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Philosophy of Education

Michelle Rosenberg-Julius

I believe that the main goal of education should be to empower students to learn and grow into productive members of our democratic society. It is essential that the community, parents, educational leaders, teachers and students work together to make the education of the student a success. The input of the community is needed to make the educational system work for the individual and the community as a whole. Students should be taught to succeed in school but more importantly to flourish in their lives. Students should be taught to be the best that they can around their interests and dreams

I believe there are three key components for education to be successful.  The include:  the life-world must guide the systems-world, children must be taught in a way that they can learn, and we must remember that every child learns differently, and thirdly we must teach children in a way that they will be successful adults and follow their interests and goals.  (Sergiovanni 2)

The Life-world of a district is so very important to having a successful school.  I believe that without the life-world in place a school or district will not run effectively and productively.  I believe as Sergiovanni believes that it involves more than just a teacher to educate a child.  It is like that children's song "It takes a village to raise a child".  This statement is true, as mentioned above it is so important for the educational process be a hub so to speak with the child in the center and all the means of their education coming in from various sources in their village.  (Sergiovanni 70)

I believe that every school district is different and it is important to find the life-world of each district; because they can vary greatly.  I believe that the school must center around the life-world of each individual district.  What may be acceptable to parents and the community in one may not be in another.  Regardless of the district the life-world is an integral part of involving the whole community in the education of its children.  For example, children could link together with community members to accomplish certain tasks and projects.  Students should be submerged in the culture of the town and have an input on how that culture is infused into their curriculum.  I believe that we need to teach students from their own point of view.  We as educators need to adapt our methods to the experiences of the children that we are teaching.  Learning is the most enjoyable when it is relatable.  I believe that we need to put the fun back into learning, in a way in which we can create life long learners

Much like John Dewey I believe that the ordinary contacts from our daily lives including the social, economic, cultural and political should guide the learning of our schools.  The school should be a place where students can learn and grow into as mentioned above productive members of a democratic society.  Students should be involved in their futures and take active roles in exploring their goals.  I believe that all students should complete before high school graduation an independent study program.  Each student should focus on their interests and apply it to all aspects of their educational life.  It is easier said than done, but once in place a very valuable lesson.  Students should continue to build on what they have learned from year to year rather than treating the brain as if it was a blank slate.  Every year students are expected to explore new subjects in school; this is very important but it is necessary to link what they have learned in the past to their current learning.  If we do not link past learning to present and future than the past learning becomes replaced and forgotten. (Dewey 34-36)

I believe that all children learn in a variety of ways.  The research on Multiple Intelligences done by Howard Gardner proves this theory.  We can no longer place children on the side and throw our hands up in the air because they can not learn in a traditional manner.  There has been a great deal of research stating that all children learn differently.  I believe that the lecture method in today's high school must be cut down to a bear minimum.  Most students will not retain anything a teacher states in this method.  Again, learning should be fun, and teachers need to be facilitators of that fun.  Our schools need to focus away from linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligence and begin to focus on other intelligences such as:  spatial, kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalist intelligence.  I feel that a school's curriculum should be centered around all of these intelligences.  It will educate the whole child and bring children back into the educational system that feel on the edge of falling out.  (Gardner 1)

Regarding an independent study type project, a student can use their intelligence strength to create this project.  For example, if a student is a spectacular musician, they can incorporate a history study of music together.  They can learn different pieces of different times and places in history and expand their project in this way, rather in the "Old Fashioned" way.

Foremost education needs to turn away from old traditional values and turn to a more modern progressive way of educating our children.  Experimentalism is an excellent way to see what works in specific districts.  Districts should try new learning ideas and try to give up the lecture style classrooms.  I believe that all children should have the same opportunities to learn.  Just because a child is not capable of following a lecture does not mean that they are not as smart as a students that can.  Up until recently, we as educators have coined those students as "slow" these children are by no means slow, they just may have a differently way of learning and differently-abled not disabled. 

As a basis of assessment, I believe that students should be given a variety of means in which their knowledge is measured.  I do not believe only in the chapter test.  Students should be engaged in projects, cooperative learning, technology infusion, critical thinking and problem based learning activities.  Various measurements of knowledge should be used throughout a child's  education.  Students should be given every opportunity to shine using their creativity and individuality. 

Unfortunately, we can not as a society completely get rid of standards, but I believe that if teachers begin to teach in the ways that I have described above that students will score much higher on standardized tests.  I do not believe in teaching to a test.  I do not believe in stopping the educational process to prep for the ESPA, GEPA OR HSPA, months before the test.  I believe that if a child is well versed and educated in all subject matter than they will score average or above on these standardized tests.  I feel that schools stop focusing on the student the second that they begin to focus on the statistics of an upcoming test.  This must stop.  We as educators must remember what the goal of education is.  Ten years after graduating high school it will not be important what score a student achieved on the HSPA but what they did with their education.

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                                                          Works Cited

Sergiovanni, Thomas J.  The Lifeworld of Leadership, San Francisco:   

            Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2000.

Dewey, John.  Experience and Education, New York:  Touchtone, 

            1997.

Gardner, Howard.

             www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.htm