Philosophy of Learning and Teaching 

 
Children are like plants, with the right amount of care and nurturing they can 
sprout into strong, healthy, and thriving plants. Given the right guidance and tools 
to lead a successful life, children have the opportunity to bloom and flourish. Plants 
need constant care and tending to, but they also need room to grow. Children need 
love and attention, but they also need space to find themselves and space to 
mature into who they are meant to be, without anyone holding them back. In a 
garden, smaller plants can get over crowded by bigger plants and these smaller 
plants can get less water and sunlight, they get get lost in darkness, get trampled 
on, and forgotten about. When teaching students, I will make sure that every voice 
is heard without the pressure of criticism, because criticism can cause a child to 
shut down. I will ensure that a child will never be forgotten about and I will 
encourage all of them to share their thoughts and ideas. I believe in the philosophy 
of Progressivism. I want my students to learn from real world experiences. I plan 
to tailor my curriculum to include time for field trips because I believe that real 
world experiences outside the four walls of a classroom will have more of an impact 
on my students. By using this method of teaching, I believe that they will learn 
important life skills.  
 
The purpose of education is to not only help a child grow academically, but to help 
them grow into their own individual characters as well. As a teacher, we have the 
opportunity to help a child find themselves and to find their place in this crazy and 
confusing world. Helping a child find the answer to the question of who they are, is 
just as important as teaching them learned skills in math, science, history, and 
English. Giving a child the tools to find their beliefs, morals, and purpose in life are 
extremely important skills that will last long beyond their school years. The 
ultimate purpose of a teacher is to prepare their students to face life with 
confidence and with spirit.  
 
As a teacher we have the power to open up a world of new opportunities for our 
students. Each and every child has a door that will lead them into a bright future. 
We as teachers need to give them the keys to unlock these doors. Opening up the 
eyes of children to new possibilities will help students think around problems, 
search out answers, think critically about a situation, and find alternate paths. As a 
teacher, I will encourage critical thinking in the classroom by having open 
discussions about relevant and current topics that pertain to the students. I will 
have students share their opinions and ideas in group activities. I believe that each 
and every student has a voice that has to be heard. Behind every great mind is a 
person who is just waiting to be heard and acknowledged by their peers and loved 
ones.  
 
I hope in time my students will realize how much they are valued. Not only are 
they valued for who they are as individuals, but for what they believe in, for what 
they value, and for their opinions. No matter how small or big they perceive 
themselves to be, each student will be valued equally to the highest degree within 
my classroom. By the end of the year, my students will be able to make a stand for 
what they believe in, have equipped skills in life that will last long beyond 
graduation, and be able to have open eyes and open minds to think critically about 
the world around them.  
 
I believe that school opens the way for new opportunities. It educates students 
and gives them skills to have a successful life. Educating the younger generations 
leads the way to a better and brighter future. In the classroom, both the teacher 
and the students learn, grow, and improve. All teachers need to keep in mind that, 
like all things in life, you need to learn from your mistakes, move on, and try again. 
Everyday is an opportunity to learn new things. Teaching is a learning process for 
both the teacher and the student because I believe that one cannot open the mind 
of another unless you yourself have an open mind. As a teacher, I will encourage 
my students to not only try and learn new things, but to creatively express 
themselves as well. Every child brings their own gifted abilities to the table. 
Teachers need to be able to make these gifts known to their students and help 
them to make these gifts bloom like flowers in an array of beautiful colors. Every 
child is a flower just waiting to bloom and we as teachers are there to cultivate 
their gifts and knowledge.