Jack Pryde EDC 240 2/6/12 Educational Philosophy Statement Plato once said Do not train a child to learn

by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each. There is a genius in every kid, whether it be from sports or art. Every child we meet excels in some aspect in life and has value. The million dollar question is how to harness children of the futures genius and turn it into something special? As an educator and a progressivist I want to be able to harness that genius, to help students achieve their fullest potential. I will do this by providing an environment which encourages ideas, risks, and allows them to be an individual. Five key elements to having this type of classroom and learning environment is first, to act as a guide down a path that has many options. Second, is to have respect for all, including ones self. Third, learning needs to be active. Fourth, higher education is to teach students to think rationally rather than robots. And finally, education is for the future. A teachers role is to be a guide for students. Students need to think through what is right and wrong on their own. In life many of the most difficult trials are those we must face and manage alone. As educators we need to help students develop the tools to answer tough questions they may have this will provided them with the skills to succeed in a challenging world. I will do this through activities allowing student to use

hands on experiences, and give them time and space to use the experience to reinforce the lesson. This will allow students to gain knowledge and self-discovery. Which in turn helps them to develop an appreciation and even love for themselves, others, and the world. Each student has an independent voice and a genius both needing to be harnessed to allow them to be free to express themselves. Once they feel safe in the classroom they will feel freer to express themselves, and perhaps have a greater respect for themselves, the teacher, and their peers. The classroom needs to be a fair and consistent place in every activity. Students need to know the respect they earn for the time and work they put in. By giving respect they will in turn learn to respect themselves, others, and the environment. What do we need to know? Merriam-Webster dictionary the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association. The state of Michigan apparently gives us educators the outcomes of what they want students to learn whether they are a kindergartner all the way to a twelfth grader. It is our job to make it interesting and have it applied to real life applications. To do this we need to give students, an opportunity to discover for themselves and practice skills in authentic/real life situations. Knowledge is the gate way to self-discovery. It allows us to learn what are interests are and can be. Passion stimulates learning and motivation to learn what we need to know is what type of curriculum best suits the students. If students are given the opportunity to ask what they want to learn students can generate lessons and activities that most professors could come up with. When students have an opportunity to be included in the curriculum they are motivated to work harder and more efficiently.

As an educator, I want students to look forward to my class, and be ready with an open brain so they are able to learn. Learning today seems based on teachers lecturing students for hours on end. Students hate it and so do teachers. I as an educator, feel like Im failing a child if they are falling asleep in my class. As an educator I am compelled to change this. Being a progressivist I realize learning is an active process, students need to get up and move around to learn: by bouncing a ball around teaching about atoms and how they are always moving. Students should not be sitting in desks taking notes all day, they need to move around and to spike an interest in the lesson. Classroom environment is almost as crucial as how one teaches. I have always felt a class where the middle is open and the students desks are in a kind of horseshoe is the type of classroom I want, each student can see each other and it is perfect for a classroom discussion. It is also a good way for a teacher to walk around the class and if any student is goofing off they can be dealt with accordingly. It will be open just like the type of discussions we have that are open to the class. This will allow a student to have a voice. This type of classroom setup allows class meetings to come about, where every student has a voice. I believe students have a higher respect for their educators, peers, and lesson when they feel safe and not pressured. This leads us to the question: What is the purpose of School? One single answer is not enough, because the statement brings up more questions. As an educator and former student in school, I have found there are so many purposes to school. The most general statement I have come to think is: Everyday we go to school to build a foundation of life covering all the basic knowledge we as citizens should understand

before entering the hardships of life, because without the knowledge we learn as a young student, life will beat us down and we would not be able to get back up. The knowledge we learn at school allows us to stand up and improve our culture that has no limits.