Education Philosophy

            Education is empowering.  It is something that influences the lives of the people throughout the world, providing opportunities for people to gain a greater sense of awareness and knowledge.  There are five main components that play a vital role in education: students, family, community, teachers, culture, and language.

            Students are the core of education; they are the reason why education exists.  It is important for us to remember this so that we always put students first.  Every student deserves a fulfilling and equal education despite what school they attend.  All students come to school with their own special talents and strengths, that can serve as an asset within the classroom.  Neito (2004) states that, “No learner is a blank slate.”  I agree with this statement because I think that each and every student has so much potential within them, and it is their education that will help reveal and empower their strengths.  As teachers we need to build on our students’ knowledge and be observant of their responses, so that we can gain a greater insight on whether we are teaching our students effectively or not. 

            A family is the building blocks in a child’s education.  It is family that leaves the first impression on a child of what education means.  Gootman (2001) states that “Parents are the greatest influence in their children’s lives.”  I agree with this statement very much; parents have the opportunity to influence their children in a powerful way in regards to education.  The impression that they leave needs to be a positive one, demonstrating the importance of school and hard work.  I also believe that it is the family’s responsibility to expose children to educational experiences prior to school, and serve as a continuous support system for their children, encouraging and guiding them throughout their education.

            Community involvement and support is important to every child’s education.  It is the community that can make a child feel welcomed at their school and in their neighborhood.  A community can provide extracurricular and recreational activities for students that can help boost their self-confidence and social skills.  In addition, it is the community that offers a variety of resources to the people the families that may not be as fortunate, so that every student can come to school with a lunch and to a warm home at the end of the day.  Education and the community go hand in hand with one another. They both serve as a tool and resource, offering something positive to students.

            Teachers play more than one role in education.  Often at times they are a nurturer, caregiver, mother/father, friend, tutor, role-model, and the one thing that a child can rely on for a sense of consistency in their lives.  Students often spend more time in the classroom with their teachers on a given day then they do with their parents at home.  This is why it is important for teachers to acknowledge the impact that they have on their students’ lives, and the impression that their students will make on education based on the experiences that their teacher provides in the classroom.

            Culture is present in every classroom and plays a vital role in education.  Not only does culture need to be respected within the classroom, it also needs to be taught.   If we can educate our students about different cultures at a young age, they will less likely to grow up and become arrogant and buy into the racism that surrounds us today. It is important to include activities that portray different cultures in a positive and respectful fashion within the classroom, so that children will be educated and aware of the various cultures surrounding them.

            Language is something that every student will bring with them to the classroom; however, not all students will use or know the same languages.  This is why it is important in education to try to use students’ first language as an asset, helping them to discover new concepts instead of forcing them to speak something that is unfamiliar.   I also think that it is important to teach children the power behind language and the right that they have to express themselves through the use of language.

            Gibbons (2002) states that, “learning is essentially collaborative and social, and that both teacher and students are partners in this collaborative learning.” Education is something that is very involved and consists of support and collaboration among teachers, students, and parents.  I agree with Gibbons’s statement because I think that it is vital to work together as a team, learning from each other and finding out how together you can make each students education a successful and meaningful process. 

Education is something that I have been a part of since preschool at age three.  My parents always stressed the importance of education and the fact that no one will be able to take my education and the things that I have learned away from me.  Education has made me who I am today, a more aware, open-minded, and well-rounded person.  And most importantly I think that education is something that people can believe in; it offers a sense of hope for the future and a better life for yourself.

References

            Gibbons, P. (2002). Teaching Second Language Learners in the Mainstream Classroom. New Hampshire. Heinnemann.

            Nieto, S. (2004).  Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education.  California. Pearson Education, Inc.

            Gootman, M. (2001).  The Caring Teacher’s Guide to Discipline: Helping Young Students Learn Self-Control, Responsibility, and Respect.  California. Corwin Press, Inc.