My Philosophy of Education

“Have courage and be kind.” You may recognize this quote from Disney’s live action

Cinderella movie, but do you recognize the importance of this saying in your own life? We live

in a world that so often forgets the importance and relevance of being kind to others. Is kindness

something we merely reserve for fairytales or is it something that we truly value in our lives? I

believe that kindness can have profound effects on those around us and I believe that the world

would be a much more loving place if everyone treated each other with kindness and respect.

I believe that kindness can have far reaching effects. In high school, my favorite class

was AP Calculus. I enjoyed this class not only because I love math, but also because I had a

wonderful teacher, Mr. Reiner. Mr. Reiner was an incredibly dedicated, caring, and patient

teacher. He was one of those people who are genuinely kind. I used to go to his classroom in the

mornings to ask questions or get help on homework problems I didn’t understand. Mr. Reiner

would drop whatever he was doing and help me when I needed it; he was patient with me and

listened to me in a way that made me feel like I was a priority. He truly cared about his students.

I still think about Mr. Reiner’s kindness to this day and the impact that he made on me. His

kindness is a testament to the belief that a little kindness can go a long way.

I believe that every person deserves kindness. As a preservice teacher, I have seen my

fair share of teachers who have been lacking in the virtue of kindness. I have seen the

unfortunate effects that bitterness, negativity, and impatience can have. I have observed teachers

who instill fear and discouragement in their students through their words and actions. However, I

have also seen countless teachers who exude kindness and treat their students with appropriate

dignity and respect. I have seen the positive effects that praise, encouragement, and “tough love”

can have. I have observed teachers who fill their students with joy and a love of learning through
their kindness. I want to be like these teachers. I want to be the kind of teacher who makes her

students feel hear, loved, and valued. I want to be the kind of teacher who chooses kindness

every day because she knows her students deserve it.

I believe that kindness is one of the most important virtues because it requires us to look

beyond ourselves and to serve those around us. I believe that one small act of kindness can have

a huge impact and I believe that we can change the world through our kindness. In the words of

Dr. Wayne Dyer, “If you have the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind.”