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Robin Knowles
LBS 400
3/2/15

Philosophy of Education
Purpose of Education
Receiving an education is the most important thing a person can
do to succeed in this day and age. Being the person to successfully
teach the information is even more important. The purpose of
education is to prepare students to achieve to their greatest potential
in the real world. As educators, we must open their minds and ask
questions about the world around them. Rather than accepting
information, its important for students to analyze and critically think
about what theyre being taught. According to Mortimore Alder, an
educator and philosopher, the 3 main objectives of schooling are
development of citizenship, personal growth or self-improvement, and
occupational preparation (1982).
Commitment to Social Justice
Schools are becoming more populated with students from other
countries and backgrounds. It is important to learn about these
students and their various learning styles. Different students have
different situations that us, as educators, need to modify and adjust to.
Whether it is to make resources more available or make time to

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individually sit down and talk about difficulties they are having in
certain subjects, getting to know my students and creating a positive
environment is possibly the most important aspect of teaching.
According to Linda-Darling Hammond, Teaching requires the common
efforts of all their members. (p. 13). As an educator, it is my job to
give students every opportunity that any other student would have, so
if that means facilitating fundraisers or bringing up ideas that PTA
could potentially fund, I need to do whatever it takes. I want to teach
my students about different cultures and show them that working
together to build a community of diverse people is beneficial. It is
important to take students outside of the classroom to learn about real
world situations and how they relate to the content being taught. I
want my students to be interested about learning and provide the
necessary resources for their success.
Curriculum
As educators, it is our duty to teach children to be advocates of their
own lives. I want to work with Special Needs students; specifically, I
want to be a resource specialist. With CCSS being implemented, it will
definitely take work to help my students succeed as the standards are
being taken to the next level. I think Common Core will facilitate
Special Education teachers to challenge their students. According to
Learning Works California, A high quality education is not about fill-

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in-the-blank exercises, canned solutions, and memorization without
understanding (2012). I want to encourage my students to open their
minds to the world and have the willingness to experience new things
leading them to learn more about themselves and others. Teaching
students about responsibility and organization directly affects their
ability to succeed in the future. My goal as a teacher is to help
students become confident, independent, well-educated adults. There
are certain teachers that have such a large impact on a childs life; that
is my goal, to influence my students to become the best they can be.
Classroom Environment
Upon walking into a classroom the environment is instantly
apparentwhether the teacher is very authoritative and stern or open
and engaging. Abraham Maslow believes that a positive and
supportive climate for learning must be established and maintained in
the classroom (2011). It has definitely taken me some time to create a
balance between teacher and friend. In my own experience, once
students trust you and you create a safe environment, it is easier to
manage the classroom. Ive been in a classroom where the teacher
expects their students to be silent and questions are not welcome; this
angers me. I want to be an inspiration for my students to always ask
questions and dig deeper into all that has yet been discovered. If I am
yelling at the front of the classroom, Im creating an emotional

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boundary between the students and myself. I want to give positive
reinforcement and support to my students. I want to create an
environment in my classroom that allows students to freely express
themselves through music, art, writing, role-playing, etc.
Teacher
As I think about all the aspects of being an effective teacher, it
makes me more excited to make an impact of childrens lives. I want to
be a lifelong inquirer who inspires my students to do the samebe
excited to learn and be eager to dig deeper into the curriculum.
Darling-Hammond states that teachers must be truly present in the
classroom, deeply engaged with their students and their subjects, and
able to weave an intricate web of connections among themselves, their
subjects, and their students. (p. 13) As a child, I experienced good
teachers and bad teachers; I plan on using my experiences to help me
succeed as an educator. Effective teachers challenge their students
while providing support; effective teachers never give up on their
students. I want to teach my students to actively strive for success in
their lives by creating an open environment, and giving them equal
opportunity to learn in my classroom.

Works Cited
Gregory, G. (2011). Differentiated instruction. Thousand Oaks, Calif.:
Corwin Press.
Hammond, L. (2005). Preparing teachers for a changing world: What
teachers should learn and be able to do. San Francisco, CA: JosseyBass.
Philosophical. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2015, from
http://www.purposeofschool.com/philosophical/