Philosophy of Education

Education genuinely develops when a relationship is established first.

Learning is the primary goal of education and to guide education there are
standards that teachers must consider as they teach students. However, if teachers
do not have a safe, supportive, and encouraging relationship with his or her
students then the students will not learn well. The student must choose to
vulnerable as a learner. Through vulnerability the student accepts challenges, forms
predictions, and understands the possibility of making mistakes. Through a caring,
accepting relationship the educator provides a safe learning environment where
students are not criticized or demoralized for not knowing the correct answer before
the lesson. When students feel safe actively learning is more likely, because they
will not fear criticism or judgment. To develop relationships the educator needs to
value each students individuality, which is administered through VIPs of the week,
differentiation for lessons, meeting with students one-on-one, being in contact with
the students parents/ guardians for more than behavior issues, and other practices.
The necessary relationship between the educator and student also includes respect
and high expectations. When teachers respect students individuality and personal
needs and strengths students will be more likely to respect the educator. There
needs to be respect both ways; both the teacher and students have a right to a
safe, respectful environment that encourages learning. Additionally, respect is
established through high standards. The educator must respect the intelligence and
growth that students are capable of achieving. As Lisa Delpit, author of
Multiplication is for White People: Raising Expectations for Other Peoples Children
identifies that educators should be warm demanders. Warm demanders care about
their students, they have a good relationship with their students, but they dont
lower their expectations, no matter the circumstance. Educators need to expect and
believe that all of their students are capable of high levels of thinking, believing that
all of their students have the capacity and capabilities of being good readers, and
all of their students can be good writers.
To encourage high levels of thinking educators need to encourage students
familiarity and comfort with many different kinds of strategies. Most of the activities
should be student based, so that the student is doing the thinking and learning.
Critical thinking activities are essential, because they encourage the student to
extend upon their knowledge to create new ideas, form new connections, and/ or
form new understandings. Students should not only have the opportunity to
critically think about academic work but also in terms of everyday issue or
problems. Additionally, students should be exposed to metacognitive
activities.Through understanding how their thinking processes they will understand
the concepts of study better. Students thoughts, ideas, and work should be
displayed in the classroom, so students can visually see that their intelligence and
influence in the classroom is respected. The room should also display posters,
charts, and images that encourage their learning, word walls, book

recommendations, and the daily schedule all adhere to that encouragement.

Furthermore, the room should be set up to foster class and group collaboration
along with space for students and the educator to safely move around. Group work
and partner work are effective methods that encourage the development of
background information, teamwork, and responsibility, sometimes students learn
better from other students.
For educators to guide students learning a gradual release method is
effective. Educators should first model for the students the expectation so that
students can confidently meet that expectation. Gradually the educator will release
responsibility onto the student, so that eventually the student will optimize his or
her learning through critical thinking and creating something new. Additionally, to
help students learn a balanced literacy program is most effective. Students should
be studying whole text, word families, and phonics, because students do not all
learn the same way. To further encourage the development of students literacy
skills they should be provided with the opportunity to appropriately select their own
reading. Donalyn Miller advocates that student selection encourages students to
develop into life-long reading. Teachers need to hold the expectation and model the
expectation that reading is important and can be enjoyed when the right book,
author, or genre is discovered. Read alouds also encourage students to value
reading. Through read alouds teachers can introduce new vocabulary, model good
reading/ reading strategies, introduce new genres, and hook students into new
subjects of study. Finally, to encourage students success in the classroom
educators need to provide brain breaks. These short, simple activities help to
refocus the students brain as both hemispheres of the brain are targeted. While
there must be high expectations for students, they do need short breaks because
genuine learning is hard work.