Developing a Personal Philosophy of Education Essay

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Personal Philosophy of Education

Many teachers enter the classroom for the first time armed with the training and knowledge they receive from their higher education, but with no personal philosophy of education to help guide them in the process. In fact, some teachers believe that a personal philosophy of education is irrelevant to the real-world needs of education today, but a growing consensus of teachers maintain that a personal philosophy of education is an integral part of curricular and professional development. To determine the facts, this paper reviews the literature to define a philosophy of education and its importance, the differences between teacher-centered philosophies of education and student-centered philosophies, and a description of a major philosophy of education and how it is reflected in school practice. Finally, a discussion concerning some of the psychological and cultural factors influencing education is followed by an assessment concerning how the legacies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are reflected in education today. A summary of the research and important findings concerning a personal philosophy of education are presented in the conclusion.

Definition of a philosophy of education and why it should be important to teachers

The last thing on the minds of many teachers as they enter the classroom for the first time may be their philosophy of education. Although some educators view the conceptualization of a formal philosophy of education as unnecessary and even spurious for the pragmatic needs of classroom teaching, there is a growing consensus that a philosophy of education is an integral part of the educational process that should be included as part of the professional development process. For instance, Stitzlein (2010) points out that, "The field of philosophy of education is often rightly criticized for being esoteric and unconnected to classroom practice. However, philosophy of education can be used effectively for staff and curricular development" (p. 82). Moreover, a personal philosophy of education is important because it provides educators with a roadmap of sorts that can help guide their day-to-day practice.

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In this regard, Weshan (2013) notes that, "Researchers and educators acknowledge the complexity involved in teaching and in learning to teach effectively. Authenticity and clarity in espousing a particular educational philosophy are the first important ingredients in effective teaching" (p. 548). Indeed, some teachers may not truly know what they think about the constituent elements of a philosophy of education, but this is a critically important part of the process. As Weshan points out, "Even more critical in developing a framework for successful teaching practice is an ability to analyze personal beliefs, attitudes, and values as components that form the basis of a personal educational philosophy" (2013, p. 549).

Given that a philosophy of education is important, the question then moves to why is it important to any given educator? In my case, a philosophy of education is important because it forces me to determine my beliefs in what schools should be trying to do overall, and what their purpose is in an era where the definition of knowledge is changed as information becomes instantaneously accessible, even in the classroom. A personal philosophy of education also serves to identify what types of knowledge should be cultivated in the classroom, and what types of students we want to develop unto adulthood. In addition, a personal philosophy of education can serve as a valuable framework in which teachers can identify what types of critical thinking skills are relevant for students in the 21st century, and what types of community needs schools should help fulfill. Further, teachers can use a personal philosophy of education can determine if the existing curricular offerings are appropriate and accessible for all students,….....

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