|
Robin Cavener EDU 275 Philosophy Statement “The
aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what
to think—rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for
ourselves, than to load the memory with thoughts of other men.” —Bill Beattie, physician and poet
No longer are the days of rote learning,
when a child was asked to recite verbatim a passage, a set of steps to
a math
problem, or the mere description of an igneous rock. We as teachers are
now
free to introduce to children the gift of inquiry. It is my steadfast
belief
that to empower young minds with the skills of investigation and
examination
will best lead them down the road of learning.
I, as a pedagogue, have a multitudinous
number of roles in the classroom: manager, leader, purveyor and
facilitator, to
name a few. If I plan to execute these roles effectively, my first
objective is
to create a community in which learning can take place without
hindrance.
Creating an environment with boundaries and standards makes known to my
students
the realm within which they will learn and feel safe. Equally as
important is
to create a positive, engaging and seemingly stress-free atmosphere
that aids
students in their emotional well-being and educational development.
Piquing a
student’s interest in learning is also an important tool of effective
teaching.
With these three factors in place, any child will blossom.
It is not enough that we as teachers
create this nurturing environment. We must be able to take every minute
of the
class day to prompt inquiry amongst our students. We have to be
adaptive to
every child’s needs, no matter how diverse. We have to be patient,
understanding, and kind. A teacher wears many hats, and has to be able
to
change them at a moment’s notice, or wear two or three at any given
time. With
the help of faculty, parents and the educational community at large, a
teacher
should strive to be all things to all her students.
Whatever the curriculum as stated by law,
a teacher must squeeze additional nuggets of educational gold into the
day.
Whether it be journal writing, music, art appreciation or the
importance of
community service, an educator’s objective should be to introduce as
many
facets of knowledge and experience as possible. How we shape learners
into
well-rounded thinkers and doers will affect a lifetime of learning.
It is my belief that the foundation for a
well-rounded student is a well-rounded educator. I have extensive
knowledge of
how children learn, how to make accommodations for all types of
students and
how to formulate a curriculum that will be the most beneficial to
learners. I
am an advocate of literacy, and will stop at nothing to make sure all
my
students have a love for reading. I believe in democratic education, in
that
student-directed learning is a major player in a scholastic
environment. But
equally important is my duty as a teacher to continue my own learning,
as the
stagnant growth of an educator will upset the harmony of the
teacher/student
relationship.
The journey of a teacher is infinite. How
we shape young minds as we travel down this path of education truly
defines the
importance of our role as effective educators; and an effective
educator is
priceless. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
