MY PERSONAL PHILOSOPY OF EDUCATION AND ITS

APPLICATION IN TEACHING THE TECHNICAL SUBJECTS

Eoin Purcell

G00321833

Submitted for the B.Sc. (Hons) in Education (Design Graphics and Construction)

to

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Letterfrack

Module Leader: Pauline Logue Collins

Programme: B.Sc. (Hons) in Education (Design Graphics and Construction)

Module Title: Education Studies

Date Submitted: 21/10/2016

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ABSTRACT

A teaching philosophy statement is a narrative that includes: your conception of teaching

and learning, a description of how you teach and justification for why you teach that way
(Cornell University, 2016). The statement shows that you have been reflective and that there
is purpose in your teaching. Your philosophy of teaching statement should reflect your
personal values and the needs of your students and your department. (Haugen, 2013). It is
not a summary of past experiences on your C.V. It includes my beliefs regarding the model of
education, usually concerning the purpose of school, the prime way for students to learn,
what contents should be taught and the teacher's position in education.

This essay aims to show my understanding of the philosophy, psychology and sociology of
education and to introduce and talk about theorists such as Plato, Pestalozzi, Dewey and
Vygotsky who are are heavily involved with these areas. I will also include ways in which I can
implement these theories in my practice of teaching of MTW, TG, DCG and Construction
Studies.

KEY WORDS: Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy Statement, Sociology, Technical Classroom

Environment.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................................ 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................................................................................................ 3

1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 4

2 PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION .................................................................................................................. 5

2.1 PLATO (427 347 B.C.) .................................................................................................................... 5

2.2 JOHANN HEINRICH PESTALOZZI (1746 1827) ................................................................................ 6

2.3 JOHN DEWEY (1859 1952) ............................................................................................................ 7

3 PSYCHOLOGY OF EDUCATION ................................................................................................................. 8

3.1 LEV VYGOTSKY (1896 1934) .......................................................................................................... 9

3.2 Abraham Maslow (1908 1970). 10

4 SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION .11

4.1 AUGUSTE COMPTE (1798 1857)11

4.2 EMILE DURKHEIM (1858 - 1917)12

5 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................................ 13

References ..................................................................................................................................................... 13

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 1 INTRODUCTION

A teaching philosophy statement is a narrative that includes: your conception of teaching

and learning, a description of how you teach and justification for why you teach that way
(CornellUniversity, 2016). The statement shows that you have been reflective and that there
is purpose in your teaching. Your philosophy of teaching statement should reflect your
personal values and the needs of your students and your department. (Haugen, 2013). It is
not a summary of past experiences on your C.V. It is a specific discussion of the aims and
approaches you use. (WashingtonUniversitySt.Louis, 2016). It is also the author's beliefs
regarding the model of education, usually concerning the purpose of school, the prime way
for students to learn, what contents should be taught and the teacher's position in education.

In this essay I will be looking at various philosophers, psychologists and sociologists that I feel
relate to the way in which I want to teach and the way I wish my classroom shall be. I will
begin by looking at some of the theorists and how their theory was applied in teaching and
then it will be followed by how I plan on using it in the classroom. First of all, I will talk about
philosophy of education, giving an explanation of what it is. I will then talk about Plato,
Pestalozzi and Dewey and how their theories are applied to teaching followed by how I will
implement these into my own teaching. Secondly, I will move onto the psychology of
education, giving an overview of it followed by looking at Vygotsky and Maslow and how their
various theories are applied to the technical subjects. I will then show how I plan to use these
theories in my classroom also. Last, I will look at the sociology of education followed by
discussing Compte and Durkheim and how their theories apply to my TG and MTW
classrooms. To summarize this essay there is a conclusion at the end.

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 2 PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
Philosophy of Education is a label applied to the study of
the purpose, process, nature and ideals of education. It can be considered a branch of both
philosophy and education. (Mastin, 2008). Some of the very earliest philosophers were
Socrates, Plato and Aristotle well over two thousand years ago. Some modern philosophers
are Rousseau, Pestalozzi, Herbart and Froebel. These people were hugely involved in the
philosophy of education. My approach is to firstly talk about Plato and his theory with how I
am going to use it in my class, then I will talk about Pestalozzi and how his theory is applied
also followed by how I plan to use his theory in teaching classes.

2.1 PLATO (427 347 B.C.)

Plato was a philosopher in Classical Greece and was a student of Socrates. He founded what
is said to be the first university his Academy in around 385 BC. (Smith, 1997). He believed
that talent was allocated non-genetically, it must be discovered among all children from any
social background. Plato thought that all students should be educated according to their
abilities rather than everyone receiving the same education. Educating is a moral enterprise
and it is the duty of educators to search for truth and virtue, and in so doing guide those they
have a responsibility to teach. (Smith, 1997).

Plato regards education as a means to achieve justice, both individual justice and social justice.
According to Plato, individual justice can be obtained when each individual develops his or her
ability to the fullest, social justice can be achieved when all social classes in a society, workers,
warriors, and rulers are in a harmonious relationship. (Lee, 1994)

To implement Platos theory into the authors classroom, it will take a lot of time before it
becomes truly beneficial. For the teacher it will take a lot of time to get the students to reach
their potential, in most cases it will take a couple of years. To help the students advance, the
students will learn by doing. In the T.G. and M.T.W. classroom this can be used rather easily
in that the students will constantly be drawing, making and will seldom be passive. However,
it is up to the students to do the work as the teacher is only there to guide them along. The
students will have to be well motivated and interested. Platos opinion was that the teacher

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shouldnt force the students, the teacher is there as an educator to show the children how to
work out or do the problems for themselves.

2.2 JOHANN HEINRICH PESTALOZZI (1746 1827)

Pestalozzi was a Swiss pedagogue who was educated to become a clergyman, but as this did
not work out he pursued a career in law and political justice. He later founded a certain
amount of educational institutions around Switzerland. He was heavily influenced by
Rousseau. Pestalozzi was influenced by the political conditions of his country and by the
educational ideas of Rousseau. (Sibler, 2008). He worked on education of the poor and
emphasized teaching strategies that helped students improve their own abilities. Everyone
suffers from the limitations imposed by society until he has risen to morality and every
individual achieves a truly fulfilled life only through this moral stability. (Bruehlmeier, 2005).
He combined past experiences in which he witnessed intense poverty. This led him to create
a school for poor children known as Neuhof, In 1769 he took up agriculture on neglected
land near the River Aarethe Neuhof, he took poor children into his house (Sibler, 2008).
He hoped it would teach children about financial stability. Pestalozzi focused on the whole
child approach which developed all aspects of a person including head, heart and hands.
Pestalozzi followed Rousseau in recommending that children be educated through the
senses. (Noddings, 2007). He also wanted children to learn by doing. Pestalozzis believed
that rather than dealing with words, children should learn by doing and they should be free
to pursue their own interests and draw their own conclusions (ModernSchool, 2013).

Pestalozzis theory about educating through the senses can be implanted in the M.T.W.
classroom through wood identification. In the topic Wood and Trees in M.T.W. the children
could be able to identify various wood by using their senses. For eyesight, students would be
able to differentiate the timber by looking at the grain, for touch some might be able to see
the difference by the texture of the wood and for sound some might be able to know by
tasting the fruits of the species of the wood. Pestalozzi also believed in an object lesson where

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students would be presented with an object and asked to describe it, how it works and its
uses and this also could be used in the woodwork classroom effectively. (Noddings, 2007)

This is where the philosophy of education ends in this essay, I am now moving onto the
psychology of education and talk about various famous psychologists of education and their
influence in education.

2.3 JOHN DEWEY (1859 1952)

John Dewey was an American educational reformer whose ideas have been hugely influential
in the reform of education, he is said to be one founders of functional psychology To talk of
education in Deweys words as a constant reorganizing or reconstructing of experience
(Connor, 1957, p. 8) .He believed creative intelligence is capable of development, each
situation can be viewed as unique and dealt with experimentally Dewey defined experience
in a way that is not well understood within educational research, and in a way that is easily
confused with the term experimental learning (Elkjaer, 2009, p. 74). He thought that the
ultimate goal of education is growth in personal judgement and social intelligence. He hoped
to develop his principle of education positively and constructively rather than reacting against
traditional education. Dewey wanted to build on the students past experiences and that the
process of learning is important not just the curriculum Experience is the concept Dewey
used to denote the relation between subject and worlds as well as between action and
thinking, between human existence and becoming knowledgeable about selves and the
worlds of which they are a part (Elkjaer, 2009, p. 78) Dewey worked on four aspects, pupil
centered learning, active learning, discovery learning and holistic this is looking at the
student as a whole. Active learning is any activity that allows students to engage the course
materials during instruction so that the teacher and the student can ascertain the students'
mastery of the materials and adjust the instruction to facilitate further learning.
(DuquesneUniversity, 2016). Discovery learning is promoting a deep understanding;
developing meta-cognitive skills; and encouraging a high level of student engagement.
(Coffey, 2009).

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In my own classroom I will hope to focus on pupil centered learning which was a big part of
Deweys theory. In my subject areas pupil centered learning is crucial for the students to
receive a good understanding of topics and material. When correcting homework on the
board in TG it would be better for the students to present it as it gives them more
responsibility, requires more interaction from students and it reduces the amount of time I
would be talking. This shifts the focus of instruction from the teacher to the student and aims
to improve learner independence and responsibility and it also puts the learning path in front
of the student. This also puts students interests first. Learning styles, this term refers to the
type of learning activities and tasks pupils prefer to experience and which they feel are more
effective in promoting their own learning. (Kyriacou, 2007).

This is where the philosophy of education ends in this essay, I am now moving onto the
psychology of education and talk about various famous psychologists of education and their
influence in education.

3 PSYCHOLOGY OF EDUCATION
The educational psychology is the application of psychology and psychological methods to
the study of development, learning, motivation, instruction, assessment, and related issues
that influence the interaction of teaching and learning. (McGraw-HillCompanies, 2000). It is
not just the learning process of early childhood and adolescence, it can be described as the
study of social structures and social institutions, and sociological work is often divided into
such topics as the class structure of modern societies, the family, crime and deviance,
religion (Bruce, 1999, p. 18).

Some of the key psychologists are Piaget, Vygotsky and Bruner, these are cognitive theorists.
Some humanists are Maslow and Friere. These were all heavily involved in psychology of
education. I am going to introduce Vygotskys theory first and then show how I plan on using
it in my classroom followed by talking about Maslows theory and how his theory will be
applied in my teaching.

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 3.1 LEV VYGOTSKY (1896 1934)

Lev Vygotsky was a Soviet psychologist, founder of a theory of human cultural and bio-social
development. He was a cognitivist theorist which means he studied how the mind/brain
works and he added the social aspect to this approach. He believed that children should build
their own learning. Vygotsky came up with the ZPD (Zonal of Proximal Development) theory.
This was that teacher should scaffold a child to develop to get to a new place in the learning.
Scaffolding is a process whereby; through the language of a shared communication a more
skilled individual is trying to impart knowledge to a less skilled individual. (Bentham, 2002,
p. 10) . there was a difference between what an individual could achieve by themselves and
what they could do with help from a more skilled individual. (Bentham, 2002, p. 10). He
believed that children construct knowledge and that learning can lead development. Teachers
should use strategies to implement learning between independent and assisted performance.
He also believed in the social aspect which affects how and what we think. He said that we
develop because we learn and to develop we must do tasks that are just out of our reach
because ones that are too easy do not improve students, however if they are too complicated
a student will get frustrated and will not learn either. A student cannot accomplish these
problems on their own but they can with the correct guidance.

Vygotskys ZPD theory can be used in my T.G. and M.T.W classrooms to great effect. To help
students to learn in my classroom I will attempt to introduce the ZPD theory. If I am teaching
the surface developments topic to a second year T.G class, I will get students to recall
information that they would have learned in the previous year so that they can understand
what is happening in the topic. I can give the students a certain amount of information but to
understand the next part of a question they will have to delve into their previous knowledge
to figure out the answer. This will put more emphasis on the students and so will help their
development in learning. Roles of the teacher and student are therefore shifted, as a teacher
should collaborate with his or her students in order to help facilitate meaning construction in
students. Learning therefore becomes a reciprocal experience for the students and teacher.
(Moll, 2013). Vygotsky also said that every student learns differently but still every student
does learn, they just need a little support from the teacher. This is known as differentiation; I
will also be using this throughout my entire classes as it is essential because each student
learns at a different pace. Differentiation forces teachers to shift their thinking from

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completing the curriculum, and compels them to move closer to catering to individual student
needs (Subban, 2006).

3.2 Abraham Maslow (1908 1970)

Maslow's (1943, 1954) hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology

comprising a five tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels
within a pyramid. Maslow wanted to understand what motivates people. He
believed that people possess a set of motivation systems unrelated
to rewards or unconscious desires. (McLeod, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, 2016).
Maslow is well known for his table of Hierarchy of Needs. He wanted to celebrate difference
among everyone and let people express themselves. He wanted mutuality among everyone,
this is something I wish to implement in my classroom. When students are designing
projects in the MTW class I would like to see students expressing themselves by picking their
own and basing it around an interest of theirs. This should help students along to reach self-
actualization.

(McLeod, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs)

From reading this passage, I have talked about the psychology of education and some famous
theorists that were heavily involved. I am now going to move onto the Sociology part of this
essay.

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 4 SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION

Sociology is the scientific study of social life, it involves the description and analysis of social
behavior with a particular focus on how human society has come to be the way it is, revealing
the social forces that shape peoples lives. (Walsh, 2011). This is if we study people and find
out more about their background we can be more effective in the classroom. I plan to do this
in the TG class to find out what drawings or topics the students would like to do according to
their interests and hobbies. I would also like to implement this method in the MTW classroom
so that students can design and make projects surrounding their key interests. In the sociology
section I am going to talk about Compte and Durkheim as they are two hugely influential
theorists in this section.

4.1 AUGUSTE COMPTE (1798 1857)

Compte invented and defined the word sociology and associated four methods with it,
observation, experimentation, comparison and historical research. (Ritzer, 2003). Although
he wasnt the sole founder of sociology, he heavily influenced its progression and influenced
many others as a result. Though Comte did not originate the concept of sociology or its area of
study, he greatly extended and elaborated the field. (Crossman, 2016). He was a philosopher and
was interested in the order of human society, this is how he invented his philosophy. Compte
was later to convert into his celebrated Positive Philosophy and into the science foe which
he coined the name sociology. (Nisbet, 1975, p. 151).

As stated, Compte believed that observation was a valid method of sociology. I plan on using
this method a lot as a teacher in the technical subjects. In the MTW classroom it is vital that I
am observing the students when sawing or trenching and giving formative feedback to the
students. It is also vital when I am demonstrating a technique in either TG & MTW that the
students are observational learning, this is known as a live model. Live model, observing
somebody actually demonstrating a particular behavior. (Walsh, 2011, p. 139). If I am
demonstrating how to chisel a piece of wood in MTW it is necessary that I use best practice
so the students can observe the correct method how to do it.

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 4.2 EMILE DURKHEIM (1858 - 1917)

Emile Durkheim may be called one of the two principal founders of the modern phase of
sociological theory, the other being his somewhat younger contemporary Max Weber. (Gale,
2008). Durkheim studies social facts as things, these are characteristics of our social life that
form our actions as individuals. It was seen that there were many different social classes and
that everyone in each class were the same. (Musgrave, 1965). I wish that there will be
solidarity among all students in my class, meaning that there are common traits between
different people. I need to look at each class as a whole but look at each student as an
individual and ensure everyone is included. Durkheims reference to the two consciences in
man the collective and the individual and the conflict between them has already been
noted. (Nisbet, 1975, p. 246).

As a teacher of the technical subjects, I need to have both male and female students in my
class. In the past the TG & MTW classes have been hugely male dominated, it is vital to ensure
females are welcomed into these subjects. However, it is not just these subjects where there
is an imbalance of male to female ratios, and this needs to be changed in all aspects.
Participation of women, noting that all aspects of education must be available equally to
both sexes, a long overdue statement of the place of women in school management and the
imbalance in subject offerings in single school and co-educational schools. (Walsh, 2011, p.
58). Durkheim was also a firm believer in multi-cultural inclusion. In the past it was said that
different cultures had to be divided in society. Multiculturalism is both dependent on and
contributive to the continued feeling of needing to categorize individuals into pre-defined
cultural slots, a relationship possibly strengthened by the ever-dominant individualism of
western capitalist society. (FORSN, 2015). In my classes I will always make sure to include
all cultures where possible rather than some students feeling left out because they have a
different background. This comes into the design in the MTW classroom, a student should
feel comfortable to design a project that is based on their interests, i.e. religious view,
background.

From reading this passage, I have talked about the sociology of education and some famous
theorists that were heavily involved. I also discussed how these theories can be applied to the
technical subjects. I am now going to conclude this essay.

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 5 CONCLUSION
From doing this philosophy statement I believe that it is vital that I relate my teaching
strategies to the work of the Philosophers, Plato, Pestalozzi and Dewey, the Psychologists,
Vygotsky and Maslow, and the Sociologists, Compte and Durkheim mentioned above. Of the
theories I have used above it is clear that these do in fact work in a classroom setting as there
is ample evidence shown.

From looking at these various theorists I have found out that you can use these theories in
my classroom all the time. For example, student centered learning is a very useful strategy
but it cannot be overused because the students may find that they are now taking control
over the class and may have a negative impact on their behavior. As we all know each and
every student is different but every student is able to learn, as said by Vygotsky. Some
students may need a little bit of support from the teacher than others. In my own classroom
I also want to have a positive working environment because if I achieve this it means that
students will be learning and as a result they should enjoy each lesson.

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