Changing the World Through Education :: Teaching Teachers Essays

Changing the World Through Education My philosophy on teaching involves changing the world through my students. I want to enable my students, through education and motivation, to leave the world better than they have hound it. Like many social reconstructionists, I feel that we as teachers owe it to the future generations to instruct them how to handle the problems they will encounter in hopes that they will pass on fewer problems to their children. I will work every minute of everyday to ensure my students’ successful futures. I believe that students need a routine to help them think clearly and freely, such as that suggest by the Perennialist approach. Upon graduating from Concord College, I will attend graduate school and receive my Master’s degree in Education. I will be teaching at different places around the country, as I will be moving frequently. My future occupational plans include working with the Department of Defense school systems. I will use my educational background and my life experiences to enlighten and teach my students. Issues that I feel are crucial to address which also pertain to my particular philosophy are increasing political awareness, raising racial tolerance and acceptance, reducing child abuse and violence against women, and recycling and appreciation for our natural resources. Methods I would use in my classroom to get students involved would include community service projects, recycling drives, field trips to shelters and centers, and food and clothing drives within the class. Activities such as these, where students can see the changes they are making, get them motivated in a way that no general lessons can. Children need to feel the selfless satisfaction that comes from helping their fellow man. I have had many excellent teachers throughout my educational experience, some of these have been wonderful teachers that have set lessons to life. Others have been boring, overly strict, unapproachable, and at times unknowledgeable. I have learned valuable lessons from both. A positive and fun learning environment makes students want to be in the classroom. The first step in learning is that the children must want to be there.