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Ryan Leis
EDUP 550
Val Krage
May 18, 2015
Educational Philosophy Essay
An educational philosophy is something that is very important to have, but it is
something that takes considerable time and thought to develop. This is something that is
easier said than done. After my initial research on the different educational philosophies I
have found that I line up quite well with the student-centered philosophy, specifically
with Social Reconstructionism. But my personal philosophies often revolve around
finding balance and I see no reason as to why my educational philosophy should be any
different. To me Social Reconstructionsism is the best educational philosophy to adapt,
but there are aspects of several philosophies that I hope to use to supplement this and help
me find an ideal balance and help students achieve their potential.
The main idea behind Social Reconstructionism is to change society, rather than
just teach about it (Powell, 223). This, not surprisingly is the aspect of the philosophy
that I connect to the most. Because really, what is the point of teaching anything if those
learning it cannot put it to use in some way or the other. The goal should be to take what
we learn and use it to positively affect our lives and those around us. This is exactly what
Social Reconstructionism sets out to do. It addresses subjects like: racial equality,
fulfilling life (Powell, 224). And again I feel like using this idea to supplement Social
Reconstructionism is a perfect fit. If you are able to understand yourself, it can only help
you to appreciate and understand differences in others around the world.
I do however see very little value in the teacher-centered approaches of
educational philosophy. While I can see some use in having a core curriculum that every
student should probably learn, it is a much smaller curriculum than they would prefer and
it would be a curriculum that changes continuously as the world around us changes. I see
very little use in teaching absolutes, especially when they were created hundreds of years
ago; in fact I see that as a phenomenal way of stalling progress.
Balance is key to success, and when it comes to my educational philosophy it is
no different. I really connect to the Social Reconstructionsim philosophy, especially
when I can supplement it with ideas from other philosophies. I am very hopeful that this
can help me to become a successful educator by positively affecting my students to find
their passion and use it to positively change their lives and the lives of everyone around
them.
Sources:
Powell, S. D. (2012). Your Introduction to Education: Explorations in Teaching (2nd ed.).
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Rationale:
This is a paper on my educational philosophy. It focuses on being
a student-centered teacher. Most of education is trending in this
direction and I am a strong supporter of that trend. Student Centered
learning constantly keeps the best interest of the students in mind and
I think that that is the most important thing to being a teacher, what is
best for your students. If you lose sight of that, the students are not
going to receive the best education that they possibly can.