Philosophy of Education

What does it mean to be well-educated?

I believe being well-educated occurs through regularly engaging in levels of higher order
thinking, progressing from knowledge and comprehension of material to the application,
analysis, and then synthesis of ones learning.
I believe being well educated can vary greatly from person to person depending upon the
difference among the multiple intelligences of an individual. It is possible for one person to be
well educated and intelligent in one area, while they are perhaps not as well developed in
another area.
I believe that a well-educated person continues in their learning and exploration of the further
development of themselves. Continuing in one's own learning reflects their willingness and
curiosity to develop themselves beyond their current level of learning.
I believe that being well-educated does not necessarily reflect a persons accomplished level of
achievement within an education system. A person could be well-educated whether they have
completed a high school diploma or a Doctorate in their field. The level of ones education does
not dictate whether theyre well-educated, rather their own progression in advancing and
developing themselves through life-learning experiences can contribute to bringing about a welleducated person.
I believe that the definition of a well educated person can not be determined simply through:
The amount of time spent in school
Sitting in school for an X amount of time does not indicate that a person was
engaged in meaningful learning during that time.
Vocational skills
Merely possessing a set of workplace skills does not lend itself to higher-order
thinking and further developing a the individuality of a person.
Test scores
Scores on tests do not necessarily indicate high or low levels of intelligence,
rather they merely display ones skill at test-taking OR that the person tested did
not respond well to the stimuli presented in the testing format. Someone may be
particular intelligent in the area of mathematics, and fail a test on Shakespearean
literature.
Memorization of facts
The memorization of facts does not engage a person in thinking beyond surface
level knowledge. True education should focus on engaging students in the
application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of their learning.

Joshua P. Barnhart

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Philosophy of Education
Learning Focus and Goals - What knowledge and skills do you believe are worth
knowing?
I believe in student-oriented learning that will interest and engages students in meaningful,
lifelong learning that is applicable to each student.
I believe students should have a strong voice in the beginning, and on-going development of the
learning focus and goals within a curriculum. Development of a curriculum should be based
upon students, involving student input, which allows learners to have personal ownership in
their own learning experiences.
I believe that the focus of learning should be on developing the critical thinking needed to
engage in the more complex aspects of higher order thinking, involving the application, analysis,
synthesis, and evaluation of what has been learned.
I believe that one of the primary goals of learning should be to develop people as moral citizens
that find personal meaning within their own life.
I believe that learning focus and goals should place emphasis upon connecting learning to the
real world in meaningful practices. Through use of real-world problems and personal
experiences, learners can apply their learning to the real world in a very real way.

Joshua P. Barnhart

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Philosophy of Education
Classroom Organization - What physical organization will you employ to support
teaching and learning in my classroom?
I believe that a classroom should be organized to allow students to work easily within small
groups. Tables (or desks) should be put together in small groups to allow 3-5 students to work
together.
I believe that the teachers desk should not be the focus of the room and kept to one side of the
room. During the school day I will spend little time behind the desk, as I will be working with
students and moving around the classroom.
I believe there should that the classroom norms/expectations, learning outcomes, and agenda
should displayed visibly at the front of the room. This allows students to reference the objectives
and reminds the class on the expectations that everyone has agreed upon.
I believe that the classroom should be set-up with tables/desks in a semicircle open to the front
of the room to allow open space for large group cooperative learning. This will also allow all
students the ability to clearly see the front of the room and easily engage in class discussions.
I believe the classroom should have different areas that engage students in various multiple
intelligences.
Verbal/Linguistic - Small and large group discussion allowed with the semi-circle
arrangement of tables/desks.
Logical/Mathematical - A hands-on area with puzzles and games.
Musical Body/Kinesthetic - An open space in the center of the room for large groups activities.
Visual Spatial - Use of white-board, projector, posters, and objects around the room.
Intrapersonal - A small library area with bean bags and comfortable chairs.
Interpersonal - Small group desk groups with 3-5 people per group.

Joshua P. Barnhart

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Philosophy of Education
Teaching Style and Lesson Planning - What kinds of teaching and learning
activities will you employ in my classroom?
I believe that teachers act as a guide to aid students in learning and developing their personal
identity through progressive exploration of various areas that inspire student ownership of their
own learning and individual advancement.
I believe that as teacher I should focus upon integrative lessons/units that engage students in
multiple content areas while making connections between those areas.
I believe lesson and unit plans should follow the backward design process in order to maintain a
clear focus upon the enduring understandings, essential questions, and standards that I want
student outcomes to reflect.
I believe in incorporating cooperative learning regularly into the classroom in order to more
deeply engage students. Some strategies I would use may include Kagan strategies,
simulations, service learning, community involvement, and group discussions.
I believe in being both prepared and flexible in instruction so as to accommodate as best as
possible to each learners unique needs.

Student Assessment and Evaluation - How will student learning be assessed and
evaluated in my classroom?
I believe that students should be assessed with the purpose of providing supportive feedback
that helps tell the learner how to continue improving their learning, as well as telling the
instructor how to improve the learning experience.
I believe in regularly incorporating various forms of formative assessment that are meant to
improve learning as opposed to assigning a grade to a student.
I believe in a student-centered teaching that accommodates the assessment to the various
learning styles of students. Student choice in assessment can be used to allow students to
select assessments based on various multiple intelligences that also engage learners in deeperlevel thinking.
I believe that evaluation of students should be based upon student learning improvement toward
the learning objectives and expectations. Over a period of time, students will be evaluated
according to whether or not they have demonstrated understanding of the learning objectives.
I believe that grades are an arbitrary figure that does not accurately reflect a how, or what a
student learned. Through self-reflection and demonstration of their understanding, students are
able to prove that they have learned the given material through portfolio, journal, and other
tools.
Joshua P. Barnhart

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Philosophy of Education
Motivation - How will students be motivated to learn in my classroom?
I believe that intrinsic motivation from students is one of the strongest forms of motivation which
gives students the desire to engage in learning. Student interest in learning spurs strong
intrinsic motivation for students to stay involved in their learning.
I believe students are motivated to learn best through a student-centered learning environment
where students are involved in the classroom through the development of class expectations
and norms.
I believe students need to develop ownership in their learning in order to best motivate
themselves in the classroom. In order to develop ownership of learning, students should be
actively involved in the creation and on-going development of the curriculum.
I believe that student voice in education plays an important role in engaging students in their
learning. Education is about helping young people discover themselves and develop
themselves, and there needs to be student input in that development so that we can better
understand our students needs.
I believe that students are motivated through the use of cooperative learning that is applicable to
the students current, and future, life.

Classroom Management - How will I maintain a learning environment in my

classroom?
I believe the learning environment in my classroom will be maintained through establishing a
respectful atmosphere that is safe for all students and their various beliefs and ideals.
I believe that classroom management involves keeping the student in the classroom where they
can continue to engage in learning. Removing a student from the classroom only removes them
from the learning environment.
I believe that classroom management is set upon a foundation of classroom community which is
established at the onset of the year, and continually built upon throughout the year.
I believe that learning with my students is more effective than teaching to my students. Instead
of just teaching a material to students, I will engage in the learning environment with my
students in order to gain their respect and help them better appreciate their learning.
I believe engage my classroom in cooperative learning strategies that promote responsibility
and community building through activities that engage students in meaningful learning.

Joshua P. Barnhart

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Philosophy of Education
Classroom Discipline - How will problem behaviors be addressed in my
classroom?
I believe that classroom behaviors should be dealt with within the classroom in order to keep the
focus of the environment upon the ongoing learning of the student.
I believe that problem behaviors can be fixed through working with students in order to solve
problems together by identifying and working toward behavior goals.
I believe good behavior should be modeled by the teacher both inside, and outside the
classroom so that students can better understand the responsibilities associated with their own
behaviors.
I believe that establishing community norms (standards/expectations) with your students can
greatly help in preemptive measures against problem behavior. Having students help develop
these norms can set in place a standard for good behavior that gives students a self-made
accountability within the classroom.
I believe that flexibility and patience are exercised when addressing different problem behaviors.
It is important to listen to the student(s) in order to determine how to best address the problem
behavior as a learning opportunity for the student(s).

Classroom Climate - How would you describe your overall classroom climate?
I believe that my overall classroom climate will be an exciting exploration into the interests and
curiosities of students, the community, and the larger world.
I believe that my overall classroom climate would have a student-centered focus that allows
students to express their unique individuality in a safe environment.
I believe my classroom would involve much discussion and cooperative learning that focused
students toward deeper thinking on their various topics of learning.
I believe my classroom climate would promote learning for the sake of learning through the
development of a strong community environment that developed individual, peer, and teacher
relationships within the classroom.
I believe my classroom climate will reflect the engaged learning of students through the
application of learning with service projects, community events, portfolio/journal development,
and other project-based learning assessments.

Joshua P. Barnhart

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