In a few short years, when I am in a classroom of my own, there are a few concepts I’d like to apply to my teaching style.  My personal teaching philosophy is not parallel to just one of the six well-known educational philosophies, but is more a compilation.  I can most relate to the Perrenialist, Progressivist, Existentialist, and Behaviorist views.  I also intend to draw from my own experiences to better my philosophy.  I have observed what works and what does not work for not only myself, but my classmates as well.

    I feel that in the classroom, the teacher’s job is to be a facilitator of learning as well as a motivator.  Within the larger American society, I feel that the teacher’s job should not be to focus on preparing a student singly for his or her career.  ‘Education should be life itself, not a preparation for living'.  I agree with Perrenialists in that I don’t feel the teacher should overly rely on textbooks or make students memorize fact after fact.  The students in my classroom will be involved in group discussions, question and answer sessions, and most importantly, first hand experience.

    The best way to learn is through experience.  Progressivists say that in addition to texts, students need to learn by doing.  I truly believe that students need to go on field trips, play games that are modified to what they are learning, or make up their own activities.  Students learn the best when they are actively involved, both physically and mentally.  Progressivists believe that people learn the best from what they consider most relevant to their lives.  The subject must have meaning to each student or else the student will not remember or learn.  I feel that the educator should teach traditional subject matter while relating it to individual student’s interests.  Although classrooms are incredibly diverse, the curriculum should be centered around the students’ interests, experiences, and abilities.  These days, many teachers are encouraged to include in their curriculum only what will be necessary for the standardized tests, but to keep interest, the students need to be actively involved.

    Seeing that classrooms are more diverse than ever before, there is no one specific or general curriculum that will be effective.  It is important for the teacher to give some attention to each student individually.  The Existentialist view expresses that students should get plenty of individual contact with the teacher, which in turn helps the curriculum get personalized.  This way, learning is self-directed and self-paced.  The only way each student could get more personalized teaching is by hiring more teachers.  Unfortunately, increasing the number of teachers means increasing the amount of money the school needs from the local community and state.  Since having more teachers may not work out, students should not only interact with his or her teacher, but should also be encouraged to interact with his or her fellow classmates.  This allows each student to have the opportunity to develop social virtues such as cooperation and tolerance for different points of view.

    I dream to teach students between grades one and three.  At this age, children are late in Piaget’s Preoperational stage.  Most of these children have a one-track mind and are very egocentric.  Because they see their world from their own narrow perspective, they have difficulty visualizing the perspective of others and do not adapt their rapidly developing knowledge to facilitate the listener’s understanding.  Therefore, to get them interested in and focused on learning, I may apply the Behaviorist view.  At this age, there is a need for the students to control their energy in the classroom, and handing out rewards and punishments works well.  Young children often need motivation to learn, and I think that in addition to the teacher in the role of a motivator, there is a need for an extrinsic source of motivation as well.  Treats that often work for small children are stickers or stars.  When a child does well on a task or does what they have been requested to do, they receive a star, or something similar.  ‘As natural organisms we seek positive reinforcement and avoid punishment’.  Positive reinforcement used to reward good behavior leads students to do well on their own if you gradually lessen such rewards.

    My personal teaching philosophy is mainly comprised of the Progressivist, Behaviorist, and Perrenialist views.  I have had many excellent teachers who have used some of these techniques, and by mixing and matching, I have discovered and created my own set of teaching beliefs.  Through my experiences and from my better teachers, I have learned effective teaching styles.  At this point in my life I am finally able to understand why they focused on what they did, and this allows me to better my own teaching philosophy.