Running head: STATEMENT OF PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY
Statement of Personal Philosophy
Abby Day
University of Montevallo
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STATEMENT OF PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY
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Article I. Education
I believe learning is constant and knowledge is power. Therefore, I will strive to
equip students with the necessary life skills to function in society. During the Middle Ages
only the Catholic clergy could read Latin and interpret the Bible. Therefore, the clergy
maintained control over the common people. The Protestant Reformation encouraged a
personal faith and translation of the Bible into vernacular. Thus, power transferred from
the clergy to the masses. I will strive to instill positive, individual strategies so students can
improve their knowledge and have the power to control their future.
I believe effective learning is active learning. For many, history lessons present
opportunities for lecture and note taking teaching methods. I want students to grasp
important concepts they can use later in life. Although background information is important,
students must participate in their education. History is more than facts. It also
encompasses culture. Therefore, I will strive to incorporate opportunities for discussion
and interactive activities. For example, how do you teach about the Jazz Age without listening
to jazz? Introducing students to musicians like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong is vital to
understanding the 1920s. I plan to incorporate music, art, costume history, classic film and
social customs (including dancing and etiquette) into my lesson plans. Benjamin Franklin said,
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
Article II. Curriculum
I believe knowledge is constantly changing. Many theories of the past have been
altered or debunked. Even historical ideas change. Therefore, I will strive to equip
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students with the few absolute “truths” and teach them techniques to develop their own
conclusions based on information and events.
I believe students should be involved in their own learning process. Therefore, I will
strive to evaluate my class personalities and ask students for their opinions on classroom
activities. I will modify lesson plans and techniques to better serve students’ educational
needs.
I believe students should construct their own opinions by using their own personal
values and social customs. Therefore, I will strive to link past social and cultural events
with current issues. It is important for students to understand past events and their
relevancy to everyday life. Additionally, these issues will aid in promoting tolerance in an
increasingly diverse world.
Article III. Teaching
I believe teachers are the facilitators of education. Therefore, I will strive to impart
my love of learning to my students. Positive attitudes about education are vital to learning.
I will also provide an inviting and creative environment.
I believe educators teach essential skills need to be informed and active citizens in
society. Therefore, I will strive to provide opportunities for service learning projects that
incorporate synthesizing and analyzing information.
Article IV. Schooling
I believe schools are social institutions. Students spend most of their formative
years in classrooms, engaging with teachers and fellow classmates. In many ways, schools
provide opportunities for interactions with people of various backgrounds, ethnicity, and
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beliefs. Schools prepare students for the diverse “real world.” Therefore, I will strive to
promote understanding and tolerance in my classroom. Additionally, I will strive to
discourage stereotyping and bullying. America was founded upon the principle that “all
men are created equal” and citizens have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness.” This extends into my classroom as well.
I believe schools provide the structure needed to facilitate proper behavior in
society. Schools instill rules, discipline, and other means of promoting correct social
behavior. Therefore, I will strive to maintain an orderly classroom using rules and other
guidelines.
I believe, as an educator, I possess an existentialist and reconstructionist approach
to teaching. As a social reconstructionist, I will incorporate academic subjects with socially
meaningful actions. Therefore, I will strive to provide learning opportunities that both
instruct students and aim to improve society (service learning projects). Hopefully by
implementing these lessons, students will become proficient problem solvers. To
incorporate my existentialism beliefs, I will promote individuality and creativity in my
classroom.
Overall, I believe it necessary to include all of the student-centered philosophies in
my teaching. The students are most important and finding interactive ways to encourage
them to learn is a teacher’s responsibility.