Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University

La Union

THE TEACHING PROFESSION

(EDUC 103)

ESTELLA A. CAYABYAB, Ph.D.

RINA B. RONQUILLO, Ph.D.
RODOLFO C. DE VERA, M.A.
(Module Writers)
 MODULE VIII

PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION

Lesson 1 Our Philosophical Heritage:

Philosophies of Education

Lesson 2 Formulating My Philosophy of

Education

“Since philosophy is the art which teaches us how to live,

and since children need to learn it as much as we do at other ages,
why do we not instruct them in it? But in truth I know nothing
about the philosophy of education except this: that the greatest
and the most important difficulty known to human learning
seems to lie in that area which treats how to bring up children
and how to educate them.”

Michel de Montaigne
 PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION

“Those who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them;
for these only gave them life, those the art of living well.” Aristotle

INTRODUCTION

We are heirs to a rich philosophical heritage. These philosophies by different

philosophers have been with us from one generation to another. These thinkers
reflected on life in this planet. They tried to provide us answers to questions about
human existence. These essential questions come in different versions. “What is life?”
“What am I living for?” “Who am I?” “Why am I here?” “How should I live my life?” “Why
do things happen the way they do?” “Is the universe reaI?” and the likes. In the school
context, these essential questions are: “Why do I teach?” “How should I teach?” “What
is the nature of a Iearner?” “How do we learn?” These are philosophical questions. They
are tackled in this chapter in the seven philosophies of education selected for this
purpose.

Learning Outcomes

▪ Explain at least seven philosophies of education

▪ Formulate my philosophy of education

“A teacher affects eternity; he [or she] can never tell where his/her influence
stops.” -Henry B. Adams
Lesson 1

OUR PHILOSOPHICAL HERITAGE:

PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION

INTRODUCTION

Lesson 1 is focused on at least seven philosophies of education.

An Exercise To Determine Your Educational Philosophy

Find out to which philosophy you adhere. To what extent does each statement
apply to you? Rate yourself 4 if you agree with the statement always, 3 if you agree but
not always, 2 if you agree sometimes, and 1 if you do not agree at all.

Statements 1 2 3 4
1. There is no substitute for concrete experience in learning.
2. The focus of education should be the ideas that are relevant today as
when they were first conceived.
3. Teachers must not force their students to learn the subject matter if it does
not interest them.
4. Schools must develop students’ capacity to reason by stressing on the
humanities.
5. In the classroom, students must be encouraged to interact with one another
to develop social virtues such as cooperation and respect.
6. Students should read and analyze the Great Books, the creative works of
history’s finest thinkers and writers.
7. Help students expand their knowledge by helping them apply their previous
experiences in solving new problems.
8. Our course of study should be general, not specialized, liberal, not
vocational, humanistic, not technical.
9. There is no universal, inborn human nature. We are born and exist and then
we ourselves freely determine our essence.
10. Human beings are shaped by their environment.
11. Schools should stress on the teaching of basic skills.
12. Change of environment can change a person.
13. Curriculum should emphasize on the traditional disciplines such as Math,
Natural Science, History, Grammar and Literature.
14. Teacher cannot impose meaning, students make meaning of what they
are taught.
15. Schools should help individuals accept themselves as unique individuals
 and accept responsibility for their thoughts, feelings and actions.
16. Learners produce knowledge based on their experience.
17. For the leaners to acquire the basic skills, he must go through the rigor
and discipline of serious study.
18. The teacher and the school head must prescribe what is most
important for the students to learn.
19. The truth shines in an atmosphere of genuine dialogue.
20. A learner must be allowed to learn at his own pace.
21. The learner is not a blank slate but brings past experiences and cultural
factors to learning situation.
22. The classroom is not a place where teachers pour knowledge into empty
minds of students.
23. The learner must be taught how to communicate his ideas and feelings.
24. To understand the message from his students, the teacher must listen
not only to what his students are saying but also to what they are not
saying.
25. An individual is what he chooses to become not dictated by his
environment.

Interpreting your scores:

If you have 2 answers of 2/4 in numbers

1,3,5,7- you are more of a progressivist

2,4,6,8- you are more of a perennialist
9,15,20,25- you are more of an existentialist
10,12- you are more of a behaviorist
11,13,17,18- you are more of an essentialist
14,16„21,22- you are more of a constructivist
19,23,24 - you are more of a linguistic philosopher

If you have 2 scores of 4 in several of the 7 clusters, you have an eclectic

philosophy which means you put the philosophies together. If your scores are less than
4, this means that you are not very definite in your philosophy. Or if your scores are
less than 3 in most of the items, this means your philosophy is quite vague.
After you have gotten an idea on the philosophy, let us know more about them.
SEVEN PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION

Essentialism

Why Teach?

This philosophy contends that teachers teach for learners to acquire basic
knowledge, skills and values. Teachers teach “not to radically reshape society” but
rather” to transmit the traditional moral values and intellectual knowledge that
students need to become model citizens.”

What to Teach?

Essentialist programs are academically rigorous. The emphasis is on academic

content for students to learn the basic skills or the fundamental R’s-reading, writing,
arithmetic, right conduct- as these are essential to the acquisition of higher or more
complex skills needed in preparation for adult life. The essentialist curriculum includes
the “traditional disciplines such as Math, Natural Science, History, Foreign Language
and Literature. Essentialists frown upon vocational courses or other courses with
watered down academic content. The teachers and administrators decide what is most
important for the students to learn and place little emphasis on student interests,
particularly when they divert time and attention from the academic curriculum.

How to Teach

Essentialist teachers emphasize mastery of subject matter. They were expected

to be intellectual and moral models of their students. They are seen as “fountain” of
information and as paragon of virtue, if ever there is such a person. To gain mastery
of basic skills, teachers have to observe “core requirements, longer school day, a longer
academic year. With mastery of academic content as primary focus, teachers rely on
the use of prescribed textbooks, and drill method and other methods that will enable
them to cover as much academic content as possible like the lecture method. There is
a heavy stress on memorization and discipline.

PROGRESSIVISM

Why Teach

Progressivist teachers teach to develop learners into becoming enlightened and

intelligent citizens of a democratic society. This group of teachers teaches learners so
they may live life fully now not to prepare them for adult life.
What to Teach

The progressivists are identified with need based and relevant curriculum. This
is a curriculum that responds to students’ needs and that relates to students’ personal
lives and experiences.

Progressivists accept the impermanence of life and the inevitability of change.

For the progressivists, everything else changes. Change is the only thing that does not
change. Hence, progressivist teachers are more concerned with teaching the learners
the skills to cope with change. Instead of occupying themselves with teaching facts or
bits of information that are true today but become obsolete tomorrow, they would
rather focus their teaching on the teaching of skills or processes in gathering and
evaluating information and in problem-solving. The subjects that are given emphasis
in progressivist schools are the Natural and Social Sciences. Teachers expose
students to many new scientific, technological and social developments, reflecting the
progressivist notion that progress and change are fundamental. In addition, students
solve problems in the classroom similar to those they will encounter outside of the
schoolhouse.

How to Teach

Progressivist teachers employ experiential methods. They believe that one learns
by doing. For John Dewey, the most popular advocate of progressivism, book learning
is no substitute for actual experience. One experiential teaching method that
progressivist teachers heavily rely on is the problem-solving method. This makes use of
the scientific method. Other hands-on-minds-on-hearts-on teaching methods used are
field trips during which students interact with nature or society. Teachers also
stimulate students through thought-provoking games and puzzles.

PERENNIALISM

Why Teach

We are all rational animals. Schools should therefore, develop the students’
rational and moral powers. According to Aristotle, if we neglect the students’ reasoning
skills, we deprive them of the ability to use their higher faculties to control their
passions and appetites.
What to Teach- The perennialist curriculum is a universal one on the view that all human
beings possess the same essential nature. It is heavy on the humanities, on general
education. It is not a specialist curriculum but rather a general one. There is less
emphasis on vocational and technical education. Philosopher Mortimer Adler claims that
the Great Books of ancient and medieval as well as modern times are repository of
knowledge and wisdom, a tradition of culture which must initiate each generation”.
What the perrenialist teachers teach are lifted from the Great Books.
How to Teach

The perennialist classrooms are “centered around teachers”. The teachers do

not allow the students’ interests or experience to substantially dictate what they teach.
They apply whatever creative techniques and others tried and true methods which are
believed to be most conducive to disciplining the students’ minds. Students engaged in
Socratic dialogues or mutual inquiry sessions to develop an understanding of history’s
most timeless concepts.”

EXISTENTIALISM

Why Teach

The main concern of the existentialists is “to help students understand and
appreciate themselves as unique individuals who accept complete responsibility for
their thoughts, feelings and actions”. Since “existence precedes essence”, the
existentialist teacher’s role is to help students define their own essence by exposing
them to various paths they take in life and by creating an environment in which they
freely choose their own preferred way. Since feeling is not divorced from reason in
decision making, the existentialist demands the education of the whole person, not just
the mind.

What to teach

In an existentialist curriculum, students are given a wide variety of options from

which to choose. Students are afforded great latitude in their choice of subject
matter. The humanities, however, are given tremendous emphasis” to provide students
with vicarious experiences that will help unleash their own creativity and self
expression. For example, rather than emphasizing historical events, existentialists
focus upon the actions of historical individuals, each of whom provides possible models
for the students’ own behavior. Moreover, vocational education is regarded more as a
means of teaching students about themselves and their potential than of earning a
livelihood. In teaching art, existentialism encourages individual creativity and
imagination more than copying and imitating established models.

How to Teach

Existentialist methods focus on the individual. Learning is self-paced, self -

directed. It includes a great deal of individual contact with the teacher, who relates to
each student openly and honestly. To help students know themselves and their place in
society, teachers employ values clarification strategy. In the use of such strategy,
teachers remain non- judgmental and take care not to impose their values on their
students since values are personal.
BEHAVIORISM

Why Teach

Behaviorist schools are concerned with the modification and shaping of students’
behavior by providing for a favorable environment, since they believe that they are a
product of their environment. They are after students who exhibit desirable behavior
in society.

What to Teach

Because behaviorists look at “people and other animals as complex combinations

of matter that act only in response to internally or externally generated physical
stimuli, behaviorist teachers teach students to respond favorably to various stimuli in
the environment.

How to Teach

Behaviorist teachers ought to arrange environmental conditions so that students

can make the responses to stimuli. Physical variables like light, temperature,
arrangement of furniture, size and quantity of visual aids have controlled to get the
desired responses from learners. Teachers ought to make the stimuli clear and
interesting to capture and hold the learners’ attentions. They ought to provide
appropriate incentives to reinforce positive responses and weaken or eliminate negative
ones.

LINGUISTIC PHILOSOPHY

Why Teach

To develop the communication skills of the learner because the ability to

articulate, to voice out the meanings and values of things that one obtains from his
experience of life and the world is the very essence of man. It is through his ability to
express himself clearly, to get his ideas across, to make known to others the values that
he has imbibed, the beauty that he has seen, the ugliness that he rejects and the truth
that she has discovered. Teachers teach to develop in the learner the skill to send
messages clearly and receive messages correctly.

What to Teach

Learners should be taught to communicate clearly-how to send clear, concise

messages and how to receive and correctly understand messages sent. Communication
takes place in three ways- verbal, non-verbal and paraverbal. Verbal component refers
to the content of our message, the choice and arrangement of our word. This can be
oral or written. Non-verbal component refers to the message we send through our body
language while paraverbal component refers to how we say what we say-the tone,
pacing and volume of our voices.

There is a need to teach learners to use language that is correct, precise,

grammatical, coherent, and accurate so that they are able to communicate clearly and
precisely their thoughts and feelings. There is a need to help students expand their
vocabularies to enhance their communication skills. There is a need to teach the
learners how to communicate clearly through non- verbal means and consistently
through paraverbal means.

There is a need to caution the learners of the verbal and non-verbal barriers to
communication. Teach them to speak as many languages as you can. The more
languages one speaks, the better he can communicate with the world. A multilingual
has an edge over the monolingual or bilingual.

How to Teach

The most effective way to teach language and communication is the experiential
way. Make them experience sending and receiving messages through verbal, non-verbal
and paraverbal manner. Teachers should make the classroom a place for the interplay
of minds and hearts. The teacher facilitates dialogue among learners, exchange of
words and there is also an exchange of ideas.

CONSTRUCTIVISM
Why Teach

To develop intrinsically motivated and independent learners adequately

equipped with learning skills for them to be able to construct knowledge and make
meaning of them.

What to Teach

The learners are taught how to learn. They are taught learning processes and
skills such as searching, critiquing and evaluating information, relating these pieces of
information, reflecting on the same, making meaning out of them, drawing insights,
posing questions, researching and constructing new knowledge out of these bits of
information learned.
How to Teach — In the constructivist classroom, the teacher provides students with
data or experiences that allow them to hypothesize, predict, manipulate objects, pose
questions, research, investigate, imagine and invent. The constructivist classroom is
interactive. It promotes dialogical exchange of ideas among learners and between
teacher and learners. The teacher’s role is to facilitate this process. Knowledge isn’t a
thing that can be simply deposited by the teacher into the empty minds of the learners.
Rather, knowledge is constructed by learners through an active, mental process of
development; learners are the builders and creators of meaning and knowledge. Their
minds are not empty. Instead, their minds are full of ideas waiting to be “midwife” by
the teacher with his skillful facilitating skills.

Summary

We have a very rich philosophical heritage. But only seven philosophies were
discussed here: essentialism, progressivism, perennialism, existentialism,
behaviorism, linguistic philosophy and constructivism. The rest are assigned to you
as research work. The seven philosophies differ in their concepts of the learner
and values, in why do we teach (objectives), what should be taught
(curriculum) and how should the curriculum be taught ( teaching strategies).
However, there exist also some similarities among the philosophies. These you will
see more as you proceed to the activities.

✍ LEARNING ACTIVITY

Summarize the seven philosophies by filling up the matrix below.

Philosophy Why Teach What to Teach How to Teach

Progressivism
Linguistic
Philosophy
Constructivism
Essentialism
Existentialism
Perennialism
Behaviorism

“Everyone who remembers his own education remembers teachers,

not methods and techniques. The teacher is the heart of the educational
system.”
-Sidney Hook
Lesson 2
Formulating your Philosophy of Education

INTRODUCTION

“Philosophy is vital only when the questions are mine and so is the struggle
towards answers.” W. Luijpen

You have been acquainted with various philosophies. With which do you identify
yourself? What is your personal philosophy of education? You are expected to formulate
it in this second lesson.

Your philosophy of education is your “window” to the world and “compass” in

life. Hence, it may be good to put that philosophy of education in writing. You surely
have one just as everybody has only that sometimes it is not well articulated. Your
philosophy of education is reflected in your dealings with students, colleagues, parents
and administrators. Your attitude towards problems and life as a whole has an
underlying philosophy. In this lesson, you will articulate your thoughts on how you
perceive the learner on what are the right values, on what and on how you must
therefore teach. If you articulate your philosophy of education, you will find yourself
more consistent in your dealings with other people, in your actions and decisions.

What does a philosophy of education contain or include? It includes your concept

about:
● the human person, the learner in particular and the educated person;
● what is true and good and therefore must be taught; and
● how a learner must be taught in order to come close to the truth

Here is an example:

My Philosophy of education as a Grade School Teacher I believe that every child:

● has a natural interest in learning and is capable of learning

● is an embodied spirit
● can be influenced but not totally by his environment
● is unique and so comparing a child to other children has no basis
● does not have an empty mind, rather is full of ideas and it is my task to draw
out these ideas

I believe that there are unchanging values in changing times and these must be
passed on to every child by my modeling, value inculcation and value integration in my
lessons.
 I believe that my task as a teacher is to facilitate the development of every child
to the optimum and to the maximum by:

● Reaching out to all children without bias and prejudice towards the “least”
of the children

● Making every child feel good and confident about him thru his experiences of
success in the classroom

● Helping every child master the basic skills of reading, communicating in oral
and written form, arithmetic and computer skills

● Teaching my subject matter with mastery so that every child will use his basic
skills to continue acquiring knowledge, skills and values for him to go beyond
basic literacy and basic numeracy

● Inculcating or integrating the unchanging values of respect, honesty, love and

care for others regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, appearance and
economic status in my lessons

● Consistently practicing these values to serve as model for every child

● Strengthening the value formation of every child thru “hands-on-minds on-

hearts-on” experiences inside and outside the classroom

● Providing every child activities meant to develop the body, the mind and the
spirit

Other Tips in Formulating a Personal Philosophy

When you apply for a job as a teacher, you may be asked about your teaching
philosophy. This is not the sort of question you should fumble or improvise on the fly.
You’ll look unprepared for the job if you don’t have a ready answer. Teachers are
expected to be able to talk about their philosophy.

On the other hand, if you have a succinct and clear philosophy, the hiring
manager will be impressed by your ability to think about the methods and goals of your
teaching practice.

Before the job interview, make sure you have a philosophy that you can neatly
articulate.

What the Interviewer Really Wants to Know

The interviewer wants to know that you have a teaching philosophy, that you
can articulate it, and that your beliefs about teaching and learning are a good fit for
the school.

What is a teaching philosophy?

It’s an explanation of your values and beliefs as they relate to teaching. 1 Your
philosophy is often a combination of methods you studied in college or graduate school
and lessons learned during any professional experience since then. It may also draw
upon your own experience of childhood education either as a parent or as a child
yourself.

If you don't know what your teaching philosophy is, try writing down a few key
statements you believe to be true about education, and then proceed from there.

Think about the methods you apply in the classroom, and your goals for your
students. Also consider how you've put your ideas about education into action, and what
principles are demonstrated by your work in the classroom.:

● What makes you proud to be a teacher?

● What lets you know you’ve done a good job?
● What standards do you set for yourself, and why?

A personal teaching philosophy is different than a pedagogical theory, although

the two are related.2 Waldorf or Montessori education, for example, involve very
different approaches to teaching (pedagogies) than the mainstream American public-
school system utilizes, and yet teachers from each system might articulate very similar
philosophies.

Teaching styles and methods often change over a person’s career, so review your
philosophy from time to time, update it, and make changes when necessary.

How to Answer “What Is Your Teaching Philosophy?”

If you’ve never put your teaching philosophy into words, this three-step process
can help you articulate your beliefs.

● Begin simply with one or two sentences that neatly encapsulate your thinking.
● Then elaborate on what your philosophy means in practical terms.
● Then include an example of how you apply your teaching philosophy in the
classroom. This will help make your philosophy even more concrete.

However, only share an example if you have enough time. If you have already
been speaking for a couple of minutes, or if you feel that the interviewer wants to move
on, you can skip this part.
Examples of Best Answers

Now, let’s apply the three-step system and look at some sample answers.

● I believe the classroom is a living community and that everyone, from the
principal to the students to the parents, must contribute in order to maintain a
positive atmosphere.

Why It Works: This statement is simple, straightforward, and easy to absorb. It takes a
position, the classroom is a living community and everyone contributes, and conveys it
well. While you don’t need to fit everything you believe about teaching into a single
sentence, it’s important to be able to express the most central part of your ideas and
priorities as a teacher. Let the rest be implied.

● All students are individuals, and everyone learns in their own unique way. I use
multiple methods of teaching (linguistic, visual, auditory, kinesthetic) to reach
students, so that no one is left behind.

Why It Works: This explanation makes clear that this teacher believes effective
teaching brings everybody along together. You can also make brief mention of
educational theories or scientific studies that support your philosophy, or you can refer
to other educators who exemplify your philosophy. You are trying to make it clear to
your interviewers that you think carefully about how you teach and are well-educated
on educational practices.

● Everyone in the classroom contributes as a student, teacher, and thinker. I learn

from students as much as they learn from me. One way I emphasize this
philosophy in my classes is to incorporate regular feedback from students. For
example, I ask students to fill out a mid-course evaluation of the class, in which
they reflect on the course goals and provide feedback on whether or not the
course is helping them meet these goals thus far. Students have been so
insightful, providing useful information for me on what is working in class, and
what I can improve upon. I believe we never stop learning, and I want my
students to know we can learn from each other.

Why It Works: This answer provides specifics about how the teacher sees their role. It
also shows that the candidate is receptive to feedback and able to incorporate that into
their approach. This is a good answer to give if there’s time to elaborate. If you sense
that the interviewer wants to move on, don’t provide more detail.

Tips for Giving the Best Answer

Determine your teaching philosophy before the interview. Think about your teaching
methods and goals. How have you put your ideas into action? What principles are
demonstrated by your work? Remember that a teaching philosophy is different than a
pedagogic theory.
Get to the point. Make sure you’re able to articulate your beliefs succinctly. Ideally,
you’d be able to sum up your teaching philosophy in one sentence, if you had to.
(Although, you should have specifics to offer in case there’s time to speak in-depth.)

What Not to Say

Avoid wordiness. A poorly organized or less-than-succinct statement will be hard for

other people to understand and could hurt you. The interviewer wants to see that you
understand your teaching philosophy and can describe it well.

Skip the clichés. Avoid generic and self-evident statements, like "everybody deserves
a chance to learn." Sure, it's broad and applicable to many classroom situations, but
the universality and obviousness makes the phrase a problem. Simply put, if your
philosophy is a truism or a cliché, it’s obvious you didn’t put much thought into it.

If your educational philosophy actually is that everyone deserves a chance (or

something similar), then be sure to make your statement unique by explaining how you
see the principle of equality as relevant to education. A provision to keep in mind is
that if you can’t imagine anyone disagreeing with your philosophy (that is, disagreeing
intelligently, for well-thought-out reasons), then you’ve probably landed on an obvious
truism or cliche.

Possible Follow-Up Questions

● Why did you decide to become a teacher?

● What’s your classroom management style?
● How do you handle stress?
● Tell me about a time when you handled a challenging situation.
● What strategies do you use to motivate your students?
● How have you used technology in the classroom?
● Key Takeaways

PREPARE YOUR ANSWER PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEW: Practice describing your beliefs,
goals, and methods.

BE SUCCINCT: Summarize your philosophy in a sentence or two. Be able to provide more

detail if required.

AVOID CLICHÉS: Be able to show how your statement relates to your unique point of
view.

Abstraction: let’s Add to What You Already Know

Your philosophy of education is your concept of the learner, concept of what

must be taught and how this must be taught. These thoughts are the bases of your
actions and decisions when you prepare to teach and when you teach.
 Teacher Macrina subscribes to the Christian Philosophy because she believes that
the learner is an embodied spirit and she wants to provide every child with activities
that are meant to develop the learner’s body, mind and spirit. The fact that she is
mindful of the development of the mind makes her rationalist. Because she is after the
wholistic development of the learner – body, mind and spirit – she is also humanist in
thinking and in practice.
She also believed in the behaviorist philosophy because she accepts that the
learner can be influenced by the environment. However, she does not totally adhere to
the behaviorist philosophy because she does not agree that the learner can be totally
influenced by his environment. Teacher Macrian is constructivist in philosophy because
she does not agree that the learner has an empty mind (John Locke’s Tabula rasa),
rather she believes that the child is full of ideas and it is her task to draw out these
ideas.
Teacher Macrina is also essentialist in orientation. She is convinced that her
primary task is the child’s mastery of the basic skills of reading, communicating in oral
and written form, arithmetic and computer skills. She believes that mastery of these
basic skills prepares the child to go beyond the basics. Her behaviorist philosophy makes
her work hard for every child to experience success which surely contributes to a
favorable learning environment.
Teacher Macrina is also essentialist and perennialist in thinking. She believes in
unchanging values of respect, honesty, love and care for others regardless of gender,
race, ethnicity, nationality, appearance and economic status and therefore inculcates
them in her lessons.
She is also cognitivist in thinking and practice because like Bruner, she believes
that modeling these values is the most effective way to teach these values.
She wants to make use of “hands-on-minds-on-hearts-on” experiences inside and
outside the classroom. This makes her a progressivist. Teacher Macrina applies the
progressivists dictum, learning by doing and the whole world (outside the classroom) is
a classroom. She is also progressivity in the sense that she teaches learners not only
subject matter but also how to learn.

This is how one’s philosophy of education governs one’s practice as a teacher.

Here is another example of a personal philosophy

Philosophy of Teaching
Robert M. Anthony
Graduate Teaching Associate Department of Sociology
Winner of the 2005 Graduate Associate Teaching Award

As I reflect upon my academic career, it is clear that my pedagogical stance has

been greatly influenced by my mentors. In the classroom my mentors helped me
develop my ability to assess, create, and articulate ideas. But they did more than just
aid in my intellectual development. Each one set an excellent example for me to follow
as a teacher. What made my mentors exemplary teachers was their devotion to their
students and to their profession. Specifically, my mentors were exemplary teachers
because; they developed strong curriculums with the knowledge to support it, they set
high academic standards for students and for themselves, they respected intellectual
diversity inside and outside the classroom, and they built trust among their students.
In sum, each one led by example. It is with this in mind that I turn to my own teaching
philosophy.

One of the most insightful lessons I learned from my mentors was that being able
to critically think is an invaluable skill for anyone. It is a tool which can be used to
succeed in a broad spectrum of occupations. I believe all undergraduate students should
leave this university armed with the ability to critically think. Thus, a cornerstone of
my teaching philosophy and personal teaching goals is to help students develop their
critical thinking skills.
The most important step a teacher can take to help students develop critical
thinking skill is to create a positive learning environment by respecting and promoting
intellectual diversity. This not only sets an example for students to follow, but it also
allows students to share their ideas openly with other students and the teacher.
Respecting and promoting intellectual diversity require a deeper understanding of how
diversity manifests inside and outside of the classroom. On the one hand, intellectual
diversity manifests itself in the various worldviews that students possess. On the other
hand, intellectual diversity manifests itself in the various ways students learn. To
effectively promote and develop students’ critical thinking skills, both forms of
intellectual diversity must be taken into consideration.
Because students bring a diverse set of worldviews to the classroom, I believe
that it is the teacher’s responsibility to take neutral stances on controversial material,
political issues, and general social issues as well. Teachers should not present
themselves to students as a partisan supporter of a particular side, because choosing
sides can have negative and unintentional consequences on a student’s learning
experience. In my classes, I play the role of moderator and mentor instead of activist.
I believe remaining neutral and supportive of student’s ideas motivates students to
participate in class. Taking a neutral stance also acts to challenge students’ intellectual
abilities. It requires them to defend their positions using critical thinking regardless of
what side they take, and it also introduces students to points of view that they may not
have considered themselves. Ultimately, it presents students with a positive learning
environment where they must use logic and reason to develop positions and counter
positions (i.e. critical thinking).
The second way of respecting and promoting intellectual diversity is by
presenting information in a variety of formats, and to measure aptitude in a variety of
contexts. Because students possess different learning strategies/abilities, I believe
teachers should make an extra effort to present class materials in a variety of formats.
In my courses, I use lectures, articles, visual learning aids, organized notes, charts, and
diagrams to present course materials (see the attached artifacts for explicit examples).
When measuring students’ aptitude, I use a variety of formats as well. For each of my
courses I assess student abilities using; creative and formal writing assignments, tests
that include multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, and essays, and finally,
participation in class discussions. Each method caters to different sets of intellectual
strengths, while challenging different sets of intellectual weaknesses.
 Aside from my efforts to respect intellectual diversity and foster independent
critical thinking skills, I also believe that a teacher should set specific and clear
standards from the very first day of the class. Once a standard is set, it should be
adhered to throughout the remainder of the quarter. I accomplish the enforcement of
fair but strict standards in two ways: The first is with a very detailed and clearly stated
syllabus. The second is taking the time to explain to students why specific standards
are in place. To give an example, I require students to attend class regularly to earn
participation points (miss no more than 4 classes). I explain to them that part of the
learning experience involves interaction with other students and with the teacher. By
placing my standards in writing and explaining the reasons behind them, uniformity and
legitimacy are added to the class from day one. In short, I believe setting high standards
for students is an important way to get students to rise to their potential.
Along with setting standards for students, I believe fostering superior learning
requires exacting standards from the teacher as well. One important standard that I
have set myself is giving students a clear indication on how they will be graded. A good
example of how I set such standards is found in the writing assignments. Each writing
assignment is accompanied with a handout which clearly explains what students are
expected to accomplish. Also included, is an outline of what students need to include
in their work (see attached document for an explicit example of this). Overall, setting
clear standards helps limit grading bias and instances where students may try to take
advantage of a teacher’s generosity.
The final area of my teaching philosophy I would like to discuss is my views
towards self-improvement. I firmly believe that any good teacher remains a good
student throughout life. As I a teacher, I constantly evaluate my performances in the
classroom every time I teach. This includes; assessing how well I presented the
material, what students’ reactions to the material were, and coming up with ideas on
how to improve upon my presentations to maintain student interest. I believe that
taking the time to rewrite lectures, add new material, and revise lesson plans is
something that all teachers must do on a regular basis. However, self-reflection has its
limits. Other important ways I continue to improve my skills as a teacher include;
talking with experienced professors and other instructors for advice, keeping up on
current social issues, refreshing my knowledge of the subject being taught, and perhaps
the most important tool is using student evaluations to inform me of my weaknesses.
In conclusion, I believe teachers have a duty to their profession, to their
students, and to themselves. Fulfilling this duty requires that a teacher never stop
learning, continues to evaluate his or her performance among colleagues and students,
and leads by example inside and outside of the classroom. My relationships with my
mentors, the teaching experiences I have gained, and the support I have found in my
colleagues have all contributed to my pedagogical stance and goals. In sum, my
philosophy is one which strives to give all students an equal opportunity to learn by
promoting intellectual diversity in the various ways it manifests itself in academia. It is
through my respect for intellectual diversity that I conduct myself in a professional
manner to create a positive learning environment where students can develop their
critical thinking skills. But the key to my philosophy rests on the idea that I must set
high standards for students and for myself. I must lead by example for my students as
my mentors did for me.

“It takes a big heart to shape little minds.” -Unknown

Summary

It is important that you make explicit philosophy of education. Your philosophy

of education is your “window” to the world and “compass” in life. Your philosophy is
your own thought and formulation, never formulated for you by another that is why you
were advised to begin stating it with the phrase “I believe”.

It is best to state it in the concrete not in the abstract like a theory because this
is your blue print to daily life.

✍ LEARNING ACTIVITY
1. Write your own philosophy of education.

“One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who
touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is
a vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.” -Carl Jung

“When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts.”
-Dalai Lama

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates.
The great teacher inspires.” -William Arthur Ward

“When the untapped potential of a student meets the liberating art of a teacher, a miracle
unfolds.” -Mary Hatwood Futrell

“If kids from strong, healthy, functioning families come to us (educators and teachers), it
makes our job easier. If they do not come from strong, healthy, functioning families, it makes
our job more important.” -Barbara Colorose

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and think critically.
Intelligence plus character; that is the goal of a true education.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
📂 REFERENCES
A. Books

Bilbao, P., Corpuz, B., Llagas, A. & Salandanan, G. (2018) The Teaching Profession.
OBE & PPST –Based. Lorimar Publishing, Quezon City.

Bilbao, P., Corpuz, B., Llagas, A. & Salandanan, G. (2015) The Teaching Profession.
Lorimar Publishing, Quezon City.

Bilbao, P., Corpuz, B., Llagas, A. & Salandanan, G. (2006) The Teaching Profession.
Lorimar Publishing, Quezon City.

Lim, L., Caubic, R.,Casihan, L. (2014) The Teaching Profession. Adriana Publishing
Co., Inc.

OECD/Asia Society (2018). Teaching for Global Competence in a Rapidly Changing

World

B. Internet

https://thoughtcatalog.com/katee-fletcher/2020/08/inspirational-quotes-for-
teachers/

https://ucat.osu.edu/professional-development/teaching
portfolio/philosophy/anthony-robert/

http://www.mierjs.in/ojs/index.php/mjestp/article/view/264/177

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/job-interview-answer-what-is-your-teaching-
philosophy-2063859