Personal Philosophy in Education - Essay Example

?Personal Philosophy in Education Introduction My personal philosophy of education is that the educational professional acts as a conduit wherein students do not simply learn facts and figures, but gain the critical thinking skills that will guide them along their life journey. The purpose of education within this framework is to train students in critical thinking skills and develop philosophical perspectives. In discussing my personal philosophy of education, I will elaborate on the aim of education, address the role of the teacher and the learner and explain the method of classroom practices. Justification of my personal philosophy will be provided with references to four theorists – Maria Montessori, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Paulo Freire, and John Dewey. It will also be demonstrated that my personal philosophy is in contrast to Plato and Confucius. Aim of Education The aim of education is a broad encompassing subject that extends beyond the simple confines of the classroom. My personal philosophy on education is that students must gain critical thinking skills and a development of a personal philosophy that can guide them throughout their lives. This theory runs counter to perspectives on education as a process where the teacher imbues students with content material that they can then implement as career preparation, as it’s believed that this approach to educational instruction doesn’t fully prepare the student for the variety of challenges and shifting life circumstances they will encounter. This theory of education is also counter to perspectives on existence as posed by theorists and philosophers such as Plato. Plato argued that the reality consisted of a number of pre-set forms that the teacher must instruct the student to discover (Honderich 2005). Contrary to this perspective, my philosophy of education views knowledge in more abstract and shifting terms that cannot simply be ‘discovered’ but must be continually re-imagined through strong critical thinking skills. A major educational theorist that influenced this perspective on education is Mari Montessori. While today Montessori’s methods have most prominently been adopted in private education, her ideas have had a tremendous impact on educational theory, influencing both private and public teachers (Mondale 2002). The reforms that Montessori implemented considered the fundamental nature of education. While it had previously been believed that there were outward and rigid standards of educational curriculum, Montessori believed the process to be more of a subjective task. In Montessori’s understanding the teacher asks less as a sage pushing the students through a set curriculum and more as an individual responsible for cultivating the student’s intellectual and academic interests (Mondale 2002). The underlining belief was that in allowing the students to pursue their own interests they would develop the critical thinking skills necessary for a proper education (Mondale 2002). These theories would be collected into what would be deemed the Montessori method of education and have varying degrees of influence on educational institutes in forthcoming years. Ultimately, Montessori’s theories influence my perspective through demonstrating the seminal importance of allowing students the chance to develop their own intellectual interests. Another prominent educational reformer that has influenced my educational philosophy is Paulo Freire. Freire was a prominent 20th century educational reformer that lived the majority of his life in Brazil. Freire’s understanding of education as embodied in his writings would come to be recognized as Critical Pedagogy. Critical Pedagogy is a form of instruction that is influenced by both anti-colonial and Marxist theory that considers the nature of education as necessarily influenced by a political perspective (Gutek). Freire argued that in considering the nature of education as possessing this political dimension, educators should work to implement instruction as a means of empowering disenfranchised individuals. Another prominent educational theory Freire advanced was his notion that the student is not an object that should be simply filled with knowledge (Gutek). While traditional educational instruction had in large part worked to supply the student with content area knowledge, Freire rejection of this ‘banking model of education’ would place greater emphasis on the develop of critical thinking skills and increasingly amounts of student subjectivity in curriculum development (Gutek). Ultimately, Freire’s notion of education shaped my understanding that the educational process can contribute to the development of personal philosophies that work to aid individuals and uplift society. Role of the Teacher and Learner Within the context of this educational philosophy the role of the teacher and the learner constitute important considerations. While traditional models of educational practice present a teaching professional as a disciplinarian that imparts classic knowledge to students, I reject this notion. One considers that the Confucian philosophy promotes this traditional understanding of education as strong filial obligation and adherence to classic doctrine (Huang 2001). Instead, my perspective on the role of the teacher is as a guide that shields the students from the corrupting forces of society, but does not act in a heavy-handed or sage like way. One of the primary theorists that have influenced my perspective on the role of the teacher and learner is Jean-Jacques Rousseau. As Rousseau’s central preoccupation is with the natural education of man it follows that his view of authority is equally progressive. To Rousseau the worst part of formal education is the abjection apparent in social engagement (Rousseau 1979). Indeed, central to Rousseau’s theory of education is the transcendence of nature in regards to human intellectual and emotional development (Rousseau 1979). That is, the ultimate goal of education is for the human being to realize that the essential worldly truths exist in large part separated from the formal structure that is embodied in the institution and the formal education process, “Everything is good as it leaves the hands of the Author of things; everything degenerates in the hands of man” (Rousseau 1979, p. 37). While this takes on many forms in Rousseau’s theory, one particular incarnation of the deleterious effects of social education concerns the teachers or authority figures with whom the student is engaged. Even as Rousseau recognizes the pernicious effects society can have on the student, he contends the authority figure can successfully engage the student in ways that promotes their ultimate well-being by continuing to shield them from the corrupting forces of society (Rousseau 1979). While Rousseau naturally displays a thematic distrust of the traditional authority figure in that in great part is the extension and physical embodiment of these corrupting social forces, he paradoxically acknowledges that in for the pupil to achieve this ‘naturalized’ form of education within the formal bounds of society, it requires the steadfast guidance of a teacher to guide them away from the social debasing impulses such as greed, lust, envy, manipulation, and deceitfulness (Rousseau 1979). It is not possible for the student to achieve this natural education naturally, within the bounds of society, without the authority figure. Methods and Classroom Practices One of the primary elements of educational methods and classroom practices emerges in the form of assessment. While assessment elements differ among different instructional domains, it’s clear there are a number of assessments methods that pertain to all levels and forms of education. Still, it’s worth noting that teaching professionals must attend to the varieties of students, cultures, and grade levels when considering assessment strategies. One of the primary considerations I recognize in terms of assessment is developing a means of judging student participation and effort throughout the marking periods and course. One of the primary challenges I had when originally considering assessment was the nature of developing assessment strategies that are student specific, or measure objective standards of comprehension. While ideally classrooms are constituted by students of the same level of achievement, in reality this is not always the case. From this foundational level I embraced assessment strategies that required students to achieve an objective standard of accomplishment. In these regards, I have been greatly influenced by constructivist theory of assessment as greatly influenced by theorist John Dewey (‘The Story of American Public Education’). This text contends that assessment should be designed from a top-down structure with the end goal in mind. Still, I recognize that this approach to assessment should only be used to construct a general approach to curriculum development. The most effective instruction and assessment will consider the learner’s background knowledge and phenomenological grasp of the learning material in developing dynamic and multi-varied assessment mechanisms. Conclusion In conclusion, this essay has examined my personal philosophy on education. Within this context of understanding four theorists -- Maria Montessori, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Paulo Freire, and John Dewey – have been considered as they support and shape my educational perspectives. The essay also considers the perspectives of Plato and Confucius who are contrary to my personal philosophy. Within this context of understanding, the essay examines the aim of education, the role of the teacher and learner, and methods and classroom practices. The ultimate understanding being that education functions to guide the student to develop critical thinking skills and discover their own intellectual interests. References Gutek, Gerald. (1994) A History of the Western Educational Experience. New York: Waveland Press. Honderich, Ted. (2005). The Oxford Companion to Philosophy. New York: McMillan. Huang, Siu-chi. (2001). Essentials of Neo-Confucianism: Eight Major Philosophers of the Song and Ming. New York: Templeton. Mondale, Sarah. (2002) School, the Story of American Public Education. Beacon Press. Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. Emile, or On Education, trans. with an introd. by Allan Bloom, New York: Basic Books, 1979. ‘The Story of American Public Education.’ PBS. http://www.pbs.org/kcet/publicschool/get_involved/guide_p2.html Read More