My Philosophical Statement

I've been working on this statement all semester, and the wording is still subject to change.  However, here is what I have so far.

The purpose of education is to discover truth.  Whether these truths lie in science, mathematics, or the nature of the human person, we must believe that truth is obtainable, and every person must decide how they respond to what they think is true.  Students should be taught to perceive the world in consistent terms.  With a persistent worldview, students can learn to make sound decisions with predictable results.  Because I feel that truth is obtainable, I enjoy the writings of authors who share this belief.  Now, while eternal concepts exist and must be obtained, every individual should have the opportunity to discover these ideas through his or her own interactive experience.  Until a child understands that an idea has meaning for him or her, that idea may seem foreign and ethereal instead of applicable and necessary for growth.  In my search for truth, I identify with the Perennialist school of thought.

However, in terms of instruction, I follow the school of the Progressivists.  I care about the individual's needs, and I understand the differences from mind to mind as different people grapple with the same concepts.  All truth occurs within the human frame of reference, and I see communication and social practice as one of the primary functions of the school experience.  The ability to read and speak fluently is the most important tool for participating in the social process.  Individuals should be recognized for their achievements, but I also see major benefits to working in groups to discover individuality and to develop a sense of social responsibility.

My classroom management plan is simple. It is character-based and grounded in ethics. At the beginning of the year, students will assist in defining the rights of the students in the classroom. Students will be given positions of responsibility and leadership which will foster involvement, care, and reliance on fellow classmates. We will discuss and practice ethical decision-making. Some example tenets of my classroom ethics are trustworthiness, loyalty, friendship, helpfulness, kindness, good cheer, cleanliness, and bravery.