reflections: philosophy of education: buzz word
this is my second weeks post: philosophy of education (Welcome to the buzz word)
So the question today was all about philosophy of education and becoming a teacher: what does it all mean? It was very interesting to me to discuss with other people their experiences in high school and what made a good teacher. Approachability, responsibility, accountability and facilitator were all key words today, amongst others. It made me think about what kind of teacher I want to be. I want to understand how I feel towards the idea of discipline in the classroom, classroom management etc. I want to be a fair, approachable teacher but I don’t want to be the laissez-faire, you can get away with anything around me type.
I am very interested in developing a philosophy of education and putting it into words. When my grandmother became a teacher she created her philosophy, and it was full of many inspired ideas, such as always treating each child as an individual. More that it being a guideline for her to follow, I think that it was a reminder. When I read it, I was inspired; it detailed what is important for a teacher to remember, even if it isn’t always possible to practice in every situation. At least, when times are tough it is something to refer to and remind her why she got into this game.
One of the words that I think was missed in our discussion was mediator. A teacher sometimes (often) plays the role of leader, parent, friend, coach, and judge. When I become a teacher I want students to feel that I am being fair in my methods. I want my classroom to be an environment where people feel comfortable enough to raise their hand and say what is on their mind. On that point, I think that teaching students to honour one another is a good idea. It is so simple, but it would help teachers and students to get past the ‘who is more important’ idea. All over CBC radio this past week, they have been discussing the behavior of youth; should we be teaching behavior class in school? Why are our students so rude? I think it has to do with value. Many people don’t learn the value of themselves for many years (or ever) but if we could teach people the importance of respect and understanding, maybe self-value would happen more quickly. Maybe what would follow would be that students would see that importance and help foster it within their peer groups.
Personal thoughts on the class: thought-provoking, interesting, dynamic. It made me think about why teaching is important and who gets to decide that. If I value it I think that will be felt throughout the classroom and the students, peers, parents and everyone else involved in the school community will learn to value it too.
