Philosphy of Education

“True education does not consist merely in the acquiring of a few facts of science, history, literature, or art, but in the development of character.” – David O. McKay

 

I believe that education is about equipping our students with the ability to be successful in a democratic society. This means providing students with the necessary tools to succeed in the real world and providing them with opportunities and experiences that aim to build their “Character”. Character is a set of qualities or values that shapes our thoughts, actions, reactions and feelings and determines how we live our lives. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “Reputation is the shadow. Character is the tree.” This means that our character is much more than just what we try to display for others to see, it is who we are even when no one is watching.

 

As a teacher, my goal in educating students goes beyond the content. I aim to build the character of my students through modeling appropriate behavior and implementing cooperative learning. Building character in my students will begin by modeling appropriate behavior both inside and outside of the classroom. I will elicit good character through respecting each one of my students, having fair and consistent rules, showing compassion and empathy towards my students, volunteering at community events, being honest and truthful with everyone, and collaborating with my colleagues, as well as developing caring relationships with my students. I will also show strong character through my time management and organization skills, which students will be able to see through my classroom management techniques. By being a positive role model to my students, I am showing them the attributes of “character” for being citizens in a democratic society.

 

The character of my students will also be developed through cooperative learning experiences. In my classroom students will be organized into groups, and lessons will contain cooperative learning activities. By having cooperative learning in my classroom, my students’ character will be built through the values of teamwork, responsibility, and respect. Students will learn how to work together to accomplish their goals, take responsibility for their individual tasks, and learn how to respect each other’s ideas and opinions. Cooperative learning in my classroom will also allow students of varying abilities to participate in projects together and support each other. Moreover, by encouraging these values to be built within my students through cooperative learning, I am providing students with the opportunities and experiences to be responsible and respectful citizens who can work together to achieve to goals.

 

I aspire to build the character of my students through leading by example and teaching in ways that provide students opportunities to develop values that produce good character in a safe and welcoming classroom environment.