Philosophy of Education - Personal Statement Example

Philosophy of Education I believe that Education is the key to success and it is through education that a person receives the fundamental skills and tools that are important in building a life that is successful and prosperous. The quality of education in a country will determine the level of its success and prosperity. Therefore, as a teacher I believe that it is important for every child to receive quality education. Although quality in education is something that cannot be achieved by the teachers only, I believe teachers play a major role in improving the education quality of a country. To improve the quality of education, teachers, parents and all stakeholders in education must work together. Quality in education includes the health and participation of learners, support from family and community, availability of good learning environment, content that is relevant in real life situations and teacher’s organization and proficiency. As a teacher, I believe that everyone has the ability to learn. However, for effective mastering of concepts and skills, a student must show interest in learning and willingness to participate in the learning activities. My work as a teacher is to provide good learning environment in the classroom and improve the quality of education. The arrangement or organization of the classroom can improve or inhibit learning depending on the learning patterns of each child. Therefore, by accommodating the students’ different patterns of learning, the teacher creates an environment that is conducive for learning. Although education has always been associated with economic growth, I believe that with better quality education the economic returns can be much higher. It is also evident that increased investment in education increases political stability, democratization, improves the health of the people and reduces poverty and inequality. Thus, I am strongly convinced that it is the role of teachers to ensure that the education provided in schools is of good quality so as to realize the maximum benefits of quality education. Young minds are very critical and delicate, and teaching them is challenging and frustrating. Any indication by the teacher that he or she is not interested in a particular subject or area of study and lacks passion for learning will make the children to lose interest in the same. A teacher must convince the children of his or her knowledge and expertise for them to be willing to learn and show interest in learning. My job, as a teacher is to develop an environment that promotes learning. I am a teacher and an instructor because I posses the passion for guiding children through the process of learning and one of the best ways of fostering learning is to show the children these feelings I hold over education. I promote learning by providing a relaxed atmosphere for children, stimulating conversations on presented ideas and organizing ideas in an easy way that can be understood by the learners. I believe subject matter are interconnected thus I emphasize that everything that people learn form a world of understanding from which they develop their personal views. I also believe that showing respect to my students is important because it encourages them to be open and inspires them to respect each other and all other people. My method of teaching is that which acknowledges diversity in teaching methodologies and techniques. I believe that hands on and minds on learning are important because supplementing curriculum with other activities promotes the learning process. I am certain that by involving the learners in fascinating lessons and making use of strategies which address their learning styles, they can achieve success in academics and have self confidence in the learning process. Learning only takes place when the children are fully engaged in the learning process, are personally connected to the concept taught and use the knowledge acquired in real life situations. Therefore, when this happens a child is encouraged to be engaged over and makes personal connection with the learning process. I have the ability to develop a meaningful relationship with my learners and the determination of going an extra mile in my work. I believe that by developing a relationship that is honest, open and respectful with my learners, I will encourage them to learn because they will be confident that I understand and accept each one of them regardless of their backgrounds and cultures. I am a hard worker and can spend as much time as required to ensure that students succeed in their work - both emotionally and academically. From the trainings I received in college, I am aware of the importance of teacher encouragement and motivation to the learners. I highly believe that all children are able to learn if they are properly motivated and directed by their teachers. I intend to motivate learners my engaging them in challenging yet supportive learning activities. As an instructor, I must be well informed on what learning entails, motivation, behavior and theories of development so as to perfectly relate to my learners and drive them to realize their full potential. In regard to education, it is my responsibility to ensure that all my learners and receive my full attention and time. The idea of inclusion is ideal and as a teacher I believe that all learners deserve to be treated equally and given the same opportunities regardless of their strengths and weaknesses. Inclusion discourages separation in classroom based on the ability of the learners. However, in an inclusion classroom, not all learners can perform the same work. Some learners need more help than others. Therefore, as a teacher it is my duty to know the strengths and weaknesses of my learners and identify those who require extra help. It is also my duty to reassess my lesson plans and ensure that they take care of all the needs of the students. I believe that to know whether a child has surely benefited from the learning activities, he or she must be assessed. However, the assessments should be relevant to the course or subject matter, varied, objective and should not be frequent. By varying the assessments students are more likely to have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge. Generally, as a teacher it is my duty to ensure that the kind of assessment I give my students is that which is appropriate and related to the subject matter. I also believe that assessment is not given to discourage the learners but to encourage them to continue learning. It is through the assessments that the strength and weaknesses of each child is realized and helping measures are designed. Although the assessment results are important to the teacher in improving his or her teaching methods, they are also important to the parents to monitor their children performances. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the teacher to compile the assessment information and share it with the parents. As a teacher, I identify the weaknesses and strengths of the child and share it with the parents so that measures can be put in place to assist the child. Although learners or students spend close to three quarter of the year with teachers, it important to note that family plays a major role in the education of a child. The support given to a child by the family and the community will determine whether the success and failure of that child. It is the responsibility of the parents to provide their child with learning materials, good health, food and nourishment, love and all other necessities that are essential for learning. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to identify the problems that my learners are experiencing and report to their respective families so that they can be helped. It is also my duty to work very close with the parents to ensure that any vice or inappropriate behavior is rooted out before it is too late. In summary, my aim as a teacher is develop a passion for learning in my learners and to impart in them the concept that learning never ends. I hope to provide them with skills and tools that are important for success. In addition, I also strive to foster in them individual talents and give them the confidence to accept their dreams and make them realities. I also intend to make my students remember as a teacher who was honestly concerned with their well being. I also want intend to leave a legacy amongst my colleagues one who was always eager to participate and actively contribute to the growth and development of the school. Work Cited UNICEF. Defining Quality in Education. New YorkUNICEF. 2000. Read More