My philosophy of education is focused primarily on preparing students for the world they will be entering when they leave high school. I know that some of my students will be going to college, but many of them will also be walking right into the work-force. I want to provide them with the skills and tools they need to be successful in either. In theory I want my teaching to be student focused, where they are driving their personal learning, but I also feel that it is important to introduce them to the Great Works and classics. Everyone should have a working knowledge of classical literature. The more you know about literature and its history the funnier the world becomes, if nothing else.
I think know that I struggle to make my classroom student centered. Sometimes I feel that I am the only vehicle available to deliver knowledge to my students. Of course we have books and students are required to read, but there is so much information out there, it is difficult to give it to them myself. If they have a tool (technology, whatever device it may be) to go out there and discover it themselves, that puts learning in their hands. So a more updated version of my philosophy of education might look something like this:
Learning should be student focused. Students should be expected to discover information and develop their own conclusion based on their discoveries. As a teacher, the main role in the classroom should be to guide and question. When students leave the classroom they should be more prepared to enter into the work-force or study in the college/university setting.
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