music and art with social issues. My role as a teacher is to guide students to find meaning, to facilitate and be the adult figure in the room, to be a role model and a mentor. My students’ role is to fill their individual toolboxes with resources to become intelligent problem solvers who can contribute to society and be at peace with themselves and others as they continue to learn, grow and compete in our global economy.
With regard to excellence, it is not enough to know, but we must try to have and use it. Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC), |
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