My calling to be a special education teacher derived from real, hands on
experience working with special needs children as a paraprofessional. My personal
educational philosophy has formed from these experiences, and has ties specific to the
Philosophy of Progressivism and Social Reconstructionism. The topics I am going to
discuss in my educational philosophy paper are as follows; the role of the learner,
the purpose of education in society, important attributes that contribute to a highly
qualified teacher, preparing students for the 21st Century, and finally I will discuss how
my philosophies will influence how I organize my classroom learning environment and
classroom management.
In regards to Progressivism, I believe that education should be a child-centered
classroom. I believe the focus should be on the individual needs of every child, and
that students should be involved in their learning. I believe that children learn the best if
they are interested and motivated, and I think that students being able to express their
ideas and experiences in the classroom keeps them interested and motivated. It also
provides opportunities in learning how to work together, to learn from other students, and
also learn to respect their differences.
I believe that education should focus academically on content that emphasizes
teaching students to think critically and problem solve in the real world. Students need
experience in making decisions and solving problems, and the only way they are going to
learn is by doing. I think children learn best from experiences that are meaningful to
them, and by seeing how material being taught relates to their own lives. Teachers should
be the guides in helping students explore the world that they live in, and help them relate
their learning to the world outside of the classroom. Students need to be taught and
prepared for the world outside of school.
I believe that education subject content should focus on skills that will be needed
for future society. I also think that education should not be strictly textbook based, but
structured learning resources. Child assessment should not be strictly based on testing,
but on the students projects and accomplishments. Social responsibility and democracy
should be promoted.
I believe that education should focus on assisting students to become responsible
members of society. I believe in instilling values in students and encouraging things such
as tolerance and respecting others. Social skills are necessary and a very important skill
for special needs children to learn. I do not think that teachers should lose sight of
instilling these type of values and skills in our students. Becoming a responsible member
of society involves more than just learning, it involves developing students on all levels.
The qualities that I feel are important to becoming a caring and effective special
education teacher are; kindness, patience, and understanding. Although these are very
basic characteristics, I think they are the foundations needed to make a great special
education teacher.
I think that the basic philosophy for my teaching strategies will involve a more
hands-on learning approach, which is learning by doing. I think it is important for
students to become active learners instead of a passive learner who would just sit and
listen to a lecture. Activity based learning promotes learning by exploring and
experimenting to see how things work. I believe that this will help them apply their
learned knowledge to the world around them.
We are living in the twenty first century world and I believe we need to teach
21st Century skills. The 21st century reform movement emphasizes the development of
student’s technological, analytical and communication skills, and are all skills needed for
students to survive and succeed in a technological world. Our students today are digital
learners, and I look forward to using the technology available to us to assist my students
in learning.
As a teacher, I want to provide a safe comfortable atmosphere that enhances
student learning. I think if a student feels comfortable in their learning environment, it is
the first step in helping them reach their full potential. Walking through the door, I think
students should see a welcoming environment and feel the positive attitude of the
classroom environment.
I believe that classroom management strategies are essential and should be in
place in order for learning to take place. Deriving from my educational belief which
includes a student centered classroom, I think it is important that instructional or
management decisions be based on characteristics of each individual student which
include; academic, social, and emotional needs, as well as their interests, abilities and
culture. I believe that classroom management should use proactive strategies, which
would focus on preventing the discipline problems.
In conclusion, it is my belief that my calling is to become a special education
teacher. I believe I will follow a progressivism and social reconstructionism style of
philosophy. My classroom will be a student-centered classroom and I believe the focus
should be on the individual needs of every child. My basic philosophy for my teaching
strategies will involve a more hands-on learning approach, and I think that instructional
or management decisions should be based on the characteristics of each individual
student. It is my belief that every child should not only get a good education, but
also have a teacher who cares and is aware of each students individuals needs. I want to
be that kind of a special education teacher, one who will make a difference in my
students lives.
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