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Philosophical Paper Jenna Johnstone Professional Teacher December 4th, 2013

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Education: Every child has the right to an education, which provides the foundation and working knowledge one will need to further themselves in life. Education has the potential to not only further society, but to advance technology. In regards to furthering and bettering society, students who have received an education have learned important social skills, responsibilities, and academic skills that are essential for the functioning of society. Through developing a childs social skills throughout his or her time at school, that child has learned to interact and communicate with those they are surrounded by. Social skills are essential, as they are used all around us on an everyday basis. Using students academic knowledge, they are able to advance technology in a way that could change the lives of many people around the world, whether it is finding a cure for an illness or creating a completely new device. However, I believe the main reason we have an education system is for students to be successful, and have developed the appropriate skills one will need in a life outside of school. Life skills are of the utmost importance, as one needs to combine the social and academic knowledge they learned at school, to create a life that is satisfying and fulfilling. Orientation Alignment: The orientation I most align with is the existentialist, which is someone who truly cares about and develops a strong connection with his or her students. I have only had employment experiences that involved caring for others, such as working at a care home, daycare, school, and with Family Services. I have always tried to develop a positive rapport with the person, whether they were ninety years old or nine months old. I believe creating positive relationships with students is one of the most important aspects of being an educator. If a teacher can develop a

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connection with a child, the student is more likely to be successful throughout their school experience. Throughout my practicum, I quickly developed relationships with the students by learning more about them, not only academically, but personally as well. Another orientation I feel I align with is the progressivist, someone who tailors their teaching according to the needs and interests of the students. During my practicum, I was constantly trying to create different lessons that would appeal to the students. Due to the advancements of technology and video games, I feel a teacher must be very creative and animated when teaching. Students are use to being constantly stimulated by technology today, therefore, we must try to use the current interests of the students to portray the concept or theme we are teaching. For example, during my placement in a grade four classroom they were learning about money and value. Instead of just having them complete a work sheet to demonstrate their abilities, I created a Sugar Shack store where they actually had to buy items and give the proper amount of change. I believe this had a positive influence on their learning, as the interactive activity successfully kept the students attention while teaching them important concepts. The orientation of the reconstructivist also suits my teaching style. The reconstructivist is someone who stresses the importance of current events. This is someone who teaches beyond the four walls of their classroom, and brings what is in the news or popular outside of school, into their lessons and teaching. During my high school experience, I had two teachers who constantly brought in the newspaper to share their thoughts and ideas with us. This also lead to some unplanned debates and questions. These teachers also took the class on field trips to reiterate what was taught in the classroom. I believe this was a positive experience for me, which was also a different type of learning that was not listed in the curriculum. Learning about current events

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and social problems can broaden the view that many people have. For example, the class I was working with was learning about poverty, and how grateful we are to live in Canada. The class participated in the Operation Christmas Child event, where the students donated items to be given away to someone who has never received a gift. Due to the learning that took place prior to this event, students were proactive in bringing in items, which lead to a large amount of boxes being packed. I believe learning about social issues is important, but it is what you do with that knowledge that can further the students to places of learning that is unimaginable. Discussion of Themes: Social Change- Technology Technologys continuous evolvement has had both positive and negative implications within the classroom. The increase of computers and smart phones within the classroom can broaden each students knowledge. A student is now able to type anything into Google, and have a response within seconds to answer their questions or expand their understanding of a certain topic. Technology allows us to communicate with anyone around the world, almost instantly. This communication has the ability to create and better relationships around the world. However, relationships between students can be ruined due to technology, whether it is on chat room sites or with text messages. Cyber bullying, a recent term used within the past decade, is a common issue that arises due to the inappropriate use of technology. With training in this area, teachers can learn how to identify and cease behaviours of this type. The advancing of technology has also lead to a lack of higher order thinking we can expect from our students. Due to the internet, students can instantly get information without having to evaluate the source of information the website is presenting. This has also lead to students instant gratification, as when they want something, they want it now, and I believe technology is to blame. Within my future classroom, I feel I will not let students use their phones because I believe it is a distraction

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to learning. I feel it is easy to get off task on a smart phone due to the number of games, social networking sites, and instant messages one can be a part of at any given time. Students are increasingly using technology after school; therefore, I believe a more positive learning environment can be created at school if these distractions are set aside. Social Change- Todays Family Todays family has changed in many ways, as compared to years ago. Students today are facing a poverty of family time (Skinner, 2013) due to the changes in employment roles within the family, as well as with extracurricular activities. This has lead to parents being highly involved in their childs life, and believing their child can become anything they choose (Skinner, 2013). I feel parents will believe whatever their child tells them, and will act upon these beliefs. This has major implications for teachers, in having to defend their professional judgement as well as having to develop relationships with parents. The relationships teachers build with parents today is highly important, as the traditional family structure has changed as well. There are many different types of families today, which means communication and scheduling with each individual parent must be attempted, to decrease conflict between family members, students, and teachers. Bullying Dealing with bullying in school is essential, as it can lead to severe cases, such as that with Amanda Todd. Bill 18 has helped enforce many policies in regards to bullying, as well as to protect students who have been bullied. Within my student teaching practicum, we had to discuss the meaning of bullying, rather than just a conflict. Some students have a misunderstanding, thinking that bullying is when someone is mean to them, however, we had to emphasize that

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bullying is a repeated behaviour and is intended to cause, or should be known to cause, fear, intimidation, humiliation, distress... (Bill 18, 1.2.1a). I believe it is extremely important to have discussions and educate staff and students about bullying, Schools should also have and enforce a strict zero tolerance rule against bullying, while also having certain protocols follow when bullying does arise. Students At Risk- Teen Suicide There is a strong connection between bullying and teen suicide (Skinner, 2013). Those who endure consistent bullying can reach a certain point, such as that with Amanda Todd, where one feels like giving up. As an existentialist, developing a rapport with and truly caring about a students well being, creates a foundation to build upon when dealing with at risk students. As a prospective teacher, creating a relationship with your students conveys the idea that you care and that you are always available to listen and help them when needed. Teachers must have proper training with protocol to deal with teen suicide issues, while maintaining a non-judgemental attitude. If teachers can notice warning signs, and get the resources possible to help that student, the result of suicide can be averted. Teachers must create a positive culture of respect within their classroom, making aware of the zero tolerance rule of bullying. In all, I feel education is important to better not only the individual, but also society as a whole. An educated society will function efficiently, while being resilient when issues do arise. When teachers are existentialists and able to develop positive relationships with students, the more learning will take place as a result. Building and maintaining these relationships are crucial when it comes to concerns such as bullying, teen suicide, and students at risk. Showing the teacher truly cares about their students, as well as receiving the appropriate training and education in regards to the current issues of todays student, must be a priority for teachers.

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References Skinner, Tom. "Todays Parent." Professional Teacher. Brandon University. 2013. Lecture. The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. The Public Schools Amendment Act (Safe and Inclusive Schools). Bill 18. 2013. Web. <http://web2.gov.mb.ca/bills/40-2/b018e.php>.