Angela Jackson

EDU 230-A80H
Sylvia Murray
April 25, 2011
My Philosophy of Education
I feel that one of my basic beliefs about teaching and learning is that I will
be able to promote learning in all students regardless of their background. I
believe that every student can learn if given the basic instructions and the
opportunity to apply it. It is my belief that teachers should simply meet the
students where they are academically, with the goal of taking them higher in
academic success. My educational philosophies are centered on Behaviorism,
where students learn based on influences in their environment; Essentialism
because I feel there is a core of knowledge that every student must possess in
order to be successful; and Constructivism, where students should be able to
push themselves to become independent thinkers and learners.
One of the roles I will have as a teacher will be to provide a safe and
productive learning environment for my students. In my well-managed classroom,
the students will be involved in learning activities, engaged and successful. One
of the most important tasks for a first year teacher is to be well organized. In
addition to being well organized in general, a first year teacher should also be
well-organized in the classroom along with lesson plans, time, materials and
resources. Consequently, by effectively planning my lessons, this will ensure that
I incorporate the teaching strategies of questioning, frequency, wait time,

prompting, equitable distribution, direct instruction, lecture discussion, guided

discovery and build in time for cooperative learning. Another role I will have as a
teacher will be to draw upon as many skills as possible to facilitate learning. I
plan to have positive parent-teacher relationships and I will keep a close eye out
for social cruelty in and outside of the classroom. In the role of a teacher, I will
teach according to the standards while ensuring that every student is ready for
standardized testing; ultimately striving to close the ever-gaping achievement
gap.
I believe the role of every student is to come to school with an open mind,
willing to learn. Moreover, every student must be able to obey school and
classroom rules and procedures. The students must be able to grasp and
understand the concepts that are being taught. In addition, the students must
also be able to prove what they have learned by successfully passing
standardized testing. Consequently, this means the student would pass their
classes based on content, be promoted to the next grade level and ultimately
graduate high school.
The parents must be involved with their childs education from the start, in
order for the student to be successful in school. However, the parent must also
have a cooperative relationship with the school and the teacher to ensure the
student succeeds. Ultimately, parent involvement will help improve the students
grades, behavior and post-secondary attendance. Finally, parent involvement will
lower student dropout rates.

I would create a community of learners through culturally responsive

teaching which would help me stay in tuned with every student, regardless of
their backgrounds. I want to make a positive impact on every child I come into
contact with. Moreover, some of the communities the students come from do not
provide then with positive role models for them to draw upon. I believe I can
make a difference by providing the best possible experience inside the
classroom, thus helping the students to grow in knowledge and have a better
sense of self-worth. Ultimately, this will help them to become productive citizens
in the community one day.
The role of technology will play a huge part in my administrative and
instructional responsibilities. Technology is constantly changing and evolving into
better and more easily accessible programs. In this tech-savvy environment there
is always a new program or new tool out there to help teachers become more
efficient in the classroom. I plan to teach using examples from approved video
clips, instructional television and the internet all in order to bring real-world
experiences to my students in the classroom. In addition, I am also very
proficient in Microsoft Office programs. Therefore, I will use my skills and
knowledge to make my job easier in the classroom by creating tests, quizzes,
study guides and fun games.