Philosophy of Education

What is an effective teacher, we were asked this on the first day of class and at first I

thought that an effective teacher was just a teacher who taught well and cared for her students.

Now that we have discussed and gone into more depth on the topic I have a better understanding

of what truly makes a teacher an effective teacher. I have come to the conclusion that the

definition of an effective teacher is constantly changing due to students backgrounds constantly

changing. “Teachers need to ‘give learners reason’ by respecting and understanding learners’

prior experiences and understandings, assuming that all these can serve as a foundation on which

to build bridges to new understandings” (Wilson, Peterson, 2006, p.6).

The purpose of education is not so that children are taken care of during the day while

parents are at work. Education is the most powerful tool that a child can obtain and being able to

go to school is a freedom that we have fought for as a country. Making education an obtainable

goal for children allows them to apply themselves when they are adults. “If students are to serve

as resources and teachers are to enhance their professional knowledge constantly, then teaching

requires much more inquiry” (Wilson, Peterson, 2006, p.13). We have an education system set

up so that when these children become adults they will be ready to live in society and survive in

it with knowledge and tools they were given while going through the education system.

I believe that children learn the best through fun and meaning. If what a child is being

taught does not have meaning to them then they will not put any effort towards that topic.

According to Wilson and Peterson, “Knowledge and learning exists in the interaction between

individuals and the contexts in which they live in and the activities individuals participate in”

(Wilson, Peterson, 2006, p. 5). I think that any lesson plan can have an aspect of fun in some way

in order to create a memorable learning experience. Making a student repeat and memorize facts
is not how they will learn effectively. The teachers who show their students that they are there

for them and care about their futures will create a memorable space for their students to learn in.

All children should be given the equal opportunity no matter what their racial class or

background is. The poverty stricken neighborhoods should be the issues addressed first, schools

all across the country should be given the same amount of government funds, the same amount

of teachers to students, to ensure equal opportunities from one side of the country to the other.

The playing field should not be controlled by what class a person is or their race. “Hope rests on

today’s processes of working to change the world, rather than one promise of a better world

somewhere in the future” (Oakes, Lipton, 2002, p. 33).

According to Barbara Stripling, Student/Teacher Inquiry Based Learning is one of the

most influential ways a child can be taught. This type of learning and teaching encourages the

teacher to continuously change her lesson in order to teach her students effectively. According to

Linda Darling and John Bransford, teachers should show compassion and true devotion to each

of her classes every year no matter how difficult it is to adapt new ways of teaching to your

lesson plans. What is in the best interest of each student to have a successful educational

experience is most important. Any child can succeed if given the proper tools in order to achieve

greatness.
 References

Bransford, J., Darling-Hammond, L., and LePage, P. (2005). Introduction. In L. Darling-

Hammond, L., & J. Bransford (Eds.), Preparing teachers for a changing world: What

teachers should learn and be able to do. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Oakes, J. & Lipton, M. (2002). Teaching to change the world, 2nd edition. Boston: McGraw Hill.

Stripling, B. (2008). Inquiry: inquiring minds want to know. School Library Media Activities

Monthly, 25 (1), 50-53.

Wilson, Suzanne, M. & Peterson, Penelope, L. (2006). Theories of learning and teaching what

do they mean for educators? Washington, D.C.: National Education Association.