My Philosophy of Education

JOSELINE MANUEL-SANTOS, Ph.D.

Introduction

Philosophy is the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct (reference.com). It is an investigation of thought for further support one’s thinking. 

For eighteen years in the field of education, I have acquired beliefs and ideas that support my teaching and these are presented in this paper. 

Personal Philosophy of Education

“If you want to change the things around you, start from where you are.” This is my personal philosophy in life and it supports my ideology in teaching which is, “I myself, as a teacher will teach with whole heart, with all my strength to help each student to discover their potentials and enlighten their minds to the importance of their existence here on earth.” Every teacher is looking forward for the improvement of his/her students; it can only be attained if the teacher is an inspiring person for the students to be influenced. 

Teacher-Student Relationship

Inspiring teachers produce inspired students. More of us need to get involved in working with our young people instead of being so quick to criticize. (Something to Smile About, Zig Ziglar, p.117). The youngsters are like clay that is molded through the environment surrounded them and teachers play the most important role in this part. “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice” (Philippians 4:9). Every interaction in the classroom, teachers serve as models, in every action makes, directly or indirectly, teachers influence students. As educators, be very careful in everything that comes into mind, for thoughts become words; be very careful in everything that comes out from the mouth, for words become actions. Words have power, be careful what to say, it can make or break a person. Raymond S. Sanchez, in his interview in Quality teacher magazine says, “The quality of education and of students depends much on the quality of teachers. More than just being concerned about intellectual development, he believes that teachers must strive for the overall development of their students and of themselves.” A student development relies on the hand of the teacher, making a difference to the life of a student is a huge responsibility in each and every educator in the field. Teachers are therefore expected to build a strong character with moral values herself and inevitably help her students achieve the same thing.

How Students Learn

"The biggest mistake of past centuries in teaching has been to treat all children as if they were variants of the same individual, and thus to feel justified in teaching them the same subjects in the same ways." (Howard Gardner, 1994) 

NOT ALL LEARNERS ARE ALIKE. The model of differentiated instruction requires teachers to be flexible in their approach to teaching and to adjust the curriculum and presentation of information to learners rather than expecting students to adapt themselves to the curriculum.

In a differentiated classroom, teachers begin where their students are, not where they feel she should be or as the curriculum dictates. Instructional methodologies vary and are adapted to meet the needs of individual and diverse learners.

To ensure effective teaching and learning, teachers need to link tightly three key elements of the curriculum: content, process, and product. By definition, differentiated instruction is consistently using a variety of instructional approaches to modify content, process, and/or products in response to learning readiness and the interests of academically diverse learners.

1. Content: what students should come to know (facts), understand (concepts and principles), and be able to do (skills) as a result of a given segment of study.
2. Process: describes activities designed to ensure that students use key skills to make sense of the content.

3. Product: vehicles through which students demonstrate and extend what they have learned as a result of a considerable segment of learning. 

Students inside the classroom are different in many ways. Teacher should be aware of the uniqueness of his/her students. Differentiated instruction and activities must be implemented in the classroom. In this way the teacher is catering the needs and capabilities of the students; it is a way of helping each child to develop to what he/she can be.

Who is to be educated?

I was inspired by St. Augustine’s philosophy on who is to be educated. According to him, education is a passion and a process of opening up the mind to ideas and critical thinking ("skeptical philosophy"). In that sense, all people, regardless of class should be given the opportunity to be educated. Certainly no elitist, not one to reserve his time and energy for those he considered worthy of a reply.

The government must support the life-long education of each citizen in the country. The state is responsible to the intellectual development of each individual because human resource is the key to national development.

Preparing Education students in the best possible way for their future roles as teachers is very vital. It is then very important that the curriculum for teachers designed in such a way that it equips education students with substantial knowledge of subject content, expertise in executing teaching methodologies, and adequate exposure to and experience in actual teaching, all aimed at encouraging student learning (Quality Teacher, vol.8, no. 2, p.25).

 

After earning a degree in doctoral study, hopefully in five year time, I am planning to move to tertiary education to teach in the college of education where the future teachers are there. I believe that quality education entails quality teachers; quality teachers produce quality students. I believe that teacher entails to the performance of students. There are lots of strategies that can be used to cater the individual differences of students. What students are looking for is a teacher who can touch their lives through everyday delivery of the lesson. Much time must really be devoted in planning to make differentiated instruction inside the classroom.

I believe, in stepping a higher level of taking responsibility, I can make a difference in the quality of education for the future teacher of this country. My philosophy in life is:
“If you want to change the things around you, start from where you are.”

If every teacher inside the classroom is developed not only professionally but also personally with spirituality, I know that we will develop quality and competent students who can help our developing country to move on to a progressive and sooner to a developed country.

-JM Santos

Work Makes the World Go Round

           

            Have you ever wondered how each people spend their day and night? If you look at them they are busy; each has something to do, something to accomplish, and a target to reach. They walk in a hurry, early in the morning, always trying to be on time. They never notice how time flies and having a break is their only time for oneself. But sometimes, we still need to spend time with others too. It is a relief when the clock reaches five o’clock because it is time to go home and be with family and friends. But this is not the reality for all. Some still need to stay for more. One’s concept of work may be favorable or not depending on which aspect of discussion is presented.

Work is good and important when we are talking about all the benefits that work is providing us. First, work is our bread and butter. It takes care of the financial requirements of living and surviving. Life is going to be difficult without work because survival requires the basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter. Without work, how can they be acquired? Work also provides a sense of pride. It boosts one’s confidence especially when you are happy and satisfied with your work. It also gives you a sense of satisfaction, accomplishment and self-worth. Work promotes progress as well. When work is provided, people will have an opportunity to improve their life status, thus progress is expected to come after.

            Too much work definitely is not good. Imagine pushing yourself to work hard on something that you don’t feel rewarding and enjoyable. Things could have been done but done only for the sake of accomplishing the task to earn and nothing else. Work could also cause too much stress to many people. Since they are not happy and satisfied with their work, their output is very poor and deadlines are so hard to beat. Work when not provided can cause negative impact on progress. Since the country cannot provide work for its people, many will migrate abroad and would try their luck there. This is the usual scenario in a third world countries where unemployment is sky high and income is low.

            It is said that you have to be thankful because you have work, or should we say work should be thankful because there are people that will get things done. I see it in this way, work is created because of the needs of people. People work in different industries, those which are producing goods or providing services. All of these industries provide the needs of people. The world of work is just a cycle, you earn, you spend, they earn, they spend; but one thing is for sure, through work, the world continuously develop because work make sense for our living. We work to live and progress and not live and progress to work. Love your work and enjoy life. This is work! It makes the world go round.

The Real Basic

The Real Basics

          For teaching  in the Basic Education for fifteen years, I guess I can say that I know “THE REAL BASICS”.  Education graduates are the next batch of facilitators and activators of learning. Even if the role of teachers transformed from being the controller and source of knowledge to a guide, motivator and trainer of independent learning, their presence is still very much needed in the process. As a provider of graduates who shall carry this noble task, we tend to ask ourselves – “What kind of graduates do we produce?” From the number of subjects to be taken in Professional Education, it seems like everything is important, everything must be remembered, and everything has to be applied. Are we expecting our future teachers to master everything? What are the real basics of teaching in the Basic Education?

       Once you get there after being hired as a probationary teacher, you have to show your guts, they are expecting something from you. Mastery of the subject matter, lesson planning, teaching strategies, writing test questions and classroom management are just some of the expectations of your colleagues and coordinators. But, actually when you are already there just remember these three things:  develop a sense of commitment to the profession, empathy with students, and cordial relations with the colleagues.

       Developing a sense of commitment is knowing the teacher’s obligation to the profession. Once we enter in this course, after the series of activities and practices done inside the classroom and up to practice teaching, we have to embrace everything attached to it.  Name it and a teacher would do it. It is a job where rest is just an option, because work is always there, just waiting to be done. Have you ever thought of while you are resting, sitting on your couch, watching TV or browsing your Facebook account, at the same time you are checking quizzes and test papers? How about while lying on your bed, you are planning the activity that your students will be doing in your class the next day? How about while washing dishes, you are thinking of a strategy that is most appropriate for a particular topic and considering also the diversity of your students? How about while you are on your way to the market, and you are thinking of what motivation could be catchy? Want more examples? Ask a teacher.

       Empathy with students has something to do with our understanding towards their feelings. Students at their young age, experience a lot of things in their lives. Frustration is one of them. It could be problems from home wherein conflicts among family members exist; classmates who bring pressure; or teachers who can’t make their lessons easily understood. What can we do as teachers? Make the experience of the students inside your class develop their potential and self-confidence. Teachers bring a big impact to the lives of the students. Students see hope in us, let us not fail them.

        Cordial relations with the colleagues is something that really need to be given attention. Many teachers don’t develop commitment to the institution because of the pressure coming from co-teachers. The demand of “pakikisama” is very evident for an entrant to get the sympathy of others. It takes effort, patience and strong determination. Colleagues are always grouped into three: those who will challenge you, those who will help you and those who won’t mind your existence. These are the kinds of people who are waiting for you in the field.

       Teachers should never consider the idea that teaching is a career. For fifteen years of practice in education, for me teaching is far more than a career; it comes with a very noble responsibility of preparing the next generation to survive the demands of the time and become catalysts of social transformation. I am not saying that we don’t expect gains in return, in fact to some it is their bread and butter. Fifteen years ago, after graduating, I tried teaching as a job. As years passed by, I did not realize that I have given my life to it. At the start, I wanted to perform well for my superiors to know that I am good. Now, I am giving my best, I am doing my best and I sacrifice a lot not to get appreciation from my superiors but because I want my students to get the kind of education that they deserve. Now, when I am giving advice to new the teachers, I would always tell them that once they did something better for their students, they are also doing the same thing to their superiors and to the school.

        Schools should provide a structured program for novice teachers through a mentoring program. According to a study, teachers who were provided with multiple supports, were less likely to move to other schools and less likely to leave teaching occupation altogether after their first year. Some forms of assistance and support, however, did not appear to increase beginners’ retention (Ingersoll and Smith). Becoming a teacher does not end to being competent to the area of the study or being used to the school environment but most of all is being a person with good values. Together with the effectiveness of a teacher in the subject, a personal character must also be visible along the teaching. This is what each teacher should strengthen to his/her teaching. Look at the leaders we have now in our country, all of them graduated from prestigious universities with honors but how they are performing their duties and responsibilities? They all have the skills and knowledge but personal values are sometimes missing and if seems like their conscience is not  bothering them anymore.

       Everything must start within. If all teachers possess commitment and values, our students and colleagues will definitely imbibe them. Create a positive difference in everything we do. This will only happen if we are doing THE REAL BASICS.

                                                                                        –Joseline Manuel-Santos, Ph.D.