Constance Barreau

ED 412
Statement of Philosophy Rough Draft
04/28/14
Statement of Philosophy of Education
The first time I was asked what my philosophy of education was, I blinked in surprise,
swallowed around the sudden dryness that had taken over my mouth, and ultimately could say
nothing as I pondered the seemingly impossible question. There was no quick or easy answer to
such a complex inquiry. Four years of college, five field placements, and dozens of devoured
textbooks suddenly fled me in the face of this insurmountable task. What is my philosophy of
education, I mused to myself, and how to I accurately express it? What you are about to read
is a very meticulously and painstakingly crafted statement of my personal philosophy of
education. This includes, but is not limited to, my perspective on the purpose of education, the
role of the student in education, the role of the teacher in education, and the role of the teacher in
the community, as well as why I personally want to teach, whom I plan on teaching, and how and
what I will teach.
The purpose of education is one that most certainly differs person by person, be they an
educator, administrator, parent, or student. Studying education, I have come across six different
philosophies that teachers can follow which begin to answer what the purpose of education truly
is. Each philosophy is fairly unique, though some certainly tie in to each other. Three of the
philosophies that are linked are Essentialism, Perennialism, and Behaviorism. The first listed
Essentialism focuses on a back-to-basics approach, meaning that both the teacher and the
students concentration is on reading, writing, mathematics, history, and science. Anything else
is seen as, really, unnecessary, for students need to be utterly proficient in the basics first and
foremost. This type of philosophy gives the teacher a great deal of control over the curriculum
and what is taught. The next philosophy, Perennialism, is interested with universal truths that
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Constance Barreau
ED 412
Statement of Philosophy Rough Draft
04/28/14
have lasted through the ages. The concentration of this philosophy is on history, philosophy, and
classic literature. This philosophy, too, gives the educator a great deal of control over the
curriculum. The last philosophy, which is also centered on the instructor, is called behaviorism.
Behaviorism is a psychological philosophy that uses Ivan Pavlovs theory of conditioned
responses to help students memorize facts, rules, terminology, and much more. This is partially
met through monitoring and feedback (both negative and positive). As I said previously, these
three philosophies are teacher-centered, but there are three others which are geared towards the
needs of the students.
The first student-centered philosophy is called progressivism. Progressivism is very
hands on the theory is based on children learning through doing. This kinesthetic approach
will allow students to better formulate analysis and reasoning skills. This philosophy is very
individualized to the student and his or her needs. The next student-focused philosophy is Social
Reconstructionism. Social Reconstructionism is steeped in social justice that is seen throughout
the school (not just a social studies classroom). Students are taught to use problem solving skills
to combat the social injustices that occur in the real world. The teacher is seen as a guide, with
the students being the driving force. The last philosophy is that of Existentialism. Existentialism
puts a great deal of power in the hands of the students, seeing as this theory came about due to a
desire for students to find themselves through the curriculum that they choose (generally art,
literature, and humanistic-based studies). Students are taught to understand their own needs,
values, and experiences, as well as a strong sense of democracy (that is found throughout the
school).

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Constance Barreau
ED 412
Statement of Philosophy Rough Draft
04/28/14
My purpose in detailing all of these philosophies was to provide evidence of some of the
education I have obtained, as well as utilizing them as a reference for my own philosophy. I do
not belong to any one of the above groups. I am not an Essentialist, nor am I am Existentialist. I
am not Progressive, nor am I a Social Reconstructionist. Rather, I very much take from each
category. I understand the importance of teaching the basics, as essentialism dictates. In order
for students to become masters of a particular skill, there needs to be plenty of instruction and
practice in knowing said skill, whatever it may be. It takes time, patience, and perseverance to
learn how to write proficiently this is a time consuming process that takes years and must be
consistently built upon. The very same goes for mathematics, science, history, and the like. It is
a process that takes years one that may be stunted at any point if the student has a teacher who
does not focus on cultivating this process.
However, I do not believe that we should only focus on the basics. Throughout my
undergraduate degree, I was assigned to read many articles that discuss students strengths and
learning capabilities. One such article delved into the issue of intelligence, and just what it
means to be smart. Is an individual who can take apart a car and then seamlessly put it back
together, perhaps in an even better fashion, not a smart person? Is someone who can put together
various flavor combinations to form an utterly to-die-for entre not smart? Is a person who can
depict stories with words so powerful that those who read weep with joy or suffering not smart?
Intelligence is not something as easily defined as one may think. This is something that I keep in
mind, along with Howard Gardners Multiple Intelligences Theory. My students will be smart in
various ways, which means that just teaching the basics may not be beneficial to them.
Education, after all, is not such an easily boxed term.
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Constance Barreau
ED 412
Statement of Philosophy Rough Draft
04/28/14
Education, also, is not only defined by our history, as Perennialists would dictate. While
history is incredibly important in any content area (including science and mathematics) it should
not be the entirety of an educators focus. Teachers should emphasize the need to learn from the
past, but equally, we should not be so entrenched in it that we lose sight of everything else.
Likewise, we should not allow students to be able to choose what he or she would like to
concentrate on in terms of content, as the existentialists would like. Granted, students learn
better when they have more control of their education, but it is not beneficial for students to
select the content areas that he/she excels in, simply because it is easier. Allow students to make
choices, yes, but guide students so that they do not make the wrong decisions that could
negatively impact their futures.
Regarding student participation in his/her own education, I would like to discuss what I
think the role of the student is. Students should not be static, resistant beings regarding his or her
schooling. Students most certainly should have a voice that they use in multiple modes, not just
vocally. Some children will never speak up orally in the classroom they will remain
tightlipped, but this does not mean that they are not active participants. Some students will be
incredibly vocal in the classroom, and yet they do not take their education very seriously. As an
educator, it is our duty to encourage students to be responsible for their success in the classroom.
Granted, some students will be difficult to reach, but striving to do so is a worthy cause to fight
for. Students need to understand the importance of their role in the classroom, in more than one
main way (that of if you dont pass, you failthe end) that does not necessarily connect to the
student.

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Constance Barreau
ED 412
Statement of Philosophy Rough Draft
04/28/14
Describing to students what will occur to their future if they refuse to take an active role
in their educations is one step to reach them. Being honest, upfront, and compassionate can
reach many students who do not care about their futures. Doing the above can instill a sense
of responsibility in reluctant students and it can cement this sense in students who take their
education very seriously. Another way to help students take charge and continue to care whether
or not they succeed and build skills, is, as I said above, to allow them choices. This is their
education, not ours, and therefore by offering them options, they feel as though they do have a
tangible stake in their own futures.
The role of the teacher in education is an intricate one. I think of teaching as multilayered trade; giving and receiving. In the most base of ways, the teacher gives information to
the student, who then receives said information. However, not only is information being traded
to students, but so are knowledge and critical skills. This process is intricate, however, and after
some time of trading information, knowledge, and skills to the students, the educator receives
products in return. It is a lengthy process, at times, and short at others, but ultimately, it is an
incredibly beneficial relationship. This is what I believe teaching to be a complex series of
trade between instructor and pupil that grows more successful and valuable as time goes on. It is
important to note that the educator trades whatever the pupil needs at any particular moment,
even if the student is unable to provide something at the same price. I would like to emphasize
the word needs in the previous sentence, for that is what the role of the teacher is in education.
Teachers do not just teach their content, or the curriculum, or standards. These individuals give
what is needed by their students this could be English/Language Arts, or it could be respect,

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Constance Barreau
ED 412
Statement of Philosophy Rough Draft
04/28/14
compassion, or justice. Education, as I mentioned before, cannot be boxed and wrapped with a
neat little bow.
I think the intricacy of education is partially why I want to teach. Teaching is not
something that I grew up desiring to do. Teaching is, frankly, a fairly new phenomenon in my
life. Whilst my mother encouraged me to do whatever I wanted, my father rallied for me to be a
neurosurgeon or mathematician (each highly unlikely career options, may I just say now).
Personally, I was floundering for a career that I could be happy living out for a handful of
decades (being a veterinarian was out after I realized that the job is not just dealing with animals
and nursing them back to health). Somehow, my mother brought up teaching, and I had the
sudden and staggering epiphany that I could see myself as a teacher, for years to come.
Why I could see myself in this role is complex. Partially, I want to be a much better
teacher than many I have had in the past, and also now that I have seen in field placements. I
never want a child to feel uncomfortable in my classroom. I personally know what it is like to
feel uneasy in a classroom and it is a miserable feeling that is not conducive to learning. I have
also observed children feeling alienated in the classroom, and it absolutely breaks my heart.
If there is ever a moment that a student feels unsafe or unable to participate in class, I
would consider that a failure on my part to provide a secure environment for that individual. I
personally understand the sensation of feeling silenced and afraid to use my voice, and that is
definitely not something I want my students to feel. My ideal classroom setting is one in which
every student feels able to share their opinions and thoughts without persecution. They will
know that, even if they are off-target, they can share their reasoning with the class and they will

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Constance Barreau
ED 412
Statement of Philosophy Rough Draft
04/28/14
not be mocked. Respect, manners, kindness, and compassion will be major tenets to follow in
my classroom, because I know that many students lack these things in their lives. As Maslow
states in his hierarchy, students are not able to reach his or her full potential if their needs are not
being met.
The largest reason of why I wish to teach, however, lays in the students themselves. I
would like to be able to impact future generations by equipping them with the tools that they will
need for the future. This is quite a tall order, I know, especially seeing as I will be licensed to
teach 6th-12th grade English/Language Arts. However, the skills that students need to be
successful in my classroom (reading, writing, listening, speaking, analyzing, etc) are not the only
things I hope to impart to my students. Yes, I would love it if each student who leaves my
classroom does so with stellar writing, reading, and comprehension abilities. I will have been
incredibly successful if so. However, I would also like my students to understand what it means
to respect, accept, and care for each other, as well as the world that they are a part of. I seek not
just to teach content, but to help my students be as successful as possible as a whole, not just a
sliver. That is why I wish to teach.
What type of relationships I think teachers should have to the community are ones that
will run as deep as the roots of a hundred-year-old tree. I believe that educators should develop a
strong relationship to both the school community, and the community of the town or city that
they teach and/or reside in. The school community should be the primary focus. Instructors
should form bonds with each other, first and foremost, and extend those bonds to the rest of the
administration and also, importantly, to parents and/or guardians. Parents can be an untapped
ally, simply because some teachers have had bad experiences with his/her students parents or
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Constance Barreau
ED 412
Statement of Philosophy Rough Draft
04/28/14
because they do not think that parents can have sway over their child. Personally, my mother has
always been incredibly active throughout my academic career. She would either be an ally or an
enemy to any teachers I had. Seeing this first hand has allowed me to know that parents and/or
guardians do, indeed, hold a great deal of power over their child. Becoming close with these
individuals will allow you to better reach your students.
Fellow teachers, as I mentioned above, are also an incredibly rich resource that should be
carefully cultivated. Of course, it is impossible to get along with every educator you will meet.
However, building functioning relationships with the instructors at your school, as well as those
at neighboring schools, will be a wonderfully beneficial tool for everyone involved. Who better
to go to in order to share lesson plans and ideas than fellow teachers? Creative thoughts are
shared and nurtured, and on the flipside, genuinely poor plans are scrapped. It is a mutually
advantageous relationship that does not just assist fellow teachers, but also the students, which is
the entire reason to teach!
I also believe that it is important to be a contributing part of the outer community.
Volunteering, being active in city council meetings, and sincerely caring for your community
shows your students a great deal of responsibility and respect. It allows them to see that you are
concerned about the direction your city is moving in, which directly influences your life and the
lives of your pupils. If you share your experiences with your students, you can begin instilling a
strong sense of community and values in them. Where this could possibly go, I cannot say, but it
can definitely encourage your students to be more cognizant of their city.

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Constance Barreau
ED 412
Statement of Philosophy Rough Draft
04/28/14
As you can see, my philosophy truly stems around the well-being of the child as a whole.
I do not just want to teach my students the content that they need in order to me successful in my
class (and hopefully future classes). Yes, I will make certain that my students know how to read,
write, speak, listen, create, and analyze at proficiency for their grade level. This is absolutely
crucial for them to succeed in my class and in their future classes. If they are not at proficiency
level, they will struggle in their next grade level.
However, this will not be my only focus. I am in this career to help cultivate students
into kind, compassionate, respectful, curious knowledge seekers, and thoughtful analyzers of the
world around them. I cannot imagine my students simply sitting at his or her desk, being forcefed information that they must memorize or they will fail. That is not my philosophy. My
philosophy is to help the student become all that he or she can be, by meeting their needs to the
best of my abilities, encouraging their curiosity and thirst for knowledge, and helping those
students who are resistant to learning, because I understand that there are factors behind that
reluctance. I reiterate: the student will always be my main priority, in his/her entiretymy
priority will never be how much information I can jam into their skulls, but rather, by crucial
skills that I can impart that will allow them to lead successful, fulfilling lives. Is this a high
expectation to have of myself and of my students? Absolutely not, because I know that my
students and I will meet these expectations head-on and come out victorious.

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