My Educational Philosophy

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Lastly, I would like to teach my high school business class in a lecture format, followed by a hands-on question & answer segment with group examples. I feel this is the best possible approach for business students because I would be able to get information across throughout the lecture portion of the class, and then I would be able to clarify and teach students how to apply whatever was taught that day. My thought is that this method is a best of both worlds scenario. Students who prefer getting information and beginning work would enjoy the lecture segment and then get started on the assignment for the day, while students who need more attention (ex. slower learning students, students with exceptionalities, etc.) can write down questions that they may have and have me guide them to figure out what they misunderstood in a one on one or small group scenarios. Eventually, through self-correcting of their errors, the students would (hopefully) grasp the concepts and be able to put them to practice. Speaking more generally, the Pragmatist’s curriculum would be favorable to implement. The Pragmatist’s curriculum has a primary focus on making & doing, with students being taught how to manipulate raw materials and tools, giving them a crucial understanding of tasks that everyone should know (ex. How to change a tire). In addition to making and doing, students are still taught a vast array of different subjects. Therefore, if they have interests in the sciences or history, they can still pursue further education in those subjects (i.e. post-secondary degree). As for what should be left out of education, one’s personal, religious and political views have no need in education. Even though teachers are humans too, personal interests that could hinder one’s education should be kept out of the classroom. In addition, children should be able to come to their own conclusions when it comes to both religion and politics. While it is important for students to be aware of both religious and political issues, the educator must make certain that they do not influence their students with their own views.

In conclusion, the philosophical view that I will incorporate into my educational philosophy if I become a teacher is Pragmatism. This view fits best with me because of my business background and acumen. Pragmatism is based on learning through experimentation and testing, which is what I have learned throughout my years of studying business. Seemingly so, should I follow education as my eventual career choice, I desire to become a business teacher, with my role being to guide the students and teach them with a “best of both worlds” format, which includes lecturing and group discussion. The curriculum in my view, should be exactly as the Pragmatist’s envisioned, with making & doing being the most important, accompanied by history, geography, science, physical education and language taking a back seat.

I know this isn’t 4.5 pages but I tried my best and this is all I could do while staying concise ☹.