Philosophy of Education

Hailey Ogle
LBS 400 Section 4
Instructor: Jheri Crisostomo
California State University Dominguez Hills
12/4/2014

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Purpose of Education
As teachers, we choose to educate out of a desire to help better the people around us. As
humans, we choose to educate out of a necessity to better ourselves and our future. Nelson
Mandela once said, Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the
World. I believe that. And I believe the possibility of changing the world happens when
younger generations are taught to think independently, without fear of retribution or fear of
failure. We educate for the hope of a better, more fantastic tomorrow, because the world is
forever changing and with it so must we. We want our younger generations to surpass us in
intelligence as adults, so they can change the world for the better.

Learning Environment
I do not subscribe to the notion that all people learn best under the same conditions. As a
student who needs isolation and complete silence to produce her best work, I understand students
have different learning needs. However, I do believe there are a few criteria that can be
controlled by teachers, which will foster positive learning in most students. A classroom must be
supportive, peaceful, open, and creativity-inducing, but structured to support increased learning
for the majority of children. This safe environment is supported when compared against
Maslows Hierarchy of Needs which states safety as the number two basic need for healthy
human development. Students cannot learn and grow in a restrictive environment where they are
constantly berated for being themselves. A safe environment, like the one I have described, will
enhance free-thinking and as a result will promote learning in students.

Commitment to Social Justice

To effectively teach students, a teacher must first understand their students. How I plan to
address diversity is through strong communicative competence and projects for student such as

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identity explorations, family maps, and I Am poems. Communicative competence coined by

anthropologist Dell Hymes means knowing about status and power relationships and how they
affect what you can say and how you can say it. If a teacher is not aware of where a student is
coming from educationally, socially, ethnically, or economically they cannot display adequate
communicative competence. This skill is needed to interact and communicate with students and
parents in the most positive, and understanding way. In addition to supporting student diversity,
to ensure social justice and equity in my classroom I will use blind tactics such as not look at
names when grading papers or projects, have peers review student writings, etc. and use
popsicle-sticks when calling on students to decrease subconscious bias. Through these tactics I
can ensure all my students are treated equally, given equal opportunities to learn in ways best for
them, and are celebrated for who they are as individuals.

Curriculum
As a teacher, I feel learning is the most important thing for a student, and the best way to
support that is through the incorporation of various art forms in lessons. I believe children have
the right to learn anything and everything they can get their hands on. Education should be
something students thrive off of rather than something they grudgingly deal with. As a teacher, I
will encourage students to be creative in everything they do by enhancing my lessons with
music, theater, visual art, and dancing. Creativity is the best part of humanity, but sadly a part too
easily left out of curriculums. The arts can, and should, be incorporated into every lesson to help
emphasize the creative spirit in students and boost their learning experience. Art makes students
want to come to school. Children who want to come, learn more than students who sit in classes
bored to be there. NPRs Elizabeth Blair pointed out the fact [is] that attendance is up. Behavior
is better, families are getting involved. when arts are incorporated into lessons. Though I am
apprehensive for the introduction of the CCSS, I know good teachers, like myself, who care

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about students will strive to make their curriculum as full-bodied and well-rounded as possible.

Teachers
Throughout my thirteen plus years of schooling I have been lucky to have had three truly
effective teachers. As a child with a rare learning disorder, I struggled all through school with
teachers who gave up on me, told me I wasnt trying, told me I was lying, or simply wouldnt
work to meet my learning needs. These teachers behaviors proved to be ineffective when
teaching me. Characteristics truly effective teachers share are that they first and foremost do not
give up on struggling students. When a student sees a teacher has given up on them they see no
reason to not give up on themselves. Effective teachers are capable of bending lessons to meet
the needs of all their students. Whether its challenging advanced students, re-wording for
students who dont get it, or lending an ear to help troubled students these teachers show they
care by supporting students academically and emotionally. The Stanford University website has
a list of traits of effective teachers and ineffective teachers; one of the traits for effective teachers
is that they are seen by students as approachable and a valuable source of advice even on
matters not directly related to the course. My best teachers were just this for me and I plan on
being the same thing for my students.
As a teacher, it is my duty to help children learn skills to assist them in self education
throughout life. The best way I can do that is by being an approachable, thoughtful,
communicatively competent individual who will make learning fun. I will view each student
objectively to discern what they need from me to learn the best way for them, and I will always
strive to inspire and thrill my students as they will inspire me.

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References

Maslow, Abraham. Hierarchy of Needs (1943, 1954) simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

Hymes, Dell. (1977) Communicative Competence: Real People Using Real Language,
Ottenheimer, Harriet Joeph The Anthropology of Language . (2013) Wadsworth,
Cengage Learning.

Blair, Elizabeth.(2013). The Case For the Arts in Overhauling Education. NPR. Weekend
Edition
https://teachingcommons.stanford.edu/resources/teaching/planning-yourapproach/characteristics-effective-teachers. Stanford University.