Ozmon and Craver state that the philosophy of education is the application of the philosophical ideas to educational problems,

which, in turn, can lead to a refinement of both philological ideas and educational development (Ozmon & Craver, 2008, pg 2). This is a very powerful statement and one that has really made an impact on my thoughts and motives as an educator. Each child is a very unique individual who needs a safe and secure, caring, motivating, and stimulating environment in which they can grow on many different levels. I believe that we as educators are not only here to teach these children core subjects, we are also here to help them realize and attempt to attain their full potential as students as well as young men and women. In order to do this, a child needs to feel safe, secure, and free to express ideas and ask questions. They need to play an active role in their actual learning. I feel that having a learning environment that is both safe and inviting allows children to take risks and share ideas. I believe that there are three elements teachers should incorporate to help establish this type of environment: act as a guide, allow curiosity to direct the student learning, and teach students to respect all things and people. I teach the core subjects of Science and Social Studies, and although my deliveries of information might be different, I believe that my thought process and philosophy is the same. Most of my educational philosophy stems from the experimentalists. I act as a guide to my students rather than just the primary source of information. My students are always asking questions and are encouraged and expected to find answers. I like to give my students questions or problems and have them use the information they know and their critical thinking skills to solve the problem. In Science, we call this technological design. In Social Studies, I do this through project based activities. I think Aristotles thought of realism plays a role in my beliefs here because his thought was that the study of matter could lead to better, more distinct ideas. I teach my students to think beyond the norm and go outside of the box. My favorite question to ask my students is Why? It forces them to think on a higher level. In my opinion, if a student cannot talk about something, they do not know it. I have used this mindset a lot in

my Social Studies class this year. My students have written speeches and led debates with each other; mainly to ask the question of why? I like to get to know my students. I know that it is difficult to know each and every one of them on a personal level (to an extent), but I feel that it is a good thing to get to know them. I think that the more you know about them, the more you can motivate them. A lot of learning, whether it is inside the classroom or out, has to do with motivation and trust. I feel as though I motivate my students because I know them and they trust me. At the beginning of the school year I have my students fill out an inventory about who they are. If I can get to know them and tap into their interests and allow the students to do some self-discovery, then we can allow them to study things that are meaningful in their lives. This will foster intrinsic motivation and stimulate their passion for learning. At this point, they WANT to get smarter; they want to learn everything they can! Even though the majority of my teaching philosophy falls under the experimental philosophy, I do agree with existentialists in that they believe that a good education emphasizes individuality. Students must find the answer to the questions of Who am I? Where is my life headed? or Why do I exist? For me personally, this last question would be based on my own personal faith and belief in God. He is why I exist and the one who gives my life direction. I believe that all of the experiences we go through in life, good and bad, make us the person that we become. In my classroom we, the students and I, make the classroom rules and consequences. We also come up with rewards that will promote good behavior. I feel as though this helps cut down on behavior problems and allows our time to be focused on learning rather than negative behavior. Behaviorism, by definition, is a learning theory that only focuses on objectively observable behaviors and discounts any independent activities of the mind, as seen in Pavlovs studies. He believed that animals could be conditioned with certain behaviors. He proved this theory when he conditioned his dog with food and a bell. I think this is a good idea to an extent. I think conditioning the behaviors of our students is a good thing, but just making sure we do not condition the way they think.

Respect is a very important word to me as both a teacher and person. First and foremost, if a person does not know what it means to respect themselves, they will never truly be able to respect anyone or anything else. I think that promoting respect in our classrooms and teaching children to be humane and good natured is very important. In this aspect, I agree with reconstructionists. Its important for students to learn other cultures and how diverse the world can be. In my Social Studies class, I stress the word tolerance. It is very important in 6th grade Social Studies because students are learning about ancient civilizations and more than that, the major world religions. In Hinduism, for example, women have a red dot on their forehead which is applied for many different reasons. I think that is great that we introduce our kids to these reasons so they can get away from using words like weird or dumb. My students do a very good job of accepting these religions and cultures that are different than anything they have ever been introduced to and I think this is because on day 1 I stress the importance of respect and tolerance. I also agree with the reconstructionists in that I think we should stimulate and provoke thinking about critical issues. Class meetings and discussions are one way that I encourage this respect.

When we, as a class, have issues we take the time to discuss them and work them out (always looking at both sides of the situation). We also talk about local and national issues. I believe that children have greater respect for their teachers, their peers, and their learning when they feel safe and sure of what is expected of them in the classroom, as well as their community. I want students to envision a more perfect world and figure out ways to help attain it and we should be concerned with social values, equality of opportunity, freedom, and democracy. The experimentalists take as their point of departure the role of experience in forming ideas; thoroughgoing empiricists, they maintain that ideas are not spontaneously generated in the mind, but grow out of and relate to concrete experience, the doings and undergoings of

men.(Experimentalism and Education 2008 pg 1) Teaching is never ending and always changing. Allowing students to relate what they are being taught to past experiences helps ensure their growth as a student and person. I feel very strongly that the students are not always the ones growing. We, as teachers, need to strive to grow on a daily basis. I feel that teaching is not for everyone. It is something you have to be called to do just like a pastor in ministry. I felt this calling when I was in college. I went in as a nursing major Came out as an educator! I am thankful every day that I made this decision. I cannot imagine the person I would be right now if it wasnt for this experience. My assistant principal, Wanda Tharpe, has told me many times that I am in the right position. After many observations of my classes, she ensures me that I do a wonderful job in molding the young minds of tomorrow. I hope that I can continue to use what she has taught me and what I have learned over the past few years of experience to help me continue to make a difference in a childs life.