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Running head: PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Philosophy of Education

Sarah Haveman

Educational Psychology

Tracie Pollard

November 1, 2018
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PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Philosophy of Education

According to William A. Ward “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains.

The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires”. For a teacher to be great they

need to take time to build relationships and get to know their students on a personal level.

Students who trust their teacher are more likely to want to learn. Effective teachers also make

learning fun for their students by creating unforgettable learning experiences. A great teacher can

change a student’s life just by showing kindness and modeling positive behaviors. I want to be a

teacher who inspires my students to follow their passions and to help them reach their goals.

Student Learning

Teaching with a growth mindset is essential to ensure learning for all. Students who

believe they can get smarter are more likely to look at challenges from a positive viewpoint.

Students with a growth mindset understand that they are in control of their successes and

failures. Then, when initial failure does occur, students won’t give up but will see a setback as a

learning opportunity. For example, if a student does poorly on an assessment that gives them the

opportunity to go back and learn from their mistakes. Students who have a growth mindset are

able to overcome difficult challenges to better themselves in their learning.

Teaching Methodology

An excellent teacher’s classroom will be arranged to foster on student-centered learning.

Students who learn at high levels will have a part in their own learning; they will be involved

with planning, application, and assessments. This approach allows students to have their interests

met while still learning the content. Engaged students will be more likely to apply the skills that
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PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

they learn in the classroom to real-world situations. The student-centered classroom will be a

diverse community of learner’s and can better meet all the children’s learning needs.

Assessment of Goals

Having students demonstrate their understanding of a subject matter is crucial to their

learning. To measure student learning there should be formative assessments throughout the

lessons to evaluate students’ comprehension of content and skills. If students are struggling in

certain areas, time should be provided to go over concepts more thoroughly, so the students can

demonstrate understanding. One effective approach to formative assessment is to have students

keep journals where they write one thing they have learned from the lesson and one thing they

are struggling with. This will help the teacher to recognize what students already know and what

they need to know.

Environment

Having a safe and positive environment is essential to learning. Students should feel safe

emotionally, physically, and socially. The classroom environment should be a place where

students can take risks to thrive and meet their full potential. For students to achieve at high

levels, the classroom should be designed to encourage discovery. Students should be given an

environment that will enable them to take what they know from their own experiences and use

that knowledge to improve their own understanding.