Running Head: PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING 1

Philosophy of Teaching
Ashley Pittman
Ivy Tech Community College















PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING 2

Abstract
In this paper you will find information about informal and formal education,
philosophical foundations, and my own personal philosophy. Information on the history of
education is included in this paper. Information on the purpose and mission of schools, and also
the physical and non-physical spaces in classrooms is included in this paper. My thoughts on
how I plan to teach, what I plan to teach and what should be taught are also included in this
paper. This paper also includes the three main learning styles and multiple intelligence. Last this
paper includes how I plan to interact with my students, their families and also my colleagues.
















PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING 3

Introduction
When people think about education they think about school. Education is what a person
needs to survive successfully, whether a person has a high school education or college education.
Education is the process of learning, and learning about everything e.g. life, jobs, math, English,
science, anything one can learn, constitutes getting an education. What people dont realize is
that education is what is going to shape a person into whom they will become.
What is Education?
There are two main types of education. The first is formal. Formal education means the
student is being taught at a school, inside the classroom, by a teacher. Formal education means
there is one teacher in one certain classroom every day with the same group of students. Informal
education, the second type, is completely different. The meaning of informal education is where
the students learn outside the classroom. Informal learning could be where the student is home-
schooled, goes to the library to learn, or does after-school activities. In both informal and formal
education, the children are still learning, it just offers different strengths for the children. Some
children learn better in a class being taught, some need one-on-one and some learn by doing
things after school during an activity (Enhancing education," 2002).
Two of the many different philosophies are humanist and progressive. Humanists are
described as being those who believe education should be a journey through a well-rounded
curriculum. Humanists believe that the goal of education should be to give knowledge to
students in order for them to lead satisfying and happy lives. Progressives are described as those
who believe the purpose of education is the self- actualization of the child. They believe it is an
experiential, developmentally appropriate curriculum based on the abilities, interests, and prior
PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING 4

experiences of the child. I personally believe that I am more progressive than humanist, because
I believe children should be taught based on their abilities. I do agree with the humanist as well,
in some ways. I believe that the goal of education should be to give knowledge to students in
order for them to lead satisfying and happy lives (Bilz, 2006).
The Civil War (1861-1865) ended legal slavery in the United States but was replaced by
the policy of separate but equal, which formalized the segregation of African-Americans in
education, transportation, housing, and other aspects of public life. The policy justified
segregation by claiming that African-Americans were receiving different but equal treatment
under the law. In education, the policy was implemented by creating separate schools with
different curricula, teaching methods, teachers, and resources. Unfortunately, the separate but
equal policy resulted in schools that could more accurately be described as separate but un-equal.
Substandard schools were predominant, and funding for African-American schools was
consistently lower than for white schools. An example: In 1907, White teachers in Alabama were
paid five times more than African-American ones. The education of African-Americans was
clearly inferior to that of whites, but a solution to the problem remained elusive. Booker T.
Washington plays a significant role in the history of education. He had a positive influence on
education. He was born a slave, and taught himself to read. Education at Hampton Institute,
which was a vocational school for African-Americans, he established the Tuskegee Institute in
1881. Short of resources and supplies, he had his students build the school themselves. This
hands-on approach to learning illustrated his strategy for bettering the education and lives of
African-Americans in the south. He believed that hard work, practical training and economic
cooperation with Whites were the keys to success. His philosophy became popular, and he was
often invited to address White audiences on the topic of African-American education. He also
PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING 5

encouraged his students to become teachers. He believed that attempting to enter other
professions or politics was premature and would lead to conflict with the white power structure
in the South. Washington was accepted by many African-Americans and was popular with
Whites, but his policy of accommodating segregation angered other African-American leaders.
W. E. B. Dubois (1868-1963) was an important opponent whose resistance to Washingtons
stance was predictable, given the differences in their backgrounds. Dubois was born in
Massachusetts and educated in integrated schools. He attended colleges and universities in the
United States and Europe and was the first African-American to receive a Ph.D. in the United
States. Dubois was committed to changing the status of African-Americans and advocated a
determined stand against segregation and racism. He focused his energies on students achieving
in the top ten percent, believing they would provide leadership and create opportunities for the
rest of the African-American population. He also believed this group could take its place among
the business, professional, and intellectual leaders of the White population. Dubois believed
Washingtons separatist approach implied inferiority and, although expedient in the short term,
would retard the educational progress of African-Americans in the long run. He advocated social
activism and was a leader in establishing the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People. This organization played a major role in the advancement in the African-
Americans in the 20
th
century (Kauchak & Eggen, 2010).
What is School?
Why do we have school in the first place? What is the purpose of schooling and teaching?
If we dont know what the mission and goals of school are, its not possible to know if we even
get there. We also dont know if the target was missed. Interestingly, with all the focus in recent
years on accountability of schools, people dont see that much public discussion about the
PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING 6

fundamental purpose of schools. Two primary opposing views exist regarding their purpose of
schools. Some, such as the Business Roundtable and Achieve, an organization created by
governors and business leaders, believe that the primary purpose of schools should be to create
workers who have skills and personal styles to fill and perform available jobs. Others believe this
outcome is too narrow. For them schools should seek to develop active citizens, helping children
develop their own capacity for personal achievement and contributing to society as an active
citizen for democracy (Peterson, 2009).
A productive learning environment is a classroom that is orderly and focused on learning
(Kauchak & Eggen, 2010). A positive and productive learning environment should be
comforting and helpful to the students. The classroom should be safe, and full of life. The
physical space in a classroom should be spacious, and have many areas for learning and fun
activities. With non-physical, there should be discipline, enough for the child to know what they
are allowed to do, and what is not allowed during school.
Caring refers to a teachers investment in the protection and development of the young
people in his or her classes, and a caring teacher is at the heart of productive learning
environment. Learning students names quickly, greeting students every day and getting to know
them as individuals, using effective nonverbal communication, such as eye contact and smiling,
spending time with students and holding students to high standards, are excellent ways to
develop and maintain positive relationships with the students (Kauchak & Eggen, 2010).
An effective school is one in which learning for all students is maximized. But how does
a school maximize learning for all students? Researchers attempting to answer this question
identified schools that, despite challenging circumstances, produced more learning than
PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING 7

comparable ones that werent as successful. To be an effective school, one has to have effective
teachers. Effective teaching maximizes learning for all students, and it is the essence of being
professional. Teaching effectively requires careful planning and complex skills that promote both
students learning and their motivation to learn (Kauchak & Eggen, 2010).
The Subject Matter of Education
When becoming a teacher, that person has to decide what grade level and what subject
she wants to teach if she plans on teaching upper grade levels such as junior high or high school.
My choice of grade level is fourth grade. When teaching fourth grade, all subjects need to be
taught. My teaching plan for the fourth grade is to make some things fun, but to let the students
know that there is a time to learn in a fun way, but there are times where learning needs to be
serious. My plan is to make activities and play games with the students to make learning fun.
They will also know when it is serious time for learning, as well.
The Nature of Method
There are three main learning styles: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Most learn best
through a combination of these three types, but everyone is different. Auditory learners would
rather listen to things being explained than read to them. Reciting information out loud and
having music in the background may be a common study method. Other noises may become a
distraction resulting in a need for a relatively quiet place. Visual learners learn best by looking at
graphics, watching a demonstration, or reading. For them, its easy to look at charts and graphs,
but they may have difficulty focusing while listening to an explanation. Kinesthetic learners
process information best through a hands-on experience. Actually doing an activity can be the
easiest way for them to learn. Sitting still while studying may be difficult, but writing things
PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING 8

down makes it easier to understand. Although most people use a combination of the three
learning styles, they usually have a clear preference for one. Knowing and understanding the
types of learning styles is important for students of any age. It is advantageous for students to
understand their type of learning style early on so that homework and learning may become
easier and less stressful in the future (Gibson, 2012).
Metacognition refers to students awareness of the ways they learn most effectively and
their ability to control their factors. Students who are metacognitive can adjust strategies to
match learning tasks better than their less metacognitive peers and as a result, they learn more
(Kauchak & Eggen, 2010).
School and Society
A Community School is a strategy for organizing the resources of the community around
student success. It is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other
community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, services, supports and opportunities
leads to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities ("The
children,"). My plan when becoming a teacher is to have good relationships with the families of
the students, and also to have good relationships with my colleagues. For my community, the
plan is to do as much as possible to help in any way, especially in after-school activities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is clear there are many concepts of education. Many different things are
needed to know when becoming a teacher. Becoming a teacher can or will be difficult. Once a
person gets through her first or second year, things will become more natural and easier.
Education plays an important role in everyones life and needs to be taken seriously.
PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING 9

References
Bilz, J. (2006). Teacher Development Series. Unpublished raw data, Education, Ivy Tech
Community College, Columbus, Indiana.
Enhancing education. (2002). Retrieved from
http://enhancinged.wgbh.org/started/what/formal.html
Gibson, K. (2012, nov 08). Learning rx. Retrieved from
http://www.learningrx.com/types-of-learning-styles-faq.htm
Kauchak, D. P., & Eggen, P. (2010). Introduction to teaching, becoming a professional. (4th ed.).
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Peterson, M. (2009). The purpose of schools.. Retrieved from
http://www.wholeschooling.net/WS/WSPrncples/WS 0 purpose schls.html
The children. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.childrensaidsociety.org/community-schools