Gretchen's+Philosophy+of+Education

Philosophy of Education

I believe that education is a necessity for every person. The more one knows the less ignorant they can be. Students learn differently so as a teacher one needs to address as many learning styles as possible. There are appropriate times for lecture and there are appropriate times for activities. Integrating different teaching styles into the classroom makes learning interesting rather than monotonous. Enthusiasm and passion are key in education. I believe that when a teacher is passionate about the subject matter and shows the students their passion the students become willing to learn. They see that the suject matter matters. As a teacher you should actively involve your students in the learning process, you shouldn't teach at them, but rather with them. Mistakes provide an oppurtunity to demonstrate right and wrong ways of going about problems and critcial thinking.

I believe in teaching from examples first and then teaching the big picture concept. If one can visualize an instance it may be easier for them to apply the techniques and skills to other areas. Showing students an example that they can relate to their lives makes the subject appropriate for them to learn, if they feel they will never use the technique they will not be as apt to learn it as they do not see the reason for learning. The concept can then be applied to other problems with the help of the example as a guide.