Krause 1

Amanda Krause
Dr. Airey
EDU 124 B
7 May 2015
Philosophy of Education
My philosophy of education is romanticism. Romanticism is a student-centered
philosophy, which focuses on the students curiosity of learning. The students will learn
to flourish physically, intellectually, socially and finally, morally (Cooper and Ryan, 300).
The purpose of this education is for students to learn courses cohesively to create an
interconnected body of knowledge (Cohen, 2). Students should learn this by their natural
curiosity as well. I want my students to apply their knowledge with different subjects. For
example, they could learn about science and history while also understanding math
concepts all in one lesson, instead of learning about those subjects individually. I also
want my students to be driven by their own curiosity. I want them to tell me what to
teach. They need to be engaged in a way that they see fit. I also want my students to be
inspired by what they learn.
I believe that schools should teach students what the students want to learn, based
on the philosophy of romanticism. Schools should arrange classes with what the students
want. Every student is different and should be treated as such. There shouldnt be set
curricula. Teachers should let students be in control of their education. Having elective
classes such as music and art for students is important because its something they want to
learn. Having courses that are geared for what students want to pursue later in life is
important as well. Schools should teach this by knowing where students interests lie.

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Teaching more than just science and English is important for students. Tammy Drennan
states, one size fits all education doesnt work I believe in this statement because
not every student is the same and teachers should not educate them the same way. I also
believe that schools should teach essential skills such as requesting for a loan from the
bank, buying a home, and job skills so that students are prepared after they graduate high
school.
Learning should be measured by how well the student understands the content.
Romantics dont believe in tests. I however believe tests are not the only way to
determine information learned. Some students prefer to write an essay, make a
presentation or take a test. Test anxiety often occurs in students and continuously making
students take a test is not fair. As an educator, I want my students to be knowledgeable
about the material and feel comfortable enough to tell me about it whether it be a test,
essay, presentation or whatever manner they want. Schools today focus too much on
testing and not about educating. Education needs to focus on the students and their desire
to learn, based on the idea of romanticism. Forcing testing on students makes students
hate learning, which is heartbreaking.
Teachers are responsible for educating their students. They need to provide the
information for the students in a manner that will help the students learn the material.
Teachers are also responsible for encouraging life long learning. I always loved school
when I was a child because of my teachers. Teachers that are passionate and excited
about learning made me excited about learning. I want to be that teacher. Romantic
teachers will take note of what their students want to learn and teach them accordingly.
For example, if one student learns better by a hands-on approach, if another student

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learns better by a visual approach, the teacher can create a lesson incorporating both. The
romantic philosophy may sound like it takes hard work to adhere to every students needs,
but in the end it will be beneficial for the student because they are receiving the education
that works for them, instead of the one size fits all philosophy currently being used in
schools today.
Students are responsible for learning by their natural curiosity of the world. They
should ask questions and have guidance to find the answer. Completing assignments and
taking tests are part of the students responsibility however, it shouldnt be the only
responsibility they have. Students should be learning by their natural curiosity, like
romantics believe in. Students should be able to ask questions and learn from the answer.
Teachers role in educational renewal and reform is to continue to take classes to
help improve their teaching skills and to keep the classroom fresh. Education is
constantly changing and teachers should keep up with the new ideas coming about. Also,
teachers should attend conferences with other teachers to gain insight and new ideas.
Also, teachers should be up to date with technology. This is important because
technology is an important role in the classroom. Using overhead projectors to show
students websites or using apps on smartphones that help students study can adhere to
their natural curiosity of the Internet.

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Works Cited
Cohen, LeoNora. Student-centered Philosophies. Section III- Philosophical
Perspectives in Education. OSU School of Education, 1999. Web. 6 May 2015.
Cooper, James and Kevin Ryan. Those Who Can, Teach. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2013.
Print.
Drennan, Tammy. Educational Romanticism: Get Over It? WordPress. WordPress.com.
Web. 6 May 2015.