Philosophy of Education



My philosophy of education is centered on the needs of the student. From the most basic perspective, it is my responsibility to ensure that the student is able to learn what I am teaching. This is not simply a matter of me getting up in front of the class and teaching while the student makes sure they do their part by learning. My role is to enable learning by ensuring that I meet the diverse learning needs of all my students. I was taught that it is not the student’s responsibility to learn the way I teach but rather, it is my job to make sure that I teach in the ways that students learn.

Today’s classroom is filled with students with varying levels of ability, abilities, learning styles, multiple intelligences, and cultural backgrounds. In short, every student in the classroom has their own unique learning needs. As the teacher it is my responsibility to make sure that I meet those varied needs as I present my lessons and units to the class. I cannot possibly teach every lesson individually for each student, but I can make sure that I vary my instructional strategies and techniques so that I am able to connect with each of my students throughout the day or week. If I make sure that I differentiate my approach to classroom instruction, then I will be better able to help my students become engaged within their learning.

I also believe, that while I need to cover the required subject matter set out by the Ministry of Learning, I am teaching more than curriculum – I am teaching children. I need to understand my students and develop a student / teacher relationship with them that fosters a positive learning environment. Completing the curriculum is not enough if the students don’t understand it. That means that I have to approach the Learning Outcomes of the curriculum by meeting my students where they are and developing my lessons to move forward from that point.

It is important to utilize assessment for more that just providing a mark for a report card. Assessment of student learning is just as important as the instruction that comes before it. The assessment can help me to understand the student’s level of comprehension and whether I need to spend more time on a topic or move on to the next concept. Once a unit of study is completed, then assessment can provide feedback to the student on their understanding and application of the subject matter.

Combined, I believe that education is a process where the teacher works together with their students to create and encourage learning possibilities. By understanding and valuing each student’s unique abilities and needs, the teacher is able to help students become engaged in their learning. This is a nurturing student / teacher relationship where the teacher cares enough about their student’s progress to incorporate assessments aimed at encouraging learning. It’s all about working with my students to help them reach their learning potential.