Growth of a Personal Philosophy

Kayla Simpson
Fall 2014

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A New Philosophy of Education

Introduction
Before Wesleyan, I knew exactly what kind of teacher I wanted to be. I wanted to be a
teacher that made learning meaningful. I wanted my students to walk away, and ten or twenty
years down the road, be able to use something I taught them. A teachers job is to prepare
students for life. We are not preparing them for some test. Having taken classes at Wesleyan, I
was able to give this idea of teaching a name: Progressivism. We discussed many other types of
philosophies, but this was the one for me. This philosophy lines up almost perfectly with
everything I have ever wanted to be as a teacher.
Teaching in an actual classroom, I have discovered that my philosophy is strong. It has
truly been strengthened by my experiences, both in a college classroom and an elementary
classroom. However, I have discovered that, during my time at Wesleyan, my philosophy is
more dynamic than I even believed it to be. There is no one correct way to teach children. There
are many, and many philosophies, and many more ways to use those philosophies in your own
classroom.
Where I Was
When I was writing my first philosophy paper, I was so sure that I was only of one
philosophy. Progressivism was everything that I believed my classroom should be.
Progressivists believe that individuality, progress, and change are fundamental to one's
education (The Foundations of Education). This theory also believes that people learn best
from doing. That by completing tasks that are relevant to peoples interests and needs, they are
more likely to retain the information. Progressivist teachers try making school interesting and
useful by planning lessons that provoke curiosity. In a Progressivist school, students are actively

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learning (The Foundations of Education). Active learning means that they are constantly
learning. Every experience is a learning experience.
Something else that really pulled me in about this theory was its complete focus on
making the education as student-centered as possible. Alfie Khon said it best in his essay:
Progressive Education: Why Its Hard to Beat, But Also Hard to Find (2008), that there are
many positive values reflected in Progressivism. He explains that these teachers attend to the
whole child; that this form of education allows for communities to grow because of their
learning together and from one another; that these schools are characterized by what [he likes]
to call a working with rather than a doing to model; that they build a sense of social justice,
in and outside the classroom; that it builds an intrinsic motivation, or a desire to want to continue
learning after the homework is finished; that they develop a deeper understanding; and that they
learn more actively, (Kohn). Now having taught in a classroom, I can see that not only has my
philosophy been strengthened, it has also grown to include a mixture of several philosophies.
Where I Am
Teaching in a classroom, taking the wonderful and rigorous courses at Wesleyan, and
completing research of my own have shown me that I was right in my original philosophy of
Progressivism. But I am not only of a Progressivism theory set of mind. I am also drawn to the
theories of Pragmatism and Constructivism. Progressivism was my foundation. Now I can build
on it to strengthen my philosophy.
Pragmatism, which is also known as Experientialism, has many deep roots in
Progressivism. There are many things about this philosophy that align with my own beliefs.

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Pragmatists believe that reality is constantly changing and that we learn best through applying
our experiences and thoughts to problems, as they arise (Cohen, 2009) Very much like
Progressivism, this philosophy is very experience-based. John Dewey, who is considered the
Father of Progressive Education, actually
applied pragmatist philosophy in his progressive approaches. He believed that learners
must adapt to each other and to their environment. Schools should emphasize the subject
matter of social experience. All learning is dependent on the context of place, time, and
circumstance. Different cultural and ethnic groups learn to work cooperatively and
contribute to a democratic societyCharacter development is based on making group
decisions in light of consequences. (Cohen, 1999)
His uses of Pragmatism with Progressivism go hand in hand. And his theory completely aligns
with the differentiation that we try to strive for today. Classrooms are becoming more and more
diverse, ranging from children of various race, skills, backgrounds, etc (Conceptual Framework,
II-4a.). By giving students differentiated, hands-on, collaborative, and real-life experiences, they
can begin to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills that they can use in their
lifelong learning (Conceptual Framework, I-1c.).
In my observations of a fifth grade classroom, I have observed such references. My hostteacher taught math and science. During a math lesson, I was able to observe a wonderful
connection to a real-life experience. She was teaching a whole lesson on fractions. They were
multiplying, dividing, adding, and subtracting fractions. However, this math did not come from
a worksheet. It came from baking cookies. Students were placed into different groups and were
given different recipes for sugar cookies. On these recipes, she had included a wide variety of
fractions, along with their being divided, subtracted, multiplied, and added. After completing the

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calculations, they had to put that many ingredients into the bowl. This went on for the whole
recipe. At the end, she had each group place their dough in a numbered plastic bowl, and she
took them home to bake. The next day, she brought back the cookies and had a whole lesson on
the importance of their calculations. Some cookies were soft, others hard, flat, fluffy, dry, sweet,
or salty. Some of their measurements were off, and it showed (or tasted). The students were
engaged, they learned something while making real-life connections, and they had fun because it
was something they cared about.
As I have furthered my education and experiences, I have discovered that I am also drawn
to Constructivism. Teachnology explains this theory as a philosophy which enhances students'
logical and conceptual growth. The underlying concept within the Constructivism learning
theory is the role which experiences-or connections with the adjoining atmosphere-play in
student education (Teachnology). Very much like Pragmatism, this theory also has many ideas
in common with Progressivism. This theory focuses more on getting students away from relying
on one source and accepting it as final, and pushing for them to be exposed to data, primary
sources, and interaction so that they can learn from their own experiences (Teachnology). This
theory of education allows students to take charge of their education. In an effective
Constructivist classroom, students not only develop a community, but allow that community to
play a role in their learning (Conceptual Framework, I-2c.).
In order to provide students with all of these experiences, teachers must provide an open
and positive classroom. Foundations of American Education (2010) lists many ideas as to how
to create such a classroom, but being able to go to museums and theaters, and being able to have
the students spend considerable time in direct contact with the community beyond the

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confines of the classroom or school. By creating this classroom, students would have all of
those opportunities to conduct their own research and use their own experiences in their learning
(Conceptual Framework, II-5c.). This also means that differentiation should be seen all
throughout the classroom. Because there will be choices, students will automatically have
differentiation. But differentiation should also be used in a variety of assessments (Conceptual
Framework, III.-7a).
I believe that one of my favorite activities to date for a form differentiated assessment is
the restaurant menu. We completed a menu in Math and have discussed another in Science.
These menus are broken down into parts, much like a regular menu. You have a list of
appetizers, entrees, desserts, etc. Under each section is a list of activities/forms of assessments
that you can complete. While students have many differentiated choices to choose from, they are
still completing a task required subject, but they are also interested and engaged. Having
something like this really allows students to become their own learners and take charge of the
material. These various assessments not only allow the students to learn something in a
meaningful way, but also allows for the teacher to make instructional decisions based on the
assessments (Conceptual Framework, III-8c).
How I Got Here
Through my many experiences, I have seen many teachers with many different
philosophies. These teachers have played a large role in strengthening my own philosophy.
Courses at Wesleyan have taught me that differentiation is a necessity. And it truly is, with so
many diverse classrooms. Students come in with so many different learning styles. Howard
Gardner (1983) says, Its very important that a teacher take individual differences among kids
very seriously. The bottom line is a deep interest in children and how their minds are different

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from one another, and in helping them use their minds well. By giving these students choices
and placing an emphasis on them and not the subjects, we can ensure that they are receiving the
most beneficial learning experiences.
John Heinrich Pestalozzi truly captures this idea when he placed a special emphasis on
spontaneity and self-activity. Children should not be given ready-made answers but should arrive
at answers themselves The aim is to educate the whole child intellectual education is only
part of a wider plan. He looked to balance, or keep in equilibrium, three elements hands, heart
and head (Marrapodi, 2003). Teaching to the whole child is something that we strive for.
Students learn through the intelligences, but also through their eyes, ears, noses, mouths, and
hands. Learning is very experience-based. But most important of all, students learn with their
hearts. If they are interested or passionate about something, they can go so far as to become
experts in that topic. This is because it means something special to them, and that makes them
willing to give that extra effort and go the extra mile.
Conclusion
In conclusion, my philosophy has truly grown during my time at Wesleyan. I still
strongly believe that people learn from experience. This has led me to add Pragmatism and
Constructivism to my philosophy. All three theories are very experience-based which is what is
needed in a differentiated classroom. We have to give students choices and make learning
meaningful. With so much emphasis on standardized testing, we need to remind them that we
are not preparing them for a test. We are preparing them for life and life-long learning.

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References
Cohen, L. M. (1999) Section III - Philosophical perspectives in education
Retrieved from: oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/PP2.html.
Foundations of Education (n. d.).
Retrieved from: www.siue.edu/~ptheodo/foundations/Progressivism.html
Guignon, A. (2010). Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences: A theory for everyone.
Retrieved from:
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr054.shtml
Kohn, A. (2008). Progressive education: Why it is hard to beat, but also hard to find.
Retrieved:
http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/progressive.htm
Marrapodi, J. (2003). Educational philosophers.
Retrieved from: http://applestar.org/capella/Educational%20Philosophers.pdf
Teachnology. (n. d.) Constructivism learning theory.
Retrieved from: http://www.teach-nology.com/currenttrends/Constructivism/

Webb, L. D., Metha, A., Jordan, K. F. (2010). Foundations of American education. New Jersey:
Merrill.
Wesleyans Conceptual Framework Contract