Philosophy of Education

-- Stephanie Bohn

Teachers inspire the smallest hearts to grow big enough to change the world.
Paula Fox.
Children enter the classroom as small mystery puzzles, whose pieces are all unmatched, until one dedicated
teacher makes an effort to put them all together. Each piece represents a different aspect of a child. No matter
how small a childs heart may be or how many puzzle pieces he or she comes with to assemble, there is
potential in every child to change the world, but it all begins with a dedicated teacher.
Students dont care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Anonymous
For students to learn and to succeed in my classroom, students need to understand that I truly care about
their well-being and concerns. I must build a relationship with my students that enables them to trust me and
to respect me. To do this, I must hold all of my students to the same high standards, create a connection
between their home and school environments, and lastly, be available to listen to them. Listening to them
does not require me to agree or disagree with what they tell me, it only means that I lend an ear to my
students to assure them that they have someone to turn to that cares what they have to say. When an
environment of trust and respect are created, students are more motivated to learn and ultimately, are able to
succeed to their fullest potentials.
Every child is a different kind of flower, and all together, they make this world a beautiful garden.
--Unknown
Recognizing that every child is unique is an important concept relevant to todays diverse classrooms.
Classrooms are not only culturally and linguistically diverse, but are also diverse in terms of childs academic
learning styles and areas of need. Every child is unique in the ways that he or she socializes, learns, and
demonstrates his or her knowledge. If every child were the same, the classroom, and the world for that
matter, would be a very boring place. It is a teachers responsibility to discover each students unique
characteristics and to nurture those characteristics within the classroom setting.
A teacher's purpose is not to create students in his own image, but to develop students who can
create their own image.
Anonymous
Teachers are individuals who facilitate learning. It is a teachers job to convey information and then to
allow his or her students to develop their own critical thinking skills to form their own ideas.
In order to be a teacher you've got to be a student first.
-- Gary L. Francione
Teachers need to continually strive to develop themselves professionally through professional book
discussions and seminars. Teachers must convey to their students that learning takes place continuously and
never ends.

The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be ignited.

- Plutarch
A childs love of learning begins as soon as he or she enters the classroom. It is a teachers responsibility to
develop and foster a childs curiosity. Students should be lifelong learners and be motivated to pursue their
curiosities. Teachers are not those individuals who were once expected to merely impress their ideas on their
students. Rather, teachers are individuals who convey to their students important ideas and allow them to
become critical thinkers and guiders who develop their own ideas.
We leave traces of ourselves wherever we go, on whatever we touch.
Lewis Thomas
Teachers are role models, guides, motivators, and supporters. Recognizing the roles of teachers, ultimately
explains how teachers touch many different aspects of a childs life. As an early childhood educator who
teaches my students important social and academic skills, it is obvious how I leave traces of myself within my
students that reach far beyond the classroom. What a child learns in the early elementary years lays the
foundation for the childs future success as a society member.
One person can make a difference and you should try.
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy challenges educators to recognize the potentials in all of my students. Every child is
unique and has his or her own strengths that will enable them to succeed. As a teacher, when I hold all of my
students to the same high standards, the children themselves recognize this important characteristic about
themselves.
"If there is one thing educators can agree on, it's this: children do better in school when their parents
get involved in their learning."
William Bennett
Without question, it is important to build rapport with not only the students, but also with their
parents. Children whose parents are more involved in their education, are more likely to succeed in school
and have a positive attitude toward the school and the teachers expectations. Teachers not only equip their
students with strategies to learn and live by, but they also equip parents with the strategies they need to help
their children succeed both academically and personally. A dedicated teacher is one that makes efforts to
involve and inform parents on a regular basis. Making parents of all backgrounds feel welcome is of the
utmost importance in todays busy world.