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Artifact 2
Lynn Walter
EA 746

Core Beliefs . . . My Philosophy of Education. . .This I Believe
I believe that I must be true to my core beliefs, specifically as they pertain to my personal
faith in Jesus Christ. I need to be sure to always balance my direction with His leading and
mission, operating within His will and guidance, in order that I may remain steadfast and true in
my purpose to serve Him.
About curriculum . . . I believe there should be equity within education ensuring all
children a profound comprehension of literature, writing, and mathematics in order to be
thoughtful, productive citizens. The examination of social studies is necessary for the
comprehension of worldly affairs and to promote global understanding regarding politics,
leadership and the economy while geography is important for the understanding of our global
community. The study of science encourages and promotes investigation, inquiry, and
thoughtfulness. Participation in physical education should include experiences in team and
individual sports demanding an awareness of personal physical health and exercise. To round
out the curriculum students need the opportunity to experience the creative arts, both visual and
performing, warranting an appreciation and life long love of the arts. Technology should be
seamlessly integrated into the curriculum, although it should be understood that nothing replaces
the ability to think critically and problem solve; the marriage of the two is implicit.
About instruction . . . I believe it is important to promote learning in a safe, caring,
interesting, inspiring format. However, it is imperative to instill the virtues of respect,
responsibility, hard work, diligence, and kindness without which we will have encouraged
slothful, rude, disruptive, callous character education. We should reward persistence and effort
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while we expect personal success and achievement at each students individual level. Not every
student will achieve at the highest scholarly level possible but every student should attain his or
her personal best. Each person, therefore, should reach a level of self-actualization, to be able to
depend on themselves and be proud of themselves, to find personal value and merit without
ascertaining peculiar worth based on external validation.

The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.
Intelligence plus character that is the goal of true education.
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

About professional development . . . I believe in purposeful, engaging, immediately
useful professional development. Adult learners require collaborative, respectful, mutually
engaging, meaningful experiences. Information should be given in an exciting yet meaningful
way. It should be initiated in small pieces that are immediately useable and must require genuine
application. The professional development should be revisited methodically so that the new
approach can be encouraged, coached, and practiced until in moves from implementation to a
change in belief and ultimately institutionalization. Professional development should be
important enough to put time and financial resources behind it without demeaning the
importance by entangling it with numerous unrelated initiatives.
About leadership . . . I believe leadership should be inspirational as opposed to
motivational. Inspiration involves collaboration, relational trust, teamwork, visibility and
empowerment while motivation implies a more authoritative, pushy, dictatorship style. Leaders
should lead with heart (love and compassion) and soul (inspiration, vision, and courage). A
leader should be thoughtful and intentional in her/his management, using data to drive the
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direction of the organization, but always being careful to balance every decision against their
mission, vision, and core beliefs.

Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.
-- Aristotle