Philosophy of Education

My Philosophy of Education:

 1. What is your own educational history?
I started my education by being loved and nurtured by both of my parents in Clovis California.
I attended a public preschool until our family moved to West Plains Missouri. There were several reasons for moving to that area, the main reason being that my mother could homeschool my siblings and me.
My mother is a genius woman, she created a curriculum specific to each child's individual strengths, weaknesses, and needs. She also tied in work as part of our education, we were given direct chores to teach us about responsibilities, we would occasionally call up our friends from the local public school to check on where they were at in their grades to balance out our academic progress along with the various curriculum outline provided by the state.



I started my freshman year of college attending Missouri State University where my father works in the IT dept.
I kept the balance of a part-time on-campus job, while being the secretary for our local farmer's market, running an in-home bakery delivery service, being an active participant in campus activities, holding a calling to teach primary children, and I was president for several clubs on campus.
I held A's in all my classes and received a GPA of 4.0 recognized on the Dean's list and the Chancellor's list.
I served a mission affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and returned in January before the pandemic. I am now currently studying at Brigham Young University in Idaho.
 

 2. What are your professional goals?
Within the next 3 years, I hope to have started my teaching career using an online platform called Skillshare, offer private tutoring services, and stabilize my Etsy business.

 3. What do you perceive as the role of the teacher?
The role of the preschool teacher is to provide a safe and friendly environment where children can grow and explore. The teacher should be the authority figure and resolve conflict when and if it arises, they need to help the children learn basic social rules and human decency.
A teacher should never limit a child's exploration of themselves and the world around them.
An excellent teacher will know when it is appropriate to stand back and guide the child or when to step in and give clear direction. Teachers should be examples of the type of behavior they want from their students and respect the children as human beings with great potential rather than peons always needing to be told what to do. Teachers should provide their best efforts to understand their students and help them succeed in school and the basics of life.

 4. What is the role of the student?
The role of the student is to be actively engaged in the learning process, ask plenty of questions, and get along with other students. The Student is mainly responsible for their education, with the exception of various handicaps that may slow the child's development and need more assistance from their teacher and parents. The student is to give their best efforts in understanding material and exploring the world around them while coming to find themselves.

5. What is the role of the curriculum?
The role of the curriculum is to give an organized layout for instruction. The curriculum is a guide book for teachers to reference to make sure that their students are on track with appropriate learning material. The curriculum should have enough leeway for the creative teacher to embellish, yet enough structure for a beginning teacher to have the necessary material provided to instruct a classroom.

6. What is an appropriate classroom environment?
I believe that a classroom should be a place where children are free to speak their minds and blossom and grow.

The classroom should be outfitted for the proper age range of the students. In a preschool, the classroom should have child-size furniture, bathrooms, child eye-level pictures, cubbies, coat racks, etc. This will help the children gain a sense of independence and importance as their size is recognized and valued.
The classroom must be neat and tidy. A classroom should have designated areas for different activities in the room with plenty of space to play, and should always include a large fenced-in area for outdoor play year-round. 

7. What are the gospel links to your philosophy of education?
I believe that children should be taught correct morals and basic human kindness, to love one another and always seek to improve themselves and society. Morals are not an issue I am willing to vary on, I believe that there are only "absolute truths", not "your truth and my truth" if it's convenient for you. I believe that all religions should be given time and attention and respected. I believe through our education we can walk in the path of our Savior Jesus Christ. Below I have added a useful link to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints website that is for raising children in a Christlike manner.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/a-parents-guide/chapter-3?lang=eng

8. What is your methodology/pedagogy?

I personally believe aspects from several educational philosophies:

1.      Unconditional love: Alfie Kohn shares how it is vital for a child to feel loved unconditionally, to know that he/she will be accepted even when they mess up. And "working with" children is important, but there must also be a balance of being the authority figure.

2.      Perrenialsim: I also agree with the morals and concept of. As a perrenialist, I believe that truth is constant; an absolute one should seek for. I believe some ideas have lasted over centuries and are as relevant today as when they were first conceived, such as the scriptures. 
I strongly agree with Thomas Aquinas’ view of the learner as being modeled after God, they exemplify value, worth, and great potential. And in turn, the teacher must be a spiritual model for the students, intellectually and morally.

3.      Progressivism:
I relate to Progressivism as it focuses on the whole child, rather than on the content or the teacher. I believe it is critical for the teacher to get to know the students on an individual and personal basis, by finding out what their hobbies and interests are, and then applying the information to the course material.  This will make class content more exciting and interesting. Learning should be creative and fun

here are the main 3 points that I would incorporate into my teaching style.
1. Education should be life itself, not preparation for living.
2. Learning should be directly related to the interests of the learner.
3. Real learning occurs through problem-solving.

4.  4.     Existentialism:
I agree with the view of existentialism that individuals are free and responsible
for their own choices and actions. Who we become, what we accomplish, is ultimately our destiny and it is determined by the choices we make.
You are not a victim of your circumstances. You can make the choice to change. However, I realize that with choice comes responsibility, the two must be present together. Again, an existentialist would reason that the strongest learning and knowledge comes from personal learning from the choices or mistakes made.
Since learning is the outcome of the choices made, it stands to reason that teachers cannot make their students learn. Learning is a choice and cannot be forced. At some time, the ultimate decision to learn is the choice of the student. 

9. Did you cite 3 educational giants?

Thomas Aquinas-believe that knowledge can be gained through faith, in addition to reason and experience, he believes in perennialism. Here are some inspirational quotes I strongly agree with from Thomas Aquinas:

"To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible."

"A man has free choice to the extent that he is rational."

"Better to illuminate than merely to shine, to deliver to others contemplated truths than merely to contemplate."

"Wonder is the desire for knowledge." - Thomas Aquinas

Benjamin Franklin always had a never stop learning attitude which I believe should be modeled by all educators to inspire their students to do likewise. 
Here are a few of my favorite quotes form this educational giant:

“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

"Never stop learning. Never let a lack of knowledge hold you back from doing what you dream of. Now more than ever, in the internet age, we have a limitless ocean of knowledge at our fingertips. Anything you want to learn, all you have to do is ask."

"The only limit on what you can learn, do, or accomplish, is the limit of your own curiosity, imagination, and willingness." - Benjamin Franklin

Mary McLeod Bethune is responsible for influencing appropriate child-sized furnishings in the classroom. She was an incredible woman living ahead of her time, emerging from hardship she reached for the stars and education so she could share with others the freedom that comes with elevated thought and knowledge.
These are quotes of wisdom form this educational giant:

“We have a powerful potential in our youth, and we must have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good ends.”

And “The progress of the world will call for the best that all of us have to give.” - Mary McLeod Bethune

I am most moved by the works and writings of Alfie Kohn. This is a man that teaches from the heart. I believe in respect and order given in a classroom setting, behavioral management is very important to me. However, I never thought it would be possible to maintain class decorum from such a standpoint of love as this man shows it is not only possible but also extremely rewarding.

Most educational guides begin with the question "How can we get kids to do what they're told?" -- and then proceed to offer various techniques for controlling them.
I, however, side with Alfie Kohn, a truly groundbreaking educator. He begins instead by asking "What do kids need - and how can we meet those needs?" What follows from that question are ideas for working with children rather than doing things to them.

One basic need all children have, Kohn, argues, is to be loved unconditionally, to know that they will be accepted even if they screw up or fall short. 

I believe in the practical strategies Alfie Kohn offers for shifting from "doing to" into "working with" educators along with parenting - including how to replace praise with the unconditional support that children need to grow into healthy, caring, responsible people. This is an eye-opening, paradigm-shattering book that will reconnect educators to their own best instincts and inspire them to become the outstanding educator their students deserve.

Here are some of my absolute favorite quotes from this remarkable educator:

"Educators remind us that what matters most in the classroom is not what the teacher teaches; it's what the learner learns."

"If children feel safe they can take risks, ask questions, make mistakes, learn to trust, share their feelings, and grow."

"Educational success should be measured by how strong your desire is to keep learning."

"Children, after all, are not only adults-in-the-making. They are people whose current needs and rights and experiences must be taken seriously." - Alfie Kohn