PHILOSOPHY 1

Philosophy of Education
Christine Stone
Colorado Mountain College
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Education is not about the teacher, the classroom, or the curriculum; education should

reach each student at their own level and utilize their strengths to take them beyond what they

thought was possible. Students are unique individuals, each with their own talents, abilities,

experiences, and knowledge. Each student learns in his own manner and at his own pace and as

their teacher, I should be sensitive to the individual qualities of my students and plan each day

accordingly. I want my classroom to become an active learning environment, full of life, with

students who are ready to delve into learning. I believe in teaching students that failure is a

necessary stepping stone towards success, and each one of them is capable of reaching success. I

believe that learning is a life-long activity which should be engaging enough to make each

student want to learn more.

All students are highly intelligent in their own unique way. Howard Gardners theory of

multiple intelligences embodies my beliefs on student abilities. Gardners focus on human

potential lies in the fact that people have a unique blend of capabilities and skills (intelligences)

(Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, 2017). Gardners theory includes the

following areas: verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial-visual, bodily-kinesthetic,

musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist, and existential. A student who struggles with

reading and writing may excel in sports (bodily-kinesthetic) or may have a natural talent for

music. Students can be advanced in any of these areas, most of which are not included in

traditional school testing, but are a vital part of the student as a whole.

I see each student as brilliant in their own way and I know by understanding and utilizing

these areas of knowledge and skills, I can create lessons that help the students capitalize on their

strengths in order to achieve in their weaker areas. A students mindset and self-esteem play a

role in their ability to achieve academics. If they believe they are intelligent and capable, then
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they will have a higher rate of success in all areas. Developing a growth mindset and reducing

the fear of failure will increase their self-esteem and willingness to take risks in all areas.

Lev Vygotskys social development theory stressed the fundamental role of social

interaction in the development of cognition (Vygotsky L. S., 1978). His constructivist approach

emphasized the importance of bringing together the collective background knowledge of a

community in order to facilitate learning. Vygotsky states the creative activity of the

imagination depends directly on the richness and variety of a persons previous experience

because this experience provides the material from which the products of fantasy are constructed

(Vygotsky, 2004). Students have a wealth of background knowledge which can be put to use in

the classroom if the teacher allows them to work collectively.

A constructivist classroom is one in which the teacher is a facilitator and a guide, who

plans, organizes, guides, and provides directions to the learner, who is accountable for his own

learning (Ozer, 2017). Given the right tools, students will learn more on their own than they

will when a teacher attempts to impart knowledge unto them. As a collective group, students can

learn from their peers and develop a deeper understanding of concepts. In my classroom, I

would like to design a learning environment where my students feel welcome to work together to

facilitate their learning. Learning should be a time of joy and discovery, not one of busy work

and repetition. I am also an advocate of group talks, such as science talks, where the class comes

together as a whole to discuss a student-generated question. Students pull from background

knowledge, experience, and each others ideas in an attempt to answer difficult questions about

life and the world around us. In this manner I can build a sense of community within my

classroom and encourage collective thinking.

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John Deweys progressive viewpoints came at a time when the thoughts about education

were fixed. He believed we needed to move forward in education by applying the principles

and practices of democracy (Warde, 2017). Dewey believed that students should be active

participants in their learning, with the teacher used as a guide and facilitator. Progressive

education rejects the more classical ideology that students must learn basic facts and instead

focuses on a deeper understanding.

In my classroom, I will strive for students to be treated as individuals whose differences

and disagreements are accepted and celebrated, just as they would be in a democratic

government. Students should participate fully in their education via inquiry and investigation

(Mintz, 2017). My students will be encouraged to use critical thinking skills are to solve

problems with real-world significance relating to their own lives. I want students to feel

welcome to ask questions and be given the appropriate time to find their own answers. I believe

students should understand that they bring valuable content to the classroom in the form of

culture, experience, and all that makes them unique.

Individual education grew from the theories of Alfred Adler, who held equality, civil

rights, mutual respect, and the advancement of democracy as core values (Alfred Adler 1870-

1937, 2017). Adler was also one of the first to address community health in the public school

system, which we now consider to be one of our norms. John Goodlad, an educator and award-

winning author, also believed in the idea of the individual as part of a community, arguing that

the functions of schooling also include interactions with families and the zeitgeist or spirit of a

school (Amrein-Beardsley, 2017). Goodlads experiences teaching in a one-room schoolhouse

led him to believe in a non-graded elementary system, where students progress as needed and are

never retained.
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The emphasis in an individual education classroom is on the individual student as a part

of the community. Students have the ability to choose what they learn and to go from the

classroom to the study hall or library as they wish. There is a skills list which the students must

progress as they go through their years of schooling. Each skill must be mastered before moving

on to the next skill. The student is allowed to find his own motivation for learning and to study

the subjects which interest him most. Although this system will not work in most public schools,

the idea of student choice is one I firmly support. Students are more likely to be engaged when

they are able to choose the subject they study, type of project they create, and how they work

(individual vs. group). By giving students a variety of options, all of which will support their

learning target, I can create an environment which includes individualism in my classroom.

Our society is built with people of all intelligences, who interact with one another in a

variety of jobs to form a functional town. My classroom should work in the same manner.

Along with treating my students as individuals, with varying intelligences, I also believe in

giving feedback without grades. The students attend school to learn, so if the lesson is ended by

giving a student a grade indicating he did not learn that content, I have failed to do my job.

Informal assessments will provide me with enough data to know which students require

additional help in order to succeed. Students who learn faster can be given an opportunity to

deepen their knowledge through critical thinking activities while I focus on those who need

additional help. This gives each student the opportunity to improve on their understanding and

reaffirm their growth mindset without a letter or number grade affecting their self-esteem.

Students in my classroom who are a part of the special education program should feel

that they are a part of our community. The world is made up of people of different size, shape,

color, intelligence, and ability. It is the collective differences in our classroom that make it an
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interesting place to learn. I believe its important to create a culture of acceptance for everyone,

focusing on their unique positive qualities.

A classroom should be an inclusive and welcoming space where each student has a job or

task at his own ability. Students in special education should be working on the same curriculum

as the other students, but levelled by the teacher to suit their needs. Group projects should

always include these students (intermingled with their peers, not in a group by themselves), with

special thought given to how each student can contribute in a meaningful way. As a teacher, I

will employ universally designed, culturally responsive, and evidence-based practices to

differentiate their assessment, teaching, and classroom management practices to accommodate

individual strengths and challenges and provide all students with meaningful access to the

general education curriculum (Salend, 2016, p. 7). I want my students with special needs to

know they are valued members and contributors to our classroom, with the same high-level

expectations as their peers.

The importance of inclusion is rooted in the principle of normalization (Salend, 2016,

p. 12). The ultimate goal for all students with special needs is that they will be a part of society

as adults. Their experiences in school should resemble their future adult life as much as possible.

This normalization for the special education students also benefits the students in general

education. They learn that everyone they come in contact with has a meaningful contribution to

our society.

My ideal classroom is one where students are treated as brilliant individuals, yet part of

the collective group, or community. The learning will consist of real-life, project-based activities

which engage the students and utilize their own special talents. Critical thinking skills are

encouraged as the students work collectively to solve problems. The students work together as a
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community, not only accepting their differences, but embracing them. Each student should know

they are an important part of the whole. When education is engaging and enjoyable for the

students, the students will learn more effectively.

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References

Alfred Adler 1870-1937. (2017, September 4). Retrieved from Adler University:
http://www.adler.edu/page/about/history/about-alfred-adler
Amrein-Beardsley, A. (2017, September 4). John Goodlad. Retrieved from Arizona State
University: Inside the academy: http://insidetheacademy.asu.edu/john-goodlad
Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. (2017, September 3). Retrieved from
Northern Illinois University: Faculty development and instructional design center:
http://www.niu.edu/facdev/_pdf/guide/learning/howard_gardner_theory_multiple_intellig
ences.pdf
Mintz, S. (2017, September 4). Progressive pedagogies. Retrieved from Columbia University in
the city of New York: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/tat/pdfs/progressive.pdf
Ozer, O. (2017, September 4). Constructivism in Piaget and Vygotsky. Retrieved from The
fountain on life, knowledge, and belief:
http://www.fountainmagazine.com/Issue/detail/CONSTRUCTIVISM-in-Piaget-and-
Vygotsky
Salend, S. J. (2016). Creating inclusive classrooms: Effective, differentiated, and reflective
practices. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Vygotsky, L. S. (2004). Imagination and creativity in childhood. Journal of Russian and East
European psychology, 14-15.
Warde, W. F. (2017, September 4). John Dewey's theories of education. Retrieved from Marxists
internet archive: https://www.marxists.org/archive/novack/works/1960/x03.htm