Stephanie Felix

Professor Christensen

Edu 201

November 14, 2019

Educational Philosophy

I want to become a teacher because I have a passion for children and teaching. My

passion for teaching lies in the joy of being able to teach and enlighten children on both an

academic and personal level. As a teacher, I want to have a long-lasting positive impact on the

lives of as many children as possible. I believe that the experiences that have most inspired me to

be a teacher are the numerous encounters I have had with elementary school children during my

high school years. Throughout my high school years, I was always super involved in Student

Council, and we did a lot of volunteering with our local elementary schools. Every time I visited

the schools, I fell more and more in love with the art of helping children learn. It was through

these experiences that I grew a passion for helping children, and I knew that when I graduated

high school I wanted to go to college to become a teacher. Nonetheless, I want to become a

teacher because I want to be able to inspire and motivate young children to achieve and do things

they never thought they could. I want to become a strong supporter and advisor for all my

students, especially those who may not have a strong support system at home. Since I will be

teaching and shaping the next generation of our country, I understand that as a teacher I will not

only be serving the students, but their parents, and the overall community as well.

Becoming a teacher means accepting all the responsibilities that come with creating a

safe environment that promotes learning and student achievement, and I believe I am a good fit

with a lot to offer. Although I understand that I will need to learn specific strategies to ensure

effective teaching in the classroom, a number of characteristics of effective teachers are not
learned, because they come naturally. I am a naturally patient, caring, approachable and very

organized person all of which will help me be the best teacher I can possibly be. Being patient

and caring will allow me to never give up on my students. These character traits will push me to

try new ways to help my students succeed because I will be open to adopting new teaching

modalities to fit the needs of my students. Additionally, I am also a very approachable person,

and I know this will greatly benefit me as a teacher and communicator. As a teacher, I do not

want to intimidate my students, but instead, invite them to talk to feel comfortable talking to me.

Moreover, I am also a very organized person. Being organized a teacher will help me stay on top

of planning, keep track of student’s work and goals, and maintain a well-run classroom. Overall,

I strive for my students to see in me a friend and confidant whom they come to for help in any

situation, because I will do my all to assist them to the best of my ability.

My field observation has helped me gain insights into the teaching environment, and

strengthen my belief that I want to become a second-grade teacher. Based on my observation and

past experiences volunteering at my local elementary school, I learned that as a second-grade

teacher I will be responsible for introducing these students to mathematics, language, science,

and social studies. On top of being their instructor in class, I will also need to be a caregiver, and

attend their needs on a personal level in order to achieve success in the classroom. After

spending so much time with these students, in and outside of class, I learned that these students

will begin to view me as their role model. It is very common for young elementary students to

idolize their teachers, so I want to make sure that I model nothing but ethical behaviors and

positive attitudes to my students. I want my teaching to reflect not only how much I know, but

also who I am as a person. Parents entrust teachers with their beloved child for 180 days out of

the year, expecting that their child has nothing but the best, most honest and meaningful time at
school- and that puts a large load on teachers. But I want to be able to give my students, and their

parents just that.

Out of the five philosophical orientations to teaching, my philosophical orientation to

teaching is existentialism. By definition, an existentialist orientation to teaching emphasizes the

importance of individual, intellectual, and psychological devotion to living a meaningful life. In

other words, an existentialist philosophy drives an individual to discover and analyze the

meaning of life, their true selves, and the intimate purpose of their existence. This philosophy

pushes for individualism and the development of one’s self. Therefore, this philosophy goes hand

in hand with orientations of teaching because, in the existentialism philosophy, it is believed that

the most beneficial process for educating a student, is one that allows students to ask questions

and draw their own conclusions based on their observations. In the classroom, this means that

students are being taught with subject material that allows them to exercise their individual

freedom and choice to find the reason for their existence.

I fit the existentialism philosophy because I value free will, choice, and personal growth

both inside and outside the classroom. As a student and a future educator, I believe that

education should emphasize the search for personal meaning, not a fixed body of knowledge.

This means that in schools of all grade levels, students should be taught meaningful information

that relates to them and will directly benefit them in some way. Finding a purpose in life is an

ongoing process that stretches far beyond school but, as a teacher, I want to focus on helping

students find and exercise their strengths and passions. We need to push students to choose the

right career path that meets their needs, makes them happy, and reveals their purpose in life.

Likewise, I believe that effective teachers encourage personal reflection and self-awareness

among their students. As a teacher, it is important for me to encourage my students to think for

themselves and draw conclusions based on the information they are being presented. It is also
important for us, as teachers, to allow our students to make their own decisions and express their

authentic selves. By allowing students to make their own choices, to an extent, we will also teach

students that with their actions come consequences- some good, and some bad. Overall, as a

teacher, recognizing my personal philosophical orientation to teaching is important, because it

will help me focus on the true purpose of education, which for me is based on the existentialism

orientation to teaching.

The historical events that set the stage for how I think about students and schools are

President Bill Clinton’s Technology Literacy Challenge Fund (TLCF), and President George W.

Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act. President Bill Clinton’s focus on using technology in schools

largely affects my view of students and schools, because as a teacher, I want to effectively

incorporate technology into my classroom instruction. The main focus of the act was to collect

funds to ensure that every child in every school has access to technology. This act was put out in

1996, and since then technology has become even more vital to teaching and learning. As a

teacher, I want to lead a blended learning classroom in which I can use technology to help meet

all students’ needs and offer them ample learning opportunities. Along the same lines, the No

Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) signed into law by President George W. Bush also affects my

view on the education system. Prior to this act, teachers were averaging class scores, paying very

little attention to the students in the lower percentile. Teachers were just hoping that students in

the higher percentile would make up for the lower level students, and in turn, create an

acceptable class average. However, there was a major shift in education after this act was passed

in 2001 because this law held schools accountable for individual student achievement. I believe

that as a teacher, I must focus on meeting each individual student’s needs. It is my job to help

these students succeed. No student should be ignored because they are below grade level,

instead, they should be helped more until they reach grade level and meet the required standards.
 Along the same lines, I will use a number of instructional strategies to appeal to all my

students. I will make an effort to teach to a variety of learning styles. First off, I will intend to

teach my auditory learners through direct and interactive instruction. Some direct instruction

includes lectures in which I will explain using examples and educational videos. Then, some

interactive instruction techniques include leading class discussions and allowing students to

share their own ideas, and also hear their classmates’ interpretations. Moreover, I will intend to

teach my visual learners through direct and indirect instruction. I will first use direct instruction

by showing videos and demonstrating the concepts rather than just telling. When appropriate, I

will use graphs, images, and real objects to demonstrate to the class and give them a visual to

relate the information to. Additionally, I will write out the steps and processes for students as I

lecture so that my auditory learners can learn through hearing, and my visual learners can learn

through seeing. Then, I will let the students learn through problem-solving which is an example

of indirect instruction. Without realizing it, students will learn through trial and error when trying

to find a solution to the given problem, whether it be in math, science, or social studies. Lastly, I

will teach my kinesthetic learners through independent and experimental instruction. I will

encourage these students to learn by allowing them to do and try things out on their own after my

demonstrations and lectures. For my kinesthetic learners that learn through movement, I will also

encourage them to make and use their flashcards to study for a test, or practice their math

functions. Just like making flashcards is a form of independent instruction, allowing students to

learn through games is an example of experimental instruction. Overall, I will incorporate direct,

indirect, interactive, independent, and experimental instruction to adequately teach all my

students and provide equal educational opportunities for all.

When it comes to assessing students’ mastery of a subject, I will assess them in various

ways that allow students to execute their strengths to their fullest potential. I will rely on both
direct and indirect techniques to assess student learning. Some direct and more standard testing

methods I will use to measure student learning are: written tests, quizzes, and exams. On the

other hand, some indirect testing methods I will use to measure student learning are: oral

presentations, multimedia presentations, and visual models or diagrams. Students do not all learn

the same, so I believe that in order to effectively measure student achievement, I need to try to

appeal to the students’ strengths, intelligences, and talents. I can not just rely on the standard

paper and pencil tests to assess student learning. In my classroom, I will take into consideration

student’s different learning styles, intelligences, and talents when finding an appropriate way to

assess student learning for each specific lesson.

When it comes to diversity in the classroom, I will embrace it and I will teach the

students in my class to do the same. A rule in my classroom will be to always treat others with

respect, and be kind with your words and actions. The purpose of this rule is to make sure

students are respecting their classmates, teachers, themselves, and the classroom. This goes far

beyond using kind words when addressing others but also being kind with their actions. Through

this rule, I hope to teach students to be tolerant and embrace their differences, because different

is the norm. As a teacher, I believe it is important that I treat the students with respect and

integrity so that the students can learn to model my behavior and treat others with respect as

well. By promoting respect, and thus acceptance of everyone’s differences in the classroom, I

will be creating a safe and welcoming environment in which students feel safe to be themselves.

It is the students’ varied backgrounds, ethnicities, and experiences that will bring different

perspectives to the classroom and enrich equal learning for all.

In order to become an elementary school teacher, I first need to obtain the proper degrees,

a state certification, and pass a series of rigorous tests to prove that I have mastered the

knowledge of subject material. To continue my journey to become a teacher, I will take all the
required courses at the College of Southern Nevada to obtain an Associate of Arts in Elementary

Education. Then, I will continue my studies at the University of Nevada- Las Vegas where I will

take the required courses to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. However, prior

to gaining admission into the teacher education program at the University of Nevada- Las Vegas,

I will also have to pass my Praxis Core Exams. Theses Praxis Core Academic Skills for

Educators tests are designed to measure my academic skills and content knowledge in reading,

writing, and mathematics. These tests are also required for state certification in the state of

Nevada, which is where I plan to teach. In fact, after I complete 60 credits and pass my Praxis

Core exams, I want to begin to substitute at local elementary schools in order to gain experience

and exposure. While being a substitute teacher at elementary schools, I also want to become a

volunteer. I want to get into the field and learn as much as I can before I graduate and become a

licensed teacher. Furthermore, I also want to start building a good reputation in the school district

so that I can get a job in a school that I am familiar and comfortable with.

In all, in order to be a successful teacher, I not only need to earn a full state certification,

but I also need to establish a foundation for my classroom that extends far beyond education. As

a teacher, I need to get to know my students’ on a personal level. I need to get to know their

attitudes, strengths, talents, educational and emotional needs, so I can adapt and relate more to

my students. By getting to know all of my students on a personal level, they will not only feel

safe to come talk to me, but they will also feel welcome, and a part of the classroom. This will

create an environment in which they feel safe to be their authentic selves. On top of that, I need

to practice effective problem-solving, instructional, communication, and classroom management

skills so that the students could make learning their main focus. In order to keep the students

safe, I also need to be aware of emergency procedures and any individual accommodations the

student may need. Above all, as a teacher, I understand that just as I will never stop teaching, I
will also never stop learning- learning new things about the students, the material, and how to

improve as a teacher. My main goal in the classroom is to have the students want to learn to their

fullest potential.