EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY Spring 2010
The foundation of my educational philosophy is rooted in the belief
that education should be equitable, not necessarily equal. Students’
personalities should not be stifled by the educational experience afforded
them through structured schooling. As the primary goal of education is to
promote real-life application of textbook concepts and the ability to
effectively reason, it is imperative to address the individual needs of each
student and assess accordingly. Through careful planning and
preparation on the part of the teacher, positive attitudes toward
education, as well as individualized instructional methods, it is my firm
belief that we can equip children with the skills needed to build the
bridges that will ultimately allow them to traverse the world.
Preparation and planning are crucial elements in the classroom. This
goes far beyond the daily task of lesson preparation, but begins with the
formal education of the instructor. Like many pioneers in the field, such as
Erasmus and Aristotle, I believe that teachers must be well-versed in the
subject matter they are teaching and held to the highest standard when
it comes to continuing their education. In my first year of teaching, two
colleagues incorrectly taught order of operations to each of their three
mathematics classes. Though this may be a seemingly small error, the
students in their classes suffered tremendously as a result of their
ignorance to the subject matter. As teachers shortages pose a larger
problem each year for administrators attempting to fill positions, this
Sara Beth Honsinger
Page 1
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY Spring 2010
situation is becoming increasingly common. We, as educators, hold the
future of our students in our hands each day as we attempt to arm them
with the necessary tools to navigate not only their school careers, but
inevitably life in society. When diminished faith in a teacher’s knowledge
of subject material enters a student’s mind, the door is opened for a
myriad of issues, none of which are easily remedied.
School should be a safe place for students to express themselves
freely. Having a strong background in law enforcement, I feel bullying and
other forms of school violence, of which should absolutely not tolerated
by school personnel, have become one of the bigger problems facing
our youth. However, though physical safety is definitely an integral part of
a child’s overall security, it is not the only component. A child’s emotional
security in the classroom is also to be considered. As a number of children
tend to possess natural leadership abilities, I think the development of
those skills toward a positive end is a critical need in the educational
system. Positive leadership among children is an essential helpmate in
reducing school violence and potential bullying. Students are often not
taught, either at home or in school, that they have a voice and do not
have to consent to the plethora of methods used by bullies to devalue
others. radKIDS is a personal safety and empowerment program that has
gained national recognition and exemplifies the ideals that lead to higher
Sara Beth Honsinger
Page 2
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY Spring 2010
self-concepts and productive empowerment in children. Instructors
emphasize the following three basic rules.
1. No one has the right to hurt me because I am special.
2. I don’t have the right to hurt anybody, including myself, but if
someone does try to hurt me, I have to right to stop them.
3. It’s not my fault, so I can tell.
By reinforcing these rules, instructors give children their voice. As a
certified instructor for the program, I implement those three basic rules into
my classroom management plan and utilize them to facilitate effective
character education.
Changes in society call for changes in the educational system of
this nation; therefore, I am a steadfast proponent of multicultural
education. It is not enough to simply introduce students to other cultures
and hope for the best. Increasing numbers of children come from
drastically diverse family backgrounds; many children have single parents,
guardians other biological mothers and fathers (i.e. grandparents, aunts,
uncles, etc.), gay or lesbian parents, or are wards of the state. It is crucial
to their development, socially as well as academically, that we educate
the children in a manner that is least likely to add to their internal
database of stereotypes. There is a greater need than ever for innovative
affective character education. In my opinion one of the greatest
responsibilities as an educator is to facilitate the development of children
Sara Beth Honsinger
Page 3
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY Spring 2010
with regard to the acceptance of differing individuals and concepts.
There is nothing more distressing that a student who has closed his/her
mind to a new idea because it is not comfortable. In an age of diversity,
where we are confronted everyday with people that are different from us,
we must not only tolerate but accept those differences. When the
classroom environment sets the stage for acceptance, students are more
likely to feel secure in expressing their opinions and views. This begins with
the teacher. In the classroom there is no room for a close-minded
teacher, as that attitude of superiority is highly contagious and will
eventually contaminate the entire learning environment.
When teachers foster feelings of hope, compassion, and genuine
concern, students will be more likely to give their all. Teachers have the
power to directly influence the children in their classes, either positively or
negatively. Attitude is contagious, whether pessimistic or encouraging.
Learning should be fun and exciting and should drive students in their thirst
for knowledge. Teachers and administrators alike can enhance those
feelings by modeling that enthusiasm. The school environment greatly
affects the productivity of students, faculty, and staff. I believe that the
more we detach ourselves and move away from a collaborative group of
professionals in the schools dedicated to providing students a sense of
security in a failure-free environment, the less the children will feel driven
to stand out, by expressing original ideas. When presented with the
Sara Beth Honsinger
Page 4
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY Spring 2010
opportunity to be themselves in a colorful, engaging atmosphere,
students perform better, and strive to better accommodate the teachers.
The foundation of a self-governing discipline model must be laid, but from
there students will be able to self-correct and motivate.
I feel strongly that more needs to be done to promote achievement
in girls. Less likely to pursue prestigious careers than their male
counterparts, females are falling through the cracks in the educational
system, and as educators we should take steps to provide adolescent girls
with the knowledge and opportunities to maximize their potential. There
should be leadership activities and opportunities to encourage the
females in elementary schools to pursue higher level math and science
courses to prepare them for more non-traditional female career choices.
There needs be a transition from the stereotypical mindset, and it must
begin with the foundational belief that anything is possible if one works
toward their goal. Having worked in a male-dominated profession before
becoming a teacher, I am highly sensitive to the trials faced by women in
those types of work environments. My parents laid the foundation in grade
school, encouraging me at every turn. Through that, I learned that a belief
in one’s self and support from teachers and parents along the way will
yield remarkable effects in young women beginning their journeys.
Increased emotional issues faced by students, both male and
female, also make a markedly applicable argument for self-esteem
Sara Beth Honsinger
Page 5
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY Spring 2010
building exercises in the classroom. The suicide rate in teenagers is
startling, and children are contemplating suicide at earlier ages. Teen
pregnancy, delinquency, and drug use all contribute to declines in
student achievement, often resulting in increased dropout rates. I feel that
self-empowerment programs should be implemented in the classrooms
along with character education. There are a number of wonderful
programs that teach children the dangers of drugs and alcohol. However,
if we do not make a conscious effort to teach children the dangers of
sacrificing their identity and moral fortitude, all the drug awareness
education is for naught. We teach our students how important they are
and how valuable their individuality is, regardless of their quirks.
Empowerment through self-realization is not only an effective tool in
combating social trials and peer pressure, but in attaining academic
success as well. Students are the most precious commodity that our
nation has, and they should be made aware of such throughout their
educational experience. This is not to pressure them into fitting a cookiecutter mold prescribed by teachers, but to embrace their uniqueness,
revel in it, capitalize upon it, and become the very best they can be.
I believe that teachers serve as facilitators of learning. It is not
enough to stand before the class and give lecture, despite the orator’s
skill in engaging students. The established curriculum should be a primary
means to direct and outline instruction; however, it is also necessary to
Sara Beth Honsinger
Page 6
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY Spring 2010
navigate the educational experience according to the students’ needs
and understanding. I am a staunch believer in Howard Gardner’s Multiple
Intelligences. When students are allowed the opportunity to learn by
whatever means with which they are naturally blessed, they are more
likely to succeed. Teachers should guide students toward exploration by
questioning, and in turn, should immediately address questions posed to
them. Children are inquisitive by nature, though their creativity and drive
for discovery is often trampled by the school environment as they are
asked to recall and regurgitate facts in preparation for high stakes testing.
Teaching opportunities are to be optimized whenever they are presented,
whether academic or character building in nature.
The tides have changed drastically in the last few decades with
regard to parental involvement in the education of their children;
however, the effects of students’ home environments have not dwindled.
This necessitates a proactive approach on the teachers’ parts to include
parents in classroom procedures, be aware of the conditions that students
face at home, and provide the most meaningful educational experiences
possible. The lines of communication must be open between teacher and
parents at the beginning of the school year and should foster positive a
mindset in all parties, including the student. I believe that positive notes
home or phone calls periodically help diminish the “you’re-just-out-to-getmy-child” mentality in the event that reprimand or intervention is in order
Sara Beth Honsinger
Page 7
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY Spring 2010
later in the year. Students who come from families with low levels of
involvement will also benefit from the positive reinforcement, as they may
not get it anywhere else.
I think that gifted education should be given much more
consideration in the classroom. Individuals with gifts and talents should
also be given equal opportunities to grow academically and progress at
their own pace. There are a myriad of ways to cater to those needs in the
regular education environment, though time restraints and other imposed
responsibilities on teachers (i.e. test preparation, working with low
achieving students) often makes it difficult to find the time to enrich
lessons for advanced students. My personal experiences, along with those
of my younger sister, have made me truly appreciate the value of
acceleration in the educational journey. I was involved in a telescoping
approach to high school and early admittance to college, while my sister
skipped a grade. All three methods of acceleration are incredibly
effective. I struggle to understand the opposition from school personnel in
the K-12 arena with regards to acceleration. My argument for
acceleration can be best depicted through an analogy. If you go buy a
car that will do 110 miles per hour straight off the car lot, why, then, would
you even consider setting the cruise control at 25? The internals of the car
suffer from atrophy and eventually, when given the opportunity to really
test its limits, the car will not function at its top performance speed. The
Sara Beth Honsinger
Page 8
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY Spring 2010
same goes for gifted students. When not allowed to pursue their
education at their pace, it is possible that when they are permitted to
open up, their skills and creativity will not be as powerful.
Students should be actively involved in their learning experiences;
there cannot be a passive approach. In that regard, contributions from
Comenius have had a major impact on my teaching style. Students given
the opportunity to see it, touch it, taste it and smell it will more likely recall
not only the activity, but also the concepts learned during such. This
correlates heavily with the concept of multiple intelligences, as many
children do not learn best from the typical lecture format utilized in
schools. We must take the time as educators to understand our children’s
needs and developmental stages when preparing lessons and build from
that foundation. When scaffolding previously acquired knowledge
students will be more successful and have more meaningful experiences.
In that same vein, Pestalozzi stressed the importance of moving from
concrete examples to more abstract thought. Using object lessons to
teach the concrete gives children the opportunity to really wrap their
minds around a concept before taking it further into the abstract. The only
way to facilitate life-long learning processes is to literally teach children
how to make sense of it all.
I believe that the most significant purpose of schooling is to
educate children, cognitively and socially, and prepare them with all the
Sara Beth Honsinger
Page 9
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY Spring 2010
knowledge needed to be highly functioning members of society. Formal
education should provide the navigational tools needed to traverse the
life-long journey of learning. The caliber of environment and the focus of
the teacher which characterize a child’s educational experience will
make a tremendous impact on their future. Attitude is contagious, and
knowing such, I believe it is imperative that teachers make a conscious
decision to be a positive influence on their students and prepare them
with a love of learning to last throughout their lives. It is not enough to
simply teach them facts that can be recalled, but to implement critical
thinking skills that will better arm them in the battles they will face in the
adult social order. Education transcends testable knowledge.
Sara Beth Honsinger
Page 10