My Philosophy of Education

As an educator, especially of the international variety, it’s important that I detail out my personal philosophy of education. This is so that my future administrators, parents, and students can see exactly what kind of teacher they should expect when they enter my classroom.

I truly believe that education should be timeless, technologically integrated, personalized, and goal-oriented. Let me explain…

Timeless

Teachers are, to our credit, constantly looking for better ways to educate our students. We’re on the hunt for new curriculums, new methods, and new frameworks every year. This is a wonderful aspect of the profession that can’t be praised enough. However, while I’m certainly interested in new ways of teaching, I also want to honor the tried and true methods of the past.

Those who came before us have experience in what does and doesn’t work. We must heed their wisdom instead of trying to retread the paths they’ve already walked. Our methods of instruction should apply new understanding in the field of education as well as what has worked for generations. (For example, we know that phonics are incredibly important to help students connect speaking and reading together. To abandon the practice of teaching them is a bad idea in my opinion.) That is why I believe in being a voracious reader of educational research and biographies of educators of the past. I don’t want to be excluded from their lessons.

Technologically Integrated

My generation were designated “Digital Immigrants” in that our childhoods were before the .com revolution but we came of age as the world went digital. This means we are fully capable of understanding and using the many technologies that have been developed since the turn of the century. Contrasted with my parents’ generation who have been designated “Digital Foreigners” meaning that they lived most of their professional lives before the advent of these same technological tools. Thus, they struggle to adapt and find that they honestly don’t need to do so.

Yet, even further contrast can be found in my students. Most educators have heard the term “Digital Native” before so it’s meaning is known far and wide. My students can interact with the internet in ways that I only dreamed of as a child. They expect and sometimes require tech integration in their classrooms.

The beauty of this is that it’s never been easier to integrate new applications and programs into my teaching repertoire. Students I’ve taught before all remarked that I used technology in ways that engaged them in the lessons and provided them the easiest ways to turn in work. In most of my schools, I was the one pushing ahead with new tech. That won’t be changing anytime soon.

Personalized

I don’t think it’s possible to over state how unique each individual student actually is. They all come with their own needs and challenges. Their presence shifts the feeling of a class and no two groups of students are the same. Add in the fact that people learn differently and at different paces and you get the idea that education needs to be personalized as much as is reasonable.

Granted, it’s just not possible to create an individual learning experience for 35+ students in a classroom. (Let alone multiplying that by eight or nine classes!) However, there are ways to differentiate between students of differing levels of competency while maintaining classroom cohesion. It’s my belief that a teacher should be doing this as soon as they see their students in action.

This also isn’t just for special needs. Even students high on the bell curve deserve an educator that gets to know them and uses their interests and passions to fuel learning. Every student deserves to be heard, seen, and taught in a way that they best understand.

Goal-Oriented

One of the first mini-units I do in my class each year is on goal-setting. Teaching students how to devise a plan, gather resources, follow through with the plan, and evaluate the results is a skill so important that no matter the subject, I teach students about SMART Goals every year. (S = Specific / M = Measurable / A = Achievable / R = Relevant / T = Time-bound)

Each lesson, unit, month, semester, and year has at least one goal that we as a class agree to pursue. I strongly believe that setting a high bar in the beginning will inspire students to reach it. Even more so if they set the bar themselves! I’ve found that this helps students take ownership of their outcomes and work hard because they want to achieve something.

The practice of goal setting is also incredibly helpful in the adult working world. If my students can’t deconstruct George Orwell but know how to set appropriate goals then I’ll feel accomplished for that term. The rest really falls into place once proper goal-orientation is established.

Conclusion

This is a living document that will be changed as time goes on. That said, my hope is to educate the future generation with not only subject knowledge but practical knowledge as well. These principles will dictate how I teach my curriculum, how I manage my classroom, and how I nurture my students.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Sincerely,