Concept of Education

The origin of the word education comes from the Greek words educere and educare
which mean to train. Basically, education is a process to train and guide the children so
that they can grow well. Specifically, education means the act or process of imparting
and acquiring knowledge and training that leads a person to better understanding of the
situations in his life. On the other hand, education is the learning process whereby any
knowledge is obtained to grow ones intellectual capabilities. It is an interaction between
an individual and the society to create and expand the knowledge as well as improvise
ones social skill. Education includes activities that have been organized systematically
so that parents and teachers have the objectives, plans and steps that need to be taken
in order to teach the children.

In our country, there are two types of education which are informal and formal. Informal
education takes place during the old times where the children are being taught at home
by the parents. The type of knowledge that they learn are usually the survival skills,
which include cooking, sewing, farming, hunting and many more whereas in this modern
era, education concerns more on the process of gaining knowledge regarding the
environment and also current issues happening around the world. According to Eric
Hoffer, the main objective of education is to instill the desire and aptitude in learning. It
should not only produce an educated man but also man who always learns. According
to him, a learning society a society whereby everybody is learning. From the Islamic
perspective, the main purpose of education is to build a good behavior and
comprehensive whole that brings about a harmonious development of mind, body and
soul. It purifies the soul, sharpens the intellect and builds the body.
The importance of Teacher Educational Philosophy

The teacher who is noble in character, progressive and scientific in outlook, committed
to uphold the aspirations of the nation, and cherishes the national cultural heritage,
ensures the development of the individual and the preservation of a united, democratic,
progressive and a disciplined society.

The Teacher Educational Philosophy was formulated as a guide in implementing

National Education Philosophy. This Teacher Educational Philosophy outlines the types
of teachers the nation needs in the course of realising the ideals of the National
Education Philosophy. Therefore, it is important to adhere to this Teacher Educational
Philosophy in order to bring development to our country.

As mentioned in the TEP, a teacher should have noble characters. The noble character
that is meant in this context is a teacher should be polite and well-disciplined. As a
teacher, we need to exhibit good behaviour because we are the role model to our
students. Besides that, Malaysia is a unique country with various races inhabit here.
Therefore, we as a teacher need to behave ourselves and act according to what our
religion has taught us in order to attain peace and harmony. Teachers need to practise
good values, be caring, innovative, and creative, show empathy and faithfully abide to
the ethics of the teaching profession in cherishing the national cultural heritage.

Another role of teacher in realising the NEP based on the TEP is progressive and
scientific in outlook. A teacher needs to be knowledgeable and skilful enough to control
a classroom. Teachers act as a body of knowledge with expertise in their content area
as well as in pedagogy so that teaching and learning can be carried out successfully.
Teachers should also possess professional skills in utilizing and producing learning and
instructional materials to upgrade the quality of teaching and learning.
A teacher who is efficient, honest and trustworthy is an example of a teacher who
committed to uphold the aspirations of the nation. A teacher also need to attempt to
develop himself before he could develop the students as well as the society. Teachers
who provide an open, relaxed atmosphere enable children to learn comfortably and the
children will be able to explore new ideas without embarrassment. This atmosphere will
generate an increase in students self-esteem, and then lead to greater learning.

In order to preserve unity and develop democratic, progressive and disciplined students,
teachers can take some action and one of them can be done through teaching
environment. The classroom environment should be free to allow for maximum learning.
However, some basic rules and guidelines must be established to assure some
appearance of order and respect in the community of learners. These rules should be
firmly established by the teacher and students and should focus on the ideal of respect
for oneself and others. Through this kind of teaching environment, teachers can create
a democratic way of learning where students are allowed to voice their opinions. Apart
from that, disciplined students can be achieved through the rules that have been
established by the teacher.

As to sum all these up, it is very important for teachers to adhere to the TEP in
producing a better society and providing a better world. Teaching profession has
become an important profession in the developing of the country because it involve in
the development and the progress of the country. It is our responsibilities to uphold this
noble profession as we are the educators for the next generation of the world. The
transformation of the country depends on the teachers on how we create the future
generation. Therefore, different methods and teaching practices are important for every
teacher trainee in order to be a good teacher in the future, and as Brad Henry once
said, A good teacher can inspire hope, ignites the imagination and instill a love of
learning.
Reference

Luat, A. (2013). Lectures Note: Topic 5: NPE & TPE

Luat, A. (2013). Lectures Note: Topic 10: PTE and Roles of Teachers

(n.a), (n.d). Philosophy of Education. Retrieved from

http://academic.uofs.edu/organization/msp/students/pricciv2/philosophy.html on April
8th, 2013.