Developing a Personal Philosophy of Education

¶ … Personal Philosophy of Education

Many teachers enter the classroom for the first time armed with the training and knowledge they receive from their higher education, but with no personal philosophy of education to help guide them in the process. In fact, some teachers believe that a personal philosophy of education is irrelevant to the real-world needs of education today, but a growing consensus of teachers maintain that a personal philosophy of education is an integral part of curricular and professional development. To determine the facts, this paper reviews the literature to define a philosophy of education and its importance, the differences between teacher-centered philosophies of education and student-centered philosophies, and a description of a major philosophy of education and how it is reflected in school practice. Finally, a discussion concerning some of the psychological and cultural factors influencing education is followed by an assessment concerning how the legacies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are reflected in education today. A summary of the research and important findings concerning a personal philosophy of education are presented in the conclusion.

Definition of a philosophy of education and why it should be important to teachers

The last thing on the minds of many teachers as they enter the classroom for the first time may be their philosophy of education. Although some educators view the conceptualization of a formal philosophy of education as unnecessary and even spurious for the pragmatic needs of classroom teaching, there is a growing consensus that a philosophy of education is an integral part of the educational process that should be included as part of the professional development process. For instance, Stitzlein (2010) points out that, "The field of philosophy of education is often rightly criticized for being esoteric and unconnected to classroom practice. However, philosophy of education can be used effectively for staff and curricular development" (p. 82). Moreover, a personal philosophy of education is important because it provides educators with a roadmap of sorts that can help guide their day-to-day practice. In this regard, Weshan (2013) notes that, "Researchers and educators acknowledge the complexity involved in teaching and in learning to teach effectively. Authenticity and clarity in espousing a particular educational philosophy are the first important ingredients in effective teaching" (p. 548). Indeed, some teachers may not truly know what they think about the constituent elements of a philosophy of education, but this is a critically important part of the process. As Weshan points out, "Even more critical in developing a framework for successful teaching practice is an ability to analyze personal beliefs, attitudes, and values as components that form the basis of a personal educational philosophy" (2013, p. 549).

Given that a philosophy of education is important, the question then moves to why is it important to any given educator? In my case, a philosophy of education is important because it forces me to determine my beliefs in what schools should be trying to do overall, and what their purpose is in an era where the definition of knowledge is changed as information becomes instantaneously accessible, even in the classroom. A personal philosophy of education also serves to identify what types of knowledge should be cultivated in the classroom, and what types of students we want to develop unto adulthood. In addition, a personal philosophy of education can serve as a valuable framework in which teachers can identify what types of critical thinking skills are relevant for students in the 21st century, and what types of community needs schools should help fulfill. Further, teachers can use a personal philosophy of education can determine if the existing curricular offerings are appropriate and accessible for all students, and whether deficiencies or disparities exist in these areas. The answers to these types of questions can help teachers of any subject at any level develop an informed personal philosophy of education (Stitzlein, 2010).

How do teacher-centered philosophies of education differ from student-centered philosophies?

As noted above, a philosophy of education can include both teacher-centered philosophies such as determining the purpose of schools, what types of knowledge should be cultivated in the classroom and how teachers should prepare students for college. Conversely, a student-centered philosophy of education would focus on determining whether curricular offerings are accessible and appropriate for all students, and what needs to be done to overcome any existing constraints (Stizlein, 2010).

Description of social reconstruction and how it is reflected in school practice

Some educationalists argue that mainstream education in the United States has been shaped by the white majority for decades, but social reconstruction has served as the catalyst to question these pedagogies to reveal their true intent and how they operate to keep minority students at a disadvantage and marginalized. For instance, Cainbridge (2012) reports that, "The history of the U.S. school system has been shaped by both institutional injustice and the progressive movement toward social reconstruction" (p. 83). Teachers who subscribe to a social reconstruction approach believe that one of the fundamental purposes of schools is to provide curricular offerings should facilitate social reform (Cainbridge, 2012).

What are some of the psychological and cultural factors influencing education?

Because all students are unique, they will possess different psychological views about the educational process and its importance to their lives (Razek & Coyner, 2013). Likewise, the United States has become increasingly heterogeneous demographically in recent years, and educators have found that different cultures places different priorities and values on education (Razek & Coyner, 2013).

How are the legacies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle reflected in education today?

While these three Greek philosophers differed in their thinking, they all had an enormous influence on the manner in which people, including young learners, think about things in the Western world today. In particular, Aristotle provided the foundation for appropriate human conduct (Vassallo, 2008) and, despite centuries of debate, the legacies of Aristotle and Plato are reflected in essentialism in education today (Machan, 2010). Likewise, educators today continue to be influenced by Aristotle and Plato's focus on education as an academic subject. In this regard, Scruton (2006) points out that, "The question what to teach the young occupies many pages of Plato and Aristotle" (p. 49).