Jeremy Ramsaran 200190716

INFO1020

Philosophy Statement

Children are the future. A child is potential; they foster hope whilst simultaneously
reminding ourselves of who we used to be, where we came from, our individual journeys that
made us into the people we are today. How do you bring out the best in a child? The answer lies
in education. What is Education? My personal definition of education is the process by which an
individual interacts with their environment; experimenting, endeavoring, succeeding, failing but
ultimately learning. It is in my view that education is a lifelong and individualized process. It
requires learning, questioning what we think we know, revisiting concepts, building upon what
we previously thought and ultimately refining ourselves and building our character.

I believe there are layers or hierarchies in education that work in tandem with each other.
The core focus of education should be the moral and spiritual development and maturity of an
individual. It is in my view that a diet of high moral fiber and an exercise regime of spiritual
training prepares the child for their best possible outcomes. We must remember a universal rule;
choices become habits, habits become lifestyles, lifestyles become culture, culture becomes
legacy. Every human being is part of something greater than they are; family, neighborhood,
city, country, humanity at large. It is the sum total of individual choices that pushes a society
towards greatness or towards pain. This justifies to me the necessity that children receive moral
and spiritual education as well as the challenges so that they can define their character. Should
each individual aspire to be the best versions of themselves on this stratum, they will prosper in
all other areas. “Be the change you want to see in the world,” the moral uplifting of children
guarantees a brighter future, as I do believe strong, positive examples can indeed have a domino
effect, ultimately pushing society toward the sum total of greater good.

Another important layer in the process of education is that of their philosophy. A

philosophy is the guiding set of beliefs, thoughts and attitudes that guides the person’s moral
compass. The most common means of delivering philosophy onto man is the vehicle of religion.
Through its various stories and epics, life lessons abound many often in a symbolic trope as
opposed to being literal. This requires thought and reflection on the individual’s part. I do think
subconsciously we form our own philosophy and outlooks through our experiences. If a society
has a strong moral foundation, I do think it allows its individuals to form more positive and
Jeremy Ramsaran 200190716
INFO1020

principled philosophies. Personally, I have followed the principles of Stoic Philosophy for many
years, particularly as a student of Marcus Aurelius a Roman emperor and Philosopher. In Marcus
Aurelius’ writings called “Meditations” the following quote originates.

Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly
all that comes under thy observation in life

In my view, this quote embodies the importance of education to the individual. Instilling a value
for education is an important endeavor in the human story. In my experience, one of the most
powerful forces an individual can have with them is a philosophy that gets them through
adversity. Allowing children to formulate their own philosophy based on their experiences and
knowledge is a highly important goal in their development.

The next stratum of an individual should be their physical well-being. Your health is your
wealth. As we stated before, choices becomes habits, habits become lifestyles. I am of the belief
that one’s physical health is of utmost importance. Children should be encouraged to play, as that
is how they interact and learn from their environment, but also because it allows them to
physically master themselves.

“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a
man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” Socrates.

Socrates, being a Greek moral philosopher, noted the importance of physical fitness. Physical
fitness builds discipline. You are to do what is hard in order to improve. I have found by my own
experience, as my capacity to do what is hard and what is harder increases, my humility
increases as I was repeatedly humbled by my own limits, despite constantly improving. Your
challenges build character, they build discipline, and it increases the ability to delay gratification.
These are tools and experiences that will help children reach long-term success. No man should
be an amateur when it comes to his physical prowess. I see huge benefits to starting physical
training at an early age, not only to master one’s body but also to master one’s mind. When we
look at the ever-increasing health problems in our society and lifestyle diseases affecting
younger and younger demographics, as teachers we should be proactive and give our students the
tools to overcome this.

The next stratum deals with the individual’s ability to do their work. Matthew 16:24-26
Jeremy Ramsaran 200190716
INFO1020

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For
whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For
what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man
give in return for his soul?

Even coming from the Hindu faith, I have found this verse inspirational. I have interpreted this as
all men have their burdens to bear and challenges to endure, to lose one’s soul metaphorically
translated to me the choices that we make determines our outcomes. To lose one’s soul says to
me that the individual has compromised himself and did not stay true to their principles; as such,
they have become corrupted for even the pleasurable outcomes of the world is not a just
exchange. One should always carry their cross. Applied to the classroom, this lesson is
invaluable to our students. The values built by the previous strata are applied. As our students
work, it is our duty to motivate and inspire them to do their best. The person, who burdens their
cross, is the person who tends to their responsibilities, the person who tends to their
responsibilities, are focused, ultimately if we as people are focused, our minds and hands do not
become the devil’s playthings. This further reinforces the concepts learnt from the previous
strata.

The Bhagavad Gita says;

For him who has no concentration, there is no tranquility.

When one focuses on their work, it brings purpose and purpose brings peace. Another verse from
the Bhagavad Gita states

What the outstanding person does, others will try to do. The standards such people create will be
followed by the whole world.

If we inspire our students by our actions, our students too will inspire others. If we must demand
from our students, high performance, we too must deliver high performance. Children learn best
by example, as such, they must see us endeavor to our best and in turn, they too shall endeavor to
their best. We must instill the value of work and its ethics as we deliver the curriculum.

We must remember every child is capable of learning. Their methods of learning may be
far varied, but we are the facilitators of education. In my humble view these intertwined strata;
Jeremy Ramsaran 200190716
INFO1020

moral and spiritual values, philosophical and religious reflection, the practice of discipline,
structure and physical fitness and a work ethic come together to form a more complete human
being. As we mold the minds and hearts of tomorrow we must remember, our students spend the
majority of their waking hours in our care. We are their role models; we are the ones they will
emulate. Teaching is not just curriculum delivery; it is the holistic development of the next
generation. We are charged with the responsibility to influence a better tomorrow with the
choices we make today. There is a greater purpose in our work. As our teachers and elders
passed their knowledge to us, we too must rise to the occasion and do the best we can for future
generations. A Greek proverb states;

A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.

This statement holds true for teachers much more so than for any other career or vocation. We
impart the knowledge, the values, and the characteristics onto our charges. The seeds we plant in
the minds of our students grow into trees. As teachers, we learn to reflect and constantly
reevaluate what we think we know. As we impart our lessons to our students, we should not be
dogmatic in methodology nor speech as it is important that they too learn that skill of reflection
and reevaluation. For even the seeds, we may plant in their minds, though noble, if we do not
give them the tools to properly prune and care for these trees, can produce fruit, which may not
nourish them. As we chart onwards on our journeys, we are the first leaders that the future
generation encounters, we shape many of the views that a child may hold. It is my philosophy
that as teachers, we must be exemplars.