A philosophy of education explains an individual’s beliefs with regard to teaching and learning. In dealing with learners, it is important for teachers to use the most effective methods of instruction to ensure optimal learning and comprehension of class materials. An effective philosophy encompasses various strategies for the application of the specific tenets borrowed from educational theories. Strategies to be used include the use of hands-on activities, operant conditioning (rewards and punishment), and communal debates. My philosophy of education is founded on the belief that all children are unique and that they possess special skills that can be utilized and developed to enhance their learning.
My philosophy of education is founded on three theories: Essentialism, Behaviorism, and Reconstructivism. According to essentialism, the teacher should direct learning and the curriculum should comprise of well-defined skills and disciplines (Allen & Goddard, 2017). The school is an academic and not a social agency. I believe that education should entail the acquisition of skills and knowledge that will enable students to become valuable members of society. One of the strategies that I will apply will involve the provision of hands-on activities within the classroom environment. Individual projects will allow students to apply the skills acquired in real-life situations. The use of cooperative learning will ensure that learners explore their potentials to the maximum and exchange ideas with others.
I believe that effective learning is based on three main factors: the teacher should act as a guide, learners should be given hands-on activities, and students should be given opportunities to practice the skills acquired and the knowledge gained. According to behaviorism, human behavior can be controlled by manipulating the environment (Stehlik, 2018). In that regard, optimal learning can be enhanced through the use of planned schedules of reinforcement and operant conditioning. One of the strategies that will be applied is the use of reward and punishment. Positive reinforcement will be achieved through complementing good behavior. Negative reinforcement will serve to discourage behaviors that disrupt learning, and it will be attained through detention and time-out sessions.
Children have different learning capabilities, and therefore, they have varying interests. My role as the teacher will be to guide each child to develop an individual learning style and grow their potential. In that regard, the curriculum will incorporate content that addresses each student’s style of learning and that serves their specific educational needs. Reconstructivism suggests that education should challenge students to address controversial issues and develop individual opinions to develop alternatives to the status quo (Smeyers, 2018). I will engage students in discussions and debates involving controversial issues in fields that include politics, religion, and politics. Each student will be encouraged to participate and present their views based on their beliefs. I will teach my students to express themselves, accept themselves as they are, and embrace the differences apparent in others. This will develop tolerance and help in building an inclusive learning environment.
My philosophy of learning is anchored on the belief that children are unique and possess different capabilities. It is the duty of the teacher to assist learners to develop their potentials to the fullest and accept their uniqueness as well as that of others. I will achieve this by using teaching methods that address the learning needs of each student and that put their uniqueness into consideration. The incorporation of hands-on activities and individual projects into the curriculum will be part of the teaching process.
References
Allen, A., & Goddard, R. (2017). Education & philosophy: An introduction. SAGE Publications Ltd.
Smeyers, P. (Ed.). (2018). International handbook of philosophy of education: Volume 1. Springer International Publishing, AG.
Stehlik, T. (2018). Educational philosophy for 21st-century teachers. Palgrave Macmillan.