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Running Head BACKGROUND AND PHILOSOPHY

Autobiography and Philosophy of Education

Benjamin Avila

National University

ITL600
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Autobiography and Philosophy of Education

There are many things in education that shaped the way I view and approach teaching. I

grew up in a small town where everything was tight knit, and collaborative. I liked interacting

with others and working for a common goal. I never saw myself becoming a teacher one day, but

I'm glad that I am teaching now and making a difference. I hope to stay in the education sector

for a long time.

I grew up in Merced, CA which lands in the middle of the central valley. Class sizes were

pretty small for the most part, and I had a close group of friends that I had class with. During my

elementary school, I had a teacher named Mr. Thompson. Looking back, Mr. Thompson had a

very understanding and flexible philosophy. His philosophy was similar to the quote and

philosophy of Eric More “...intervene when necessary to enhance learning and support individual

and group growth.” (Moore, 2015 ). He focused more on the relationship with students, and

letting them us grow individual in our own interest. There were days where I would read ahead

and do the homework for the week on a Monday. The rest of the week, I would set up in the back

of the class, and build model cars and planes. This type of support was monumental to my

appreciation for educators.

I had a very different experience the following year however. I had a teacher who would

make us sit quietly and complete worksheets. One day I asked a neighbor for some help on a

math problem, and the teacher saw us talking and sent me to the principal’s office for being

disruptive. When I returned to class, he made me write out that I would not disrupt class for the

remainder of the year a hundred times. I got tired of writing it after 20 times. I just got up and

left class to talk to the principal again. I told her that I was just asking for help on a problem,
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because I was not understanding the problem and wanted to to figure it out. The next week I was

transferred into another teacher’s class. I felt that this teacher violated the code of ethics for

educators, because my mom and I felt he was helping me learn. In The Code of Ethics for

Educators under principle I it states “The professional educator deals considerately and justly

with each student, and seeks to resolve problems, including discipline, according to law and

school policy.” (AAE, 2018) which we felt he did not do.

I kept these memories in my mind often when dealing with students who might be a little

harder to get to. I put myself in their shoes, and ask myself what I would have appreciated in that

moment. One 5th grader teacher made all the difference when it came to education. I teacher

with a similar philosophy now, where I am inclusive and support in anything a student does or

needs. I have been a full time teacher now for over a year, and I have been fortunate enough to

be practicing my philosophy over the last two school years. One thing that holds true to my

classroom and teaching philosophy is a quote from Moore that states “The classroom climate

must be safe, professional, and collaborative, allowing students to feel at ease to express their

views, share experiences, and discuss differences of opinion.” (Moore, 2015). I support my

students in anything, and believe collaboration and inclusion are huge for classroom learning as

well for a positive student experience.

I fell into education by accident, and I never envisioned the career path for myself. Over

the time I have taught, I look back at my educational upbringing, and how one teacher was all the

difference it took for me to understand how a negative experience could have easily change my

education into the wrong direction. I strive to be there for my students whenever I can, and that
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unconditional support can really bring the best out of students and help change their educational

experience and career paths.

References

Association of American Educators. (2018). Code of Ethics for Educators. Retrieved from

https://www.aaeteachers.org/index.php/about-us/aae-code-of-ethics.
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More, E.T. (2015, August 7). My Educational Philosophy. Retrieved from

https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/philosophy-of-teaching/my-educational-philosophy/.