Running head: PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY

Personal Philosophy
Sabrina Peters
Northern Illinois University

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY

The purpose of higher education is often constructed in different ways; when reflecting
on how one perceives the purpose of higher education, it is important to consider ones
background, characteristics, and motivation. Thus, humanism is an important philosophy to
examine because it recognizes the individual--their background and their motivation. For future
higher education professionals, it is critical to examine the different purposes for education and
reflect on how this informs ones practice. This paper will further examine my personal
philosophy on the purpose of higher education, and I will also examine: the purpose of
education, the role of the educator, the role of students or the adult learner, and the primary lens
for analyzing human needs through a progressive and critical lens.
Philosophy on Higher Education
My philosophy on higher education is rooted in the belief that students can achieve
academic success if they apply themselves, but students must have the necessary resources and
opportunities for desired successful outcomes. As an Upward Bound staff member that works
with low-income, first generation, and minority students, it has been my experience that a
students background and characteristics are influential to their academic success or
failure. Additionally, motivation and life experiences play a significant role.
Socioeconomic status, parents educational background, and school structures are all
student background and characteristics that influence one's educational success. Students that are
raised in low income communities are often subject to lower quality education due to the lack of
economic resources. Typically, a majority of educational funding is based on property taxes
within the respective districts, which tends to be problematic for low income students because of
low property value and limited financial resources within the municipality. Thus, less funding
goes to schools that low income children attend. The education system then causes negative

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residual effects, rendering low income students ill-prepared to enter into higher education
institutions. As a product of a low income area education, attending college was exceptionally
tough and it seemed as if I was setup for academic failure. Despite being a low income student
and academically disadvantaged, my motivation is the force that prevented me from becoming a
statistic. My motivation fueled long nights of meeting with tutors for every subject, battling an
inferiority complex, and desiring to want a successful future for my family.
My experience within a nearly destitute educational system has shaped my belief that we
must ensure that students are afforded a quality education, and we must recognize the whole
student including the students background, characteristics, and motivation; this reflects a
humanistic perspective. The humanistic philosophy emphasizes the purpose of higher education,
to develop the whole student.
The Purpose of Higher Education
The purpose of education is to develop civically-engaged individuals that can contribute
to society, address social issues, and participate in the workforce through the education of ones
history and culture in and outside the classroom. This reflects a progressive philosophy.
Progressivism recognizes learning through experiences, an important practice for adult learners
who have an abyss of experiences. A vocational approach is also important for adult learners as
many seek education to increase job opportunities. Progressivism includes socialization, and
therefore, education is not restricted to an academic setting but includes unintentional encounters
that pass on values, attitudes, knowledge, and skills. This can include learning that takes place
while attending bible study at the local church, painting lessons, and home improvement classes.
On the other hand, my definition of the purpose of education also reflects a critical
perspective from a Paulo Freire philosophy. The Freirian perspective focuses on bringing

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socioeconomically oppressed people literacy and political consciousness. Paulo Freire opposes
traditional education and believes that through dialogue one can see the oppression, the reasons
behind the oppression, and possible solutions. Approaching education in this manner gets the
teacher and the learner involved in the action needed to solve social issues. Freire emphasizes
the importance of exploring ones culture, investigating their history, and examining why some
ideas may be conditioned by political preferences.
The Role of the Educator and Student
In addition to understanding the purpose of higher education it is important to understand
the role of the educator and the student. The educator or teacher should play an active role in the
learning process, guide the student, and facilitate learning; the student should also be actively
engaged in the learning process. My view of the role of the educator and student align with a
progressive and critical perspective. Thus, it is important to examine the progressive and critical
perspectives.
Progressivism focuses on the experience of the learner including a students personal
needs, interests, experiences, and desires. Progressivism views learning as something students
do for themselves. The role of the educator is to provide a safe learning environment that is
conducive to the student learning. The educator has the responsibility of stimulating, organizing,
and facilitating, but the teacher is not viewed as the sole source of knowledge. Both the educator
and the learner should plan for the lesson and learn from each other. In contrast, from a critical
perspective that focuses on Paulo Freire, the role of the educator is a positive one. Freire states,
the teacher must also be the students and students can also be the teachers (As cited in Elias &
Merriam, 2000, p. 160). Freire further explains that the teacher should present information for
consideration and allow for clarification or modification. From a Freirian perspective both the

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learner and teacher take active roles in the learning process. The progressive and critical
philosophies both highlight significant roles the educators and student should fill.
To further discuss the role of the student it is important to look at how one learns. To do
this it is important to examine social constructivism and a sociocultural approach to education.
Social constructivism is a learning theory that states that people construct knowledge and
meaning through social interaction. Social constructivism also recognizes the role relationships
play in cultivating the foundation that the learner engages and flourishes in. Phillips and Soltis
(2004), states, Learners have parents, siblings, teachers, peers, and fellow learners, with whom
they communicate and interact, and from whom they receive guidance and stimulation (p.
52). This further highlights the role social interaction has in the development of individual
students and collective learning. As a higher education professional, it is imperative to recognize
that the interactions students have with faculty, peers, and family are essential and a necessary,
especially when working with marginalized students.
The Upward Bound program is a federally funded program that prepares low-income,
first-generation, and mentally/physically disabled students for college. As an Upward Bound
staff member, we are not primary educators, however we are a part of social constructivism for
participants in our program. The program provides academic tutoring during the school year.
Through interaction with tutors and supplemental instructors, students are able to grasp new
concepts that may not be understood in the classroom setting. Social constructivism is vital to
students that are marginalized, and is the context in which the Upward Bound Program operates.
My experience working with the Upward Bound has informed my understanding of social
constructivism and the role of the learner and educator.

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Although social constructivism plays an integral role within the Upward Bound learning
environment, the sociocultural approach is also critical when working with students. The
sociocultural approach highlights the interdependence of social interaction and the individual
(Wertsch, 1991). The sociocultural perspective recognizes that people are influenced by
interaction, but the individual also constructs their own truth. Furthermore, students are provided
with information, but what they take from the information may be different for each student; the
sociocultural approach conveys that each individual constructs knowledge for
themselves. Phillips and Soltis (2004) further emphasize that individuals all construct their own
truth through the following quote, there is no such thing as a common human nature shared by
all individuals;humans are capable of development in many different ways (p. 63). The
sociocultural approach emphasizes that students develop in various ways and there is no
common way of developing. As higher education professionals, it is critical to understand the
ways that student learn and make meaning. As an educator, it is also vital to understand students
develop in different ways; this impacts how students construct and retain knowledge.
As a higher education professional, it is key to understand the different purposes for
education and how that influences ones philosophy. As stated above, the purpose of education
is perceived in various ways, but it is critical to recognize ones background, characteristics,
motivation and to incorporate humanistic, progressive, and critical perspectives to ensure optimal
success for the whole student. This paper has further examined my personal philosophy on the
purpose of higher education, and I will also examine: the purpose of education, the role of the
educator, the role of students or the adult learner, and the primary lens for analyzing human
needs through a progressive and critical lens.

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References
Elias, J. L., & Merriam, S. B. (2005). Philosophical foundations of adult education (3rd ed).
Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishers.
Phillips, D. C., & Soltis, J. F. (2004). Perspectives on learning. Teachers College Press.
Suskie, L. (2009). Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide, 2nd Edition.
Jossey-Bass.