PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

B Y M ARGARET L APP
Nelson Mandela once said that, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world" and this is a concept that helps me to convey why I am so passionate about the importance of education in today's society. In this day and age, our communities are driven by those people who have received various degrees of education. It has become the norm that everyone graduates from high school, and most people will also graduate from college as well. People with an education are those that change the world, and this drive and motivation begins in an elementary school classroom with twenty-five young children and one exceptional teacher. My father, a veteran elementary school teacher, has inspired in me a love for learning that has led me to this career choice. I have always been intrinsically motivated to do my best in school and to help others when they are struggling to grasp a concept that the class is learning. I plan on changing the world by helping students to realize their potential, finding their strengths and expanding upon their God-given talents and abilities while challenging them to become better students and citizens every day.

T HEORISTS
When considering theorists in the field of education, the two that stand out most profoundly are Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. When planning my lessons, I am constantly thinking about Piaget's levels of cognitive development and Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). I wholeheartedly agree with Piaget when he asserted that each child has a different rate of cognitive development, and I believe that it is the teacher's job to

cater to those differences in development when planning lessons. A teacher cannot make a lesson with the "one size fits all" mentality, because all children are at separate places on the cognitive development spectrum. Additionally, teachers must study the levels of development in order to better understand their students and how they think. For example, a child in the Preoperational Stage is very egocentric, and can only see things from their point of view. The teacher needs to consider this fact when planning instruction, putting herself in the child's shoes and adapting the material so that the student can get the most out of the lesson. Lev Vygotsky also promoted the concept of analyzing the child and their personality/capabilities when he coined the term "Zone of Proximal Development", which is the area between what a child can do on their own and what they can accomplish with the assistance of a teacher or more-knowledgeable peer. Teachers who use the ZPD are considering the child with every instructional decision, providing work that the child is capable of doing, yet challenging enough that growth will be accomplished. I chose these theorists to support my belief that teachers need to focus on the child's personality, developmental characteristics and capabilities at all times throughout the planning and implementation of classroom instruction.

P EDAGOGY P RACTICE AND T HEORY

Every educator has their own individual style of teaching, and I intend to teach in a way that requires students to be constantly engaged in their learning, adding new information to their existing schema during each lesson. Piaget first created the term schema, which is the knowledge that each student already has about their environment and the world around them. It is my goal that students who attend my class will leave having learned something new and understanding more with each sequential day of school.

However, it is not enough to simply teach the required Common Core standards, instead teachers must go above and beyond by making the material relevant and interesting. Some of the most meaningful lessons in my high school and college experiences have been those that engage me in the course material and allow me to make interdisciplinary connections. As an elementary school teacher, I have the opportunity to make unlimited interdisciplinary connections, because I will teach each of the core subjects throughout the course of the day. For example, I created an interdisciplinary unit during my student teaching called the Great Mail Race which required students to research a state, compose a letter and survey to a school in that state, create a poster and commercial, cooperate with peers, and present in front of the class. This project accomplished the basic goal of covering third grade Social Studies standards while making it accessible and interesting for the students to complete. I believe that more meaningful learning occurred during this unit because the students were highly motivated by the assignment. Students will assimilate and accommodate new information into their schema simply by paying attention to the lesson, but it is my goal to make that information more appealing and memorable so that quality learning will occur in my classroom.

K NOWLEDGE OF E XCEPTIONALITIES
As a dual licensure Early Childhood Education and Intervention Specialist major, I have learned the importance of differentiation in a variety of settings. Differentiation is necessary not only for students with exceptionalities, but for the general education classroom as well. There are no two students that learn in the exact same way, and it is the teacher's responsibility to plan lessons that allow all learners to be successful. I consider differentiation in every single lesson that I plan, thinking about my students and what they

are capable of. I provide accommodations for many assignments, whether it be allowing for extra time, providing additional resources during an assignment, or for the student to work with a more-knowledgeable peer in the completion of a project. Another differentiation technique is the use of centers as students are divided into ability groups. This allows the students to work with peers on a similar academic level, and gives the teacher the opportunity to assign appropriate tasks and assignments for each group of students. Not only are students different in their academic abilities, but they also differ in their interests and modalities of learning. Some students are incredibly artistic, while others thrive when they have the opportunity to be creative in group assignments. It is important to switch up instruction on a daily basis, allowing for equal opportunity for the students to showcase their talents through writing, reading, project-completion, oral presentations, artistic assignments, and problem-solving activities. Differentiation is key, because it allows for students to be successful at their own level while making progress at their own challenging pace.

E THICS OF CARE ( RESPECT , RAPPORT , SAFE ENVIRONMENT )

Teachers have the special opportunity to be a very influential figure in a childs life. Students are under the teachers care for the majority of the day, and it is important that the teacher realizes the impact they have on the individual that the child will eventually become. I will strive to make my classroom an environment where the student feels loved and cared for, one in which the student can express their feelings and opinions without worrying about whether they will be judged or embarrassed. Students need to walk into the classroom on the first day of school and feel welcomed and comfortable. It is important that students do not feel bullied or scared by teacher or peers at school, especially while

they are learning. This can be accomplished by encouraging students to discuss their issues and working through things together instead of brushing problems aside and disciplining quickly without careful consideration. Children will not learn how to problem-solve on their own, and I intend to teach the students the power of cooperation and teamwork in everyday life. I also wish to convey to students that I care personally about each of them so that they feel valued and respected. In my opinion, establishing a good rapport with students includes making all students feel that their accomplishments are important and that none of them will go unnoticed throughout the course of the year. I have met many students whose performance is greatly improved when a teacher shows interest in their work, and this is something that a teacher can change easily simply by complimenting or encouraging a student. In short, my students should feel that their classroom is a second home, a place where they are loved and appreciated for who they are and what they can do.

C OMMITMENT TO D IVERSITY
Diversity is a main focus point of education in the twenty-first century. Our classrooms are comprised of students that differ culturally, emotionally, and academically. A commitment to diversity must be made by each teacher to ensure that every child's needs are being met equally. It is no longer acceptable to teach to the majority, because there is often not a majority that exists. The easiest way to guarantee a diverse teaching style is to adopt a curriculum that is varied and inclusive. This means that no one ethnic group is catered to above others, that every child's learning style has the opportunity to be equally expressed, and that every child's interests will be represented during some point of the year. In order for all students to be successful, the lessons and curriculum should match the students to which they are being taught. I am excited to have the opportunity to expose

my students to different cultures, to explore concepts that we stumble upon while learning, and to try learning in ways that no other teacher has considered before. I realize that making a commitment to diversity is no small task, but I believe that it is worthwhile for my students and their overall quality of education. While I am assisting children in developing their knowledge of the world and necessary subjects, I hope to elicit from the students their dreams and goals for the future. While there are many guidelines, standards, and qualifications that are associated with modern education, education can only improve the quality of a person's life. No matter what may change in the course of education over the next fifty years, I am thrilled to be embarking on such a meaningful career. It brings me great joy to know that I will be one of the first associates of the great world-changers of the future.