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Jeff Welch

CURR 6575

Dr. Robert Morris

24 June 2018

Educational Philosophy

Over the past five years of my teaching career I have come to believe that the purpose

of education is to provide our students a positive learning environment in order to foster skills

and help each student become an active and informed citizen of our great country. Great care

and planning must take place in order for education to achieve this goal with every student. I

believe education is like planning and constructing a well-built home.

At the base of every well-built home is a solid foundation. I believe that the roles of the

family are to provide a strong foundation within our students lives. Students need a strong

support system both at school and at home. If the parents/guardians are not supportive and

helping reinforce the curriculum being taught at school, it can be difficult for the student to be

held accountable and successful in the classroom. To ensure a solid foundation for their

students’, parents/guardians must provide students with encouragement/support. Parents can

provide encouragement through being active in the school community or just simply providing

advice and guidance outside of school at home. Students need to know they have a support

system at school (teachers) as well as one at home (parents).

Parents also play a role in ensuring students can escape from the daily routines of

school. In today’s world with the pressures of testing and in subjects the increased demand of

homework has caused students stress and no time to decompress. Parents should help their
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students develop the necessary skills needed to balance work and life. As the students get older

these responsibilities become their own. Parents have an integral role in education and the

development of the student. They are the foundation. A foundation that will stand the test of

time and will always be there for support and encouragement even when you move beyond its

reach.

Within every well-built home there are solid walls/supports that ensure the structure is

sound and ready to face all outside elements. I believe that teachers provide a support system

for our students by establishing a safe classroom environment in order to promote learning. I

also believe that teachers need to provide students with daily encouragement in order to help

support students in obtaining the learning goals. In order to help students gain new skills

teachers should constantly be learning and innovating in the classroom. Ultimately, teachers

are the facilitators of learning, providing resources and guidance for students, but allowing

student to develop and explore on their own. The role of a teacher role is vital in “preparing

students for a changing future” (Sadker and Zittleman, 2013).

Atop every well-built home there is a roof. The roof is left exposed to all of nature’s

elements, both gentle and unforgiving. Underneath the roof lies a strong support system and a

solid foundation to help withstand natures elements. Students are like the roof of a well-built

home. We as educators, parents, and guardians provide the support and foundation for our

students, despite the fact that they will always be exposed to the elements, but with a solid

foundation and support system they are sure to weather any storm they may face. In order to

be successful, students through a positive environment must take ownership in their own

learning. Students come to school eager and excited about taking necessary risks needed to
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prosper. Heller states, “to learn often means to take risks, to try something new. Learning

involves guessing, trial and error, discussion, sharing points of view” (Heller, 2007). Within the

classroom a student must feel safe in order to actively participate. It’s a positive environment

that teachers have to create in order for students to be successful. Heller poses these

questions, “We need to consider what an atmosphere of fear or discomfort does to a student

physically as well as psychologically. Can we expect someone to take risks, to hypothesize, to

take an educated guess at an answer if classmates laugh when someone is wrong? Do we honor

all responses and attempts?” (Heller, 2007). If we as teachers do not foster a safe learning

environment, then we cannot expect our students to succeed. Students are constantly exposed

to different types of behaviors, social media, etc. Through a positive learning environment,

students can achieve their goals and be successful throughout their educational career.

Surrounding every well-built home are active developers, companies, and local

businesses eager to help continue developing students into a strong and knowledgeable

workforce. I believe our communities have an essential role in helping our education system

strive for success. Communities support education by providing funding for events and

instructional materials. The community role can go beyond the present and work towards the

future by providing students with job opportunities or training while still completing their

education. The community role should help develop and nurture the school system to help

sustain the society, support teachers, and help develop students into active and informed

citizens of our great country.

Lastly, every well-built home needs an occasional renovation or upgrade to ensure the

home stays in tiptop shape and is desirable when its ready to hit the market. Technology has
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begun to renovate and upgrade our classrooms worldwide and is essential to help our students

gain the tools/skills needed to work in the 21st century.

Technology allows teachers to create engaging lessons. Technology has allowed

teachers to take students “outside” the classroom to explore the virtual world. As a teacher,

technology has increased ways to learn professionally. Webinars have given teachers access to

professional develop all over the world without the constraints of travel. Web 2.0 tools, Google

Suite, and other website platforms have given teachers the tools to create engaging activities

that keep students engaged while promoting learning. Technology has revolutionized teaching

and is an element that is going to constantly be renovated/updated.

Student technology is somewhat different than tech for a teacher. Student technology

should enhance learning. Simply viewing websites as “research” does not mean the technology

is enhancing learning. I believe there is a fine line teacher walk in regard to utilizing technology

with students. Through technology, students have access to the entire world. Students have

access to virtual reality (VR), Google Maps, Google Earth, etc. which affords them opportunities

to make connections within the classroom. Students are exposed to technology within the

classroom on a daily basis. Classroom technology allows for student to develop 21st century

skills that will ensure they are career and college ready.

As I see it, the purpose of education is to provide our students a positive learning

environment in order to foster skills and help each student become an active and informed

citizen of our great country. To accomplish this goal, is it useful to think of education as

constructing a well-built home. As the construction of a well-built home relies on a solid

foundation, wall/support system, a roof, developers, and upgrades a successful education relies
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on parents/guardians, teachers, students, family members, community members, and

technological use. In both situations, success is dependent on each integral role.

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References

Heller, D. A. (2007). Curriculum on the edge of survival: How schools fail to prepare students for

membership in a democracy. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield.

Sadker, D. & Zittleman, K. (2013). Teachers, schools, and society. New York: McGraw-Hill.