Philosophy+of+Education

Every child has the ability to succeed given they possess necessary skills and knowledge, and are properly motivated with a sense of self-efficacy. However, too often children are discouraged in America’s education system because they feel the material they are learning is irrelevant. It’s unfortunate that in a society as diverse as the United States, all students are still being forced to travel the same educational path. They’re required to take the same classes, complete the same assignments, and score advanced on standardized tests; however, every student’s dream isn’t to have a framed doctrine on the wall of their 30th floor office. Some students will be just as happy strapping on their construction hats in the morning or settling into their mac trucks. I believe that educators need to be understanding of this and should make lessons versatile for each and every student.
 * My Philosophy of Education**

As an English teacher, I intend on assigning projects that intrinsically motivate students. I plan on accomplishing this by using a myriad of methods. For example, rather than having students continuously taking tests to check for understanding, I plan to assign projects. I plan to give students a choice of several different projects for one concept, where each project addresses a different mode of learning. This way, each student can show their understanding of important English concepts in a medium at which they excel. For example, after reading //Romeo and Juliet//, students who are musically inclined may compose a ballad in which they explain a key concept of the romantic tragedy. Here, students learn mandatory curriculum while demonstrating understanding in a learning mode at which they succeed. Striving to be an English teacher, I believe that writing is an advantageous skill to be proficient in. Many English educators with traditional teaching beliefs assign essays based on the most recent novel read in class. I believe that writing is a way to explore oneself. I also believe that English teachers should allow students to write about topics of their choice. As an English educator, I plan to make fairly open-ended writing assignments. For example, I may have students explore a career that they are interested in, and write an essay about what skills they possess that are parallel to that career choice. As long as students are writing, they’re improving on their writing skills; therefore, I believe students should be relatively unrestricted as to what they write about. Allowing students to make their own decisions regarding their education, even in little ways such as I explained, increases their motivation to learn.Furthermore, I plan to enhance students' mechanic writing skills at a whole-class and individual level. Too often English educators rely on routine methods, such as D.O.L, to teach grammar and spelling. Strategies such as these are failing America's youth. While some students may be able to learn writing mechanics this way, a vast majority cannot and do not. I believe that a part of the problem regarding grammar mechanics instruction lies in the fact that it has been made universal. Our students - regardless of being broken into general, academic, and honors English courses - are not universal; their writing abilities are not universal. Therefore, English educators should not treat students' grammar and spelling instruction as universal. By employing Focused Correction Areas into writing instruction, English teachers can individualize mechanics for the writing curriculum. This is something I plan to do for my future students, and it is something I think all English educators should consider implementing.

One of the most important teaching strategies, in my opinion, is motivation. I believe that an educator can get students to accomplish remarkable successes when students are properly motivated. As previously explained, I intend on allowing my students to make their own decisions, which will increase their motivation in the classroom. I also plan on increasing students’ motivation by planning fun activities and being an enthusiastic educator. I intend on making projects and activities desirable so students are intrinsically motivated, but I understand that some students require extrinsic motivation, which is why I also plan to employ a rewards system in my classroom. The rewards system I intend on using in my classroom is dual-based: one for individual students and one for each whole-class. Individual students who remain on task and engaged will be rewarded, as well as whole-classes that conduct themselves similarly.