Cynthia Acosta

LBS 400
9/23/15
Philosophy of Education
The purpose of education is to advance our society as McWhirter (2013) states society
loses by producing nonproductive citizens. Education is set to create independent life long
learners so when students leave the classroom they can continue learning on their own. Students
should become problem solvers, so when they encounter difficult situations they can apply what
they have learned to overcome. Teachers want to instill the desire to become someone in life, by
helping them set a goal for their future. They should help students find what they are good at and
what they aspire to do in life. With the new implementation of Common Core State Standards in
the nation, new challenges arise for students. For instance with the Smarter Balance assessment
(Kendall 2011) students will need to be able to respond to higher level thinking questions. As a
teacher my goal will be to prepare students so they can accomplish and surpass the challenges
and feel successful in doing so, which is why education is in place.
No one student is the same, some students are below level, and some are at grade level. It
is best to have a safe environment where all these students can be successful. One way to
accomplish this is differentiating instruction. For instance Heacox (2009) states that
differentiating instruction creates a safe environment for all student needs, preferences, interests,
and abilities. She believes that differentiation is not a set of strategies but a planned process
where teachers carefully set goals to meet their needs and design lesson plans to assure that all
students are successful. In my classroom lesson plans will be created following the differentiated
learning plan that Heacox suggests in her book, Making Differentiation a Habit. One way to
assist in students learning would be to provide opportunities to work independently, in pairs, in
small groups, and as a group with teacher guidance. To do this, I would assign a letter to students

such as student A or B. Without them knowing, A would be a high achiever and B would be the
student who is below benchmark. Depending on the activity, partner A will share with partner B
or vice versa depending on the complexity of the question and both will feel accomplished. I
would also have the classroom in pods instead of rows. Heterogeneous grouping will allow
group activities to run smoothly and for each student to contribute to the projects.
Schools have the responsibility of ensuring social justice and equal access for all
students, regardless of their language, beliefs about the world, values, habits, and culture (Tozer,
Senese, and Violas 2009). The culture of the teacher may not be the same as the culture of the
student, but in order to fill the gap teachers must believe that students are capable of learning
regardless of their background, and teachers must understand that a students culture may dictate
their actions or beliefs. Teachers should acknowledge that each student comes from a different
background and not assume learning abilities based on their social groups, making sure that the
classroom reflects that. I would like to have a cultural week with my students in which they can
explore their backgrounds and see that although they are different, each one of them is amazing
and should treat each other with respect. I will teach students that they want to be bucket fillers
rather than bucket dippers, by being kind, respectful, and encouraging. Having heterogeneous
groups and making sure that all students participate, even if it means one draws a picture while
others write sentences, ensures that no student is left behind in the learning process. A teacher
should balance time between students, yet acknowledge that some students could work
independently while others will need more guidance and time.
The main focus of a teacher is to make a difference in the lives of students and their
learning career. Hlebowtish (2005) believes that general education is about whats best for the
students regardless of their future endeavors. Teachers should develop critical thinkers socially

responsible and productive citizens. Curriculum is one of the key aspects of teaching; it should
drive instruction. It is therefore crucial to define what curriculum is. According to Hlebowitsh,
curriculum is what is taught, as opposed to instruction, which is how its taught. There is so
much to teach that boundaries must be set to determine what needs to be taught. Curriculum is
divided into two main parts: curricular activities, within the classroom, and extracurricular
activities, outside of the classroom experiences. Following the CCSS main focus of reading,
writing, and math will be one of my goals, making sure that it is always interesting and relevant
to the students. However, being so involved in the fine arts as a child, I would love to provide my
students with extracurricular activities such as music, dance, and art, The quality of civilization
can be measured through its music, dance, drama, architecture, visual art, and literature. We must
give our children knowledge and understanding of civilizations most profound works. Ernest L.
Boyer as cited in Sousa (2011). I would use music during lessons, while lining up, to relax and
meditate, and stimulate the brain. Sousa argues that music in the classroom promotes focus and
productivity in students at all grade levels.
A teacher is a mentor who builds a mind and a personality. Effective teachers share
similar characteristics. Tomlinson (2014) describes an effective teacher as follows:

The teacher appreciates each child as an individual

The teacher remembers to teach the whole child
The teacher continues to develop expertise
The teacher links students and ideas
The teacher strives for joyful learning
The teacher sets high expectationsand provides lots of ladders
The heather helps students make their own sense of ideas
The teacher shares the teaching with students
The teacher promotes student independence
The teacher exercises positive classroom management.

Throughout my school years I was fortunate to have teachers who exhibited these qualities, and
made my school life an enjoyable and educational experience. My mother, a teacher of 19 years,
and my grade school teachers inspired me to strive to be an educator, and one who implements
these characteristics. Effective teachers do not teach for the salary but rather to make a
difference. They constantly try to improve themselves and expand their knowledge so they may
translate that to their students and help them realize a love for learning and a passion for
knowledge. Teachers are mothers, nurses, friends, and they spend the most time with the child
during the weekday. They should therefore do what is best for the child and ensure they are
doing so to the best of their ability.

References

Kendall, J. (2011). Understanding common core state standards. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Heacox, D. (2009). Making differentiation a habit. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, Inc.
Hlebowitsh, P. S. (2005). Designing the school curriculum. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
McWhirter J. J., McWhirter B. T, McWhirter, E. H., & McWhirter R. J. (2013). At risk youth a
comprehensive response for counselors, teachers, psychologists, and human service
professionals. United States: Cengage Learning.
Sousa, D. A. (2011). How the brain learns. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin A Sage Company.
Tomlinson C. A. (2014). The differentiated classroom: responding to the needs of all learners.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Tozer, S. E., Senese, G., & Paul V. C. (2009). School and society: historical and contemporary
perspectives. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.