Personal Philosophy of Education and Mission Statement for an Inclusive School District Essay

Although the settings that are used to deliver educational services today differ markedly from those used a century ago, the fundament purpose of education has remained essentially the same: to provide young learners with the academic background and experiences they need to become contributing citizens to American society (Stone, 2014). The introduction of numerous technological innovations in recent years, though, has also resulted in growing numbers of educators questioning the efficacy of conventional pedagogy that ignores the ability of students to locate information instantaneously online about the 50 state capitals, the names of all the presidents, how far it is to Jupiter, or any of the other countless facts that were once widely regarded as indicators of learning. As Trybus (2013) emphasizes, “The future of education may seem daunting and challenging if educators lack a vision of what matters most for students to be prepared for the 21st century” (p. 11). Taken together, it is becoming increasingly apparent that even the notion of what constitutes an education has changed in the minds of the general public, but it is also clear that far too many educators have ignored these trends and have remained mired in teaching practices that are no longer effective simply because these practices are familiar and comfortable.

These significant trends have resulted in the need for educators to reassess how best to provide students with what matters most and there is a growing consensus that traditional educational approaches will no longer suffice. In this regard, Trybus concludes that, “What educators know and practice in teaching now will not be adequate for the future with the changing roles of curriculum, instruction, and assessment” (2013, p. 11). Consequently, although the basic purpose of education has remains essentially the same over the years, the nature of the educational process itself have changed in substantive ways. Indeed, the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act have made it clear that a high quality education must provided to all young learners irrespective their unique learning needs and that teachers can play an important role as advocates for students and by becoming civic leaders in their community, a role that is facilitated by a clearly articulated personal philosophy of education (Rodd, 2006).

Notwithstanding these trends and given the dramatic changes in American demographics in recent years, the theoretical educational perspectives of John Dewey remain salient today with respect to creating and promoting inclusive public schools in the United States (Benson & Harkavy, 2009). Indeed, as early as 1916, Dewey’s text, Democracy and Education, highlighted the importance of education in democratic societies and the importance of providing inclusive schools to inculcate American citizenship values and to provide all students with the academic background and critical thinking experiences they need to succeed in a democratic society (Benson & Harkavy, 2009). For example, according to Sherman and Webb (2001), “Dewey says his endeavor is to detect and state the ideas implied in a democratic society and to apply these ideas to the problems of the enterprise of education” (p. 37).

From Dewey’s perspective, formalizing a personal philosophy of education is also an essential step for teachers because it serves to codify and articulate how this philosophy is transformed into teaching practices in the classroom (Dickey, 2009). According to Dewey, “Philosophy is a civic enterprise whose aim is to clarify men's ideas as to the social and moral strifes of their own day. Its aim is to become so far as is humanly possible an organ for dealing with these conflicts” (cited in Sherman & Webb, 2001, p. 36). Likewise, Soltis (1983) suggests that “a personal philosophy of education refers to a set of personal beliefs or a personal philosophy of life” (cited in Sherman & Webb, 2001, p. 36).

This type of personal philosophy is highly consistent with the common school approach to the provision of high quality education, a concept that has become engrained as a fundamental American value. For example, Aske and Conally (2013) point out that, “The idea that all children in the United States have the right to a publicly supported education regardless of race, social class or religious beliefs is an American value. [A]ccess to a public education [and] the expectations of a common educational experience [are] part of the American culture” (p. 107). This conceptualization of the purpose of education in the United States also includes the objective of preparing students for their role as meaningfully employed citizens in a free society. In this regard, Aske and Connally add that, “This common school idea is based on the view that education should be an equitable, assimilative, and inclusive institution designed to prepare students to be future productive citizens” (2013, p. 107).

One of the more important aspects of developing and maintaining inclusive schools that grounds my personal philosophy concerning education is the need for educators to assume a personal advocacy role within their professional communities of interest as well as the communities in which they work. This objective is congruent with the School of Education’s conceptual framework with respect to the importance of developing and sustaining diverse, equitable, and democratic learning communities. This is a seriously important role for educations because far too many parents assume that “the schools” will take care of everything and they have no substantive role to play in shaping their children’s educational future. Research has shown time and again that the more active parents are in their children’s education, the better the academic outcomes that are achieved, but such involvement rates remain dismally low, especially among low-income and minority families in the United States today (Smith, 2009). This means that creating more inclusive schools and improving academic outcomes also requires more active involvement on the part of parents and teachers can help recruit their efforts by reaching out to them.

In some cases, parents may not know how to help their children with their schoolwork while in others there may be misperceptions concerning the centrality of their involvement in their children’s academic careers. Therefore, teachers must help dispel these longstanding misperceptions and create a learning environment that encourages parental involvement and an inclusive classroom setting that is conducive to learning. This philosophical educational perspective is firmly grounded in the Mercy Core Values of compassion, respect, integrity, service to other and justice for all regardless of their socioeconomic, religious views or racial status (Lafevere, 2013).

My personal philosophy of education also views the learning process as life-long rather than a one-time enterprise that is completed when a degree or diploma is awarded. Indeed, one of the most inspirational stories that has influenced my career to date concerned an elderly women who was learning Latin on her deathbed since “she had always wanted to learn it.” This personal philosophy also means that educators must recognize the importance of ongoing professional development and education in their own teaching careers as well as for their own self-actualization. To the extent that teachers can instill this love of learning in their students will likely be the extent to which they succeed in their goals as professional educators. Helping young people come to love the learning process, though, can be a particularly challenging goal if teachers themselves do not fully embrace this conceptualization of the educational process in their own lives.

A carefully prepared mission statement can help guide school districts from where they are to where they want to be in ways that promote inclusivity in the classroom by codifying the districts’ core purposes (Killoran & Panoroni, 2009). For instance, Gabriel and Farmer (2009) report that, “Mission statements give educators stronger motivation and provide parents with a clearer picture of what the school values. A clear vision and a common mission that identify the kind of learning to be achieved can help keep the school and the efforts of its staff and students on target" (p. 47).

When formulating a district-wide mission statement, it is important to develop long-term objectives that will remain relatively consistent for the duration of the statement. In this regard, O’Hanley (2015) advises that, “A mission statement is a declaration of the [district’s] core purpose that remains unchanged over time. You can include your reason for existing and your intended overall goal” (p. 12). In addition, school districts’ mission statements should also be used to communicate these core values to all stakeholders, including most especially teachers, administrators, parents but the general public in the communities in which the districts operate as well. As O’Hanley notes, “Your mission statement should tell the public what your core intent is in educating the students within your community” (2015, p. 13). Indeed, one of the first things encountered on any school districts’ Web site is its mission statement, and visitors except to see this information prominently displayed (O’Hanley, 2015).

Like a personal philosophy of education at the individual level, a school district mission statement provides the opportunity for administrators and educators to collaborate on what goals they have for their students and formally establish these as priorities. In this regard, O’Hanley (2015) emphasizes that, “As a teacher, you should have specific goals in mind for your students to achieve, and as a school, a mission statement helps give meaning to student learning” (p. 12). Giving meaning to student learning, of course, should be one of the overarching objectives of any meaningful mission statement, but there are a number of other positive outcomes that can be achieved through the collaborative process that draws on the voices of all stakeholders in formulating a relevant mission statement for school districts in the U.S. Based on their positive outcomes, a growing number of school districts across the country have developed inclusive mission statements.

An example of a very concise school district mission statement is provided by Lexington County School District One in South Carolina that states, “The district's mission statement follows: The mission of Lexington County School District One--where caring people, academics, the arts, and athletics connect--is to prepare 21st century graduates while serving as the center for community learning” (cited in Kohout & Gavigan, 2015, p. 19). Other school districts have implemented more detailed mission statements for their schools. For instance, the mission statement promulgated by the Toronto District School Board's (TDSB) stipulates that the district’s curriculum:

Accurately reflects and uses the variety of knowledge of all peoples as the basis for instruction;

Actively provides opportunities for all students to understand the factors that cause inequity in society,

Understands the similarities, differences, and the connections between different forms of discrimination;

Helps students to acquire the skills and knowledge that enable them to challenge unjust practices, and,

Builds positive human relationships among their fellow students, and among all members of the society (TDSB, 2000, pp. 2-3 cited in Killoran & Panoroni, 2009, p. 150).

It is important to note, though, and notwithstanding the concise example cited above, although there are some similarities in terms of long-term goals, there are also some important differences between a school district’s mission statement and its vision statement. A school district’s vision statement presents a concise description of where the district wants and expects to be at some point in the future. Conversely, the mission statement provides a more comprehensive description concerning the steps that will be used to achieve these objectives by some point in the future (Gabriel & Farmer, 2009). In this regard, Gabriel and Farmer (2009) emphasize that, “The mission provides an overview of the steps planned to achieve that future. A vision is concise and easy to recall, whereas a mission is lengthier and more explanatory in nature” (p. 47). Some salient examples of mission statements that promote inclusiveness provided by Gabriel and Farmer (2009) are set forth in Table 1 below.