Our Philosophical View of the Purpose of School
The purpose of school is to create an environment that is safe, secure, and one that promotes the growth and education of every learner. Schools should allow learners to discover what modes of learning are most effective. Schools should provide an atmosphere of positive social stimulation and experience. Schools should inspire and motivate students to learn. School should teach students how to balance their individual freedom with respect for others.
The Role of a Teacher
Teachers have one of the most difficult and demanding jobs in modern society. Teachers wear several different hats every single day. Teachers are responsible for the mental, physical, emotional, and psychological development of every student. Teachers play the role of mid-wife as they try to coach the student and draw knowledge from the learner with meaningful dialogue. Teachers have to provide an atmosphere of security so learners will feel comfortable to take risks. Teachers have to dispel old authority perceptions and learn to share her authority with the class. Teachers need to treat every learner as a unique individual being with respect and honest communication.
Putting Our Concepts into Our Personal Classroom
Luciana
My personal classroom will implement all of the main philosophies of education: existentialism, progressivism, social reconstructionism, and transcendence. It will have great balance between creating an imaginative, purposeful individual, emphasizing individuality in the group as well as encouraging sensibility towards the community and being part of a group that takes action and through these philosophies have transcendence intertwined between my learner and myself.
I want to be a teacher like Mr. Keating from the movie Dead Poet’s society that inspires and challenges learners intellectually, emotionally, socially, spiritually and to think critically while finding meaning. Through applying progressivism, I will develop my learner’s awareness regarding the value of teamwork. I will motivate through transcendence and social reconstruction to help those in disadvantaged situations by becoming sensitized to civil and community needs by taking on field trips outside the classroom and having deep conversation about what they saw, learned, and will do in order to make it better. My classroom will be a warm safe environment where my student will know they can take risks and know that I truly care about their personal welfare, interests, and background. I will do this by being authentic and real towards my learners, telling them about myself in ways that they will believe I am human and not some scary teacher that they cannot believe they saw at the grocery store. My classroom will implement many ideas from Nodding as my space were my students feel loved, worthy, and can express their ideas, dreams, goals, and aspiration as well as their problems, concerns, sorrows, and failures freely, without judgment.
Trust, humor, understanding, respect, realness, and honesty will flow both ways. I will do this by having one on one conversation and treating my learners as unique individual with different necessities, challenges, strengths, interests etc. But also giving them space to flourish through freedom and a little challenge that will stimulate them and essentially feel equal to me but knowing that I am their guide through it all. I deeply believe that participation, public speaking, and being able to express your idea clearly in writing should be one of the main lessons that should be taught besides teaching student to be tolerant, loving towards others and helping does in need. As I look into the future I see myself playing the ukulele with my student in a circle discussion philosophy, poetry, music, literature, politics, world events, science, math, etc. That is why participation will be encouraged, sharing ideas and opinions that will be my form of challenging my students, to further develop their knowledge. The curriculum should emphasize participation; however, it should not only be based on who talks the most but who contributes to the community inside and out of the classroom. This is important because that way the student are developing social and personal values that stimulate empathy and compassion especially in this intolerant, violent, and hateful world we live in today.
As a Hispanic woman that has had an international education in more than 6 countries and has been sensitized to many cultures, I want to transmit those experiences to students that do not get that opportunity. By exposing my students to different cultures my taking them on virtual tours and essentially helping them to be accepting of diversity and that way if my philosophy did go universal, everyone would be aware of everyone’s differences which would stop wars or in general conflict among humans.
I want to be a teacher like Mr. Keating from the movie Dead Poet’s society that inspires and challenges learners intellectually, emotionally, socially, spiritually and to think critically while finding meaning. Through applying progressivism, I will develop my learner’s awareness regarding the value of teamwork. I will motivate through transcendence and social reconstruction to help those in disadvantaged situations by becoming sensitized to civil and community needs by taking on field trips outside the classroom and having deep conversation about what they saw, learned, and will do in order to make it better. My classroom will be a warm safe environment where my student will know they can take risks and know that I truly care about their personal welfare, interests, and background. I will do this by being authentic and real towards my learners, telling them about myself in ways that they will believe I am human and not some scary teacher that they cannot believe they saw at the grocery store. My classroom will implement many ideas from Nodding as my space were my students feel loved, worthy, and can express their ideas, dreams, goals, and aspiration as well as their problems, concerns, sorrows, and failures freely, without judgment.
Trust, humor, understanding, respect, realness, and honesty will flow both ways. I will do this by having one on one conversation and treating my learners as unique individual with different necessities, challenges, strengths, interests etc. But also giving them space to flourish through freedom and a little challenge that will stimulate them and essentially feel equal to me but knowing that I am their guide through it all. I deeply believe that participation, public speaking, and being able to express your idea clearly in writing should be one of the main lessons that should be taught besides teaching student to be tolerant, loving towards others and helping does in need. As I look into the future I see myself playing the ukulele with my student in a circle discussion philosophy, poetry, music, literature, politics, world events, science, math, etc. That is why participation will be encouraged, sharing ideas and opinions that will be my form of challenging my students, to further develop their knowledge. The curriculum should emphasize participation; however, it should not only be based on who talks the most but who contributes to the community inside and out of the classroom. This is important because that way the student are developing social and personal values that stimulate empathy and compassion especially in this intolerant, violent, and hateful world we live in today.
As a Hispanic woman that has had an international education in more than 6 countries and has been sensitized to many cultures, I want to transmit those experiences to students that do not get that opportunity. By exposing my students to different cultures my taking them on virtual tours and essentially helping them to be accepting of diversity and that way if my philosophy did go universal, everyone would be aware of everyone’s differences which would stop wars or in general conflict among humans.
Cecilia
My future classroom will be a comfortable classroom that incorporates parts of the philosophies discussed in this website. I will teach to my students the philosophies cognitively, socially, physically, and mentally while implementing the curriculum. The curriculum will emphasize Florida standards while teaching to the whole child. The atmosphere of my classroom will be a secure, welcoming environment that diminishes barriers and labels. The appearance of my classroom will be a colorful, student-centered room that promotes active engagement. When my students walk into my classroom, I want them to feel motivated and ready to learn. One of the most important lessons that schooling should teach is the value of creating meaningful relationships. I will teach my students the value of friendship by having a reading week the first week of school that focuses on the value of friendships. The students will use this opportunity to apply the characteristics of a good friend while learning about their classmates.
The learners in my classroom will be treated with the utmost respect, fostering a sense of belonging in my class. I will take risks for my students to receive their trust. I will achieve the qualities of the philosophies discussed by having meaningful interactions with my learners. I will inspire my students to be positive by showing them what positivity is through my actions and words. The type of transcendent interaction I will create with my students will be mutually beneficial and loving. I will respond to diversity with an open mind, making sure every student feels valued and cared for.
The learners in my classroom will be treated with the utmost respect, fostering a sense of belonging in my class. I will take risks for my students to receive their trust. I will achieve the qualities of the philosophies discussed by having meaningful interactions with my learners. I will inspire my students to be positive by showing them what positivity is through my actions and words. The type of transcendent interaction I will create with my students will be mutually beneficial and loving. I will respond to diversity with an open mind, making sure every student feels valued and cared for.
Megan
Within the walls of my future classroom, elements of the philosophers and philosophies discussed in this website will be interspersed with my own personal style to influence positive learning and growth. Immediately when students walk into my classroom, they will feel an air of safety and warmness to the environment. The atmosphere will be one of wonder and awe, and learners will be ready to start on whatever education adventure I will take them on for the class period. I will make sure to greet my students as they come into class every day, getting their attention and inspiring communication. I will only interact with my students positively, with cheerful smiles, a calm and nurturing voice and compliments to ensure a growth of positive outlooks on my class and their work. I will interact with my learners genuinely, being as real with them as I possibly can, as falls in line with Rogers’ philosophy.
Learners should be treated with the utmost respect and equality, therefore they will be viewed as such in my classroom. I will always give them the benefit of the doubt, making sure they know that I trust them and their judgements, and know that they will be sure to get the work done for my class to the best of their ability, much like Bollnow mentions in his philosophy. All of my learners will be loved, in accordance to Buber’s philosophy on love in the classroom, to ensure that they all have positive learning experiences in my class. Furthermore, as Moustakas states, I will do away with labels in my classroom, making sure that there is no learner who is labeled under any circumstances within my walls.
Moreover, the learning goals in my classroom will incorporate emotional, physical, cognitive and social aspects in order to teach to the whole child. I will make sure to abide by state standards, yet take into consideration what information my students would like to know the most or be the most interested in and integrate that within my teachings. Due to my own learning experience, I know how hard it can be to focus in class and on subjects I am not interested in, therefore I will be sure to make my students interested in what I have to teach them, or at least bring and interesting spin to the material. I will be sure to integrate frequent class discussions and activities that get my learners moving and interacting with each other in groups as well as differing group and individual projects that relate to the diversity in my classroom.
Furthermore, with these strategies and philosophies integrated in my classroom, the hope is that a transcendent relationship that is mutually respectful and trusting is created between myself and my learners. I intend to make my learners feel respected and loved and have a positive learning experience by integrating these philosophies and strategies into my classroom.
Learners should be treated with the utmost respect and equality, therefore they will be viewed as such in my classroom. I will always give them the benefit of the doubt, making sure they know that I trust them and their judgements, and know that they will be sure to get the work done for my class to the best of their ability, much like Bollnow mentions in his philosophy. All of my learners will be loved, in accordance to Buber’s philosophy on love in the classroom, to ensure that they all have positive learning experiences in my class. Furthermore, as Moustakas states, I will do away with labels in my classroom, making sure that there is no learner who is labeled under any circumstances within my walls.
Moreover, the learning goals in my classroom will incorporate emotional, physical, cognitive and social aspects in order to teach to the whole child. I will make sure to abide by state standards, yet take into consideration what information my students would like to know the most or be the most interested in and integrate that within my teachings. Due to my own learning experience, I know how hard it can be to focus in class and on subjects I am not interested in, therefore I will be sure to make my students interested in what I have to teach them, or at least bring and interesting spin to the material. I will be sure to integrate frequent class discussions and activities that get my learners moving and interacting with each other in groups as well as differing group and individual projects that relate to the diversity in my classroom.
Furthermore, with these strategies and philosophies integrated in my classroom, the hope is that a transcendent relationship that is mutually respectful and trusting is created between myself and my learners. I intend to make my learners feel respected and loved and have a positive learning experience by integrating these philosophies and strategies into my classroom.
Patrick
My classroom will look like a playground for education. I want to have a classroom that will help facilitate many different modes of learning. I want the atmosphere of the classroom to be welcoming, supportive and encouraging. One of the most important lessons for learners is to understand themselves and how their choices and actions affect the world. I feel this is important so that students can understand their choices and learn how to balance their freedom and respect for others.
Curriculum that focuses on critical thinking would be essential. Role playing scenarios could provide learners with real world scenarios so they have experience in understanding their decision making process. Other curriculum should focus on the student’s growth and development. Every learner should be treated as an individual with respect, honesty, and appropriate care. However, I would want each learner to embrace and support the classroom community of inclusion and togetherness.
As a teacher, I will strive to create honest, meaningful dialogue with each learner. I would want each learner to feel valued, and an important member of the classroom community. I would model the behavior that I would like my learners to emulate. I would create opportunities for me and each learner to take risks in order to build trust. I would put forth great effort to empathize with my learners and try to experience life from their point of view.
Curriculum that focuses on critical thinking would be essential. Role playing scenarios could provide learners with real world scenarios so they have experience in understanding their decision making process. Other curriculum should focus on the student’s growth and development. Every learner should be treated as an individual with respect, honesty, and appropriate care. However, I would want each learner to embrace and support the classroom community of inclusion and togetherness.
As a teacher, I will strive to create honest, meaningful dialogue with each learner. I would want each learner to feel valued, and an important member of the classroom community. I would model the behavior that I would like my learners to emulate. I would create opportunities for me and each learner to take risks in order to build trust. I would put forth great effort to empathize with my learners and try to experience life from their point of view.
