Take Five--Philosophy of Education

My philosophy is broadening. Early in my career, I wrote my philosophy to challenge students, to plant the seed (cliche as it is) so that they become life-learners, and to create empathetic students. I still adhere to those believes and feel strengthened in their mantras. It drives me to change my lessons every year. What I have added that I feel so passionately about is trying (even if in small ways) to prepare my students for their future. I feel that so few of our students will be English majors, but that thinking, engaging with text, analyzing text, and writing about it, is certainly found in any major. I am constantly online searching universities for their writing programs, what's required in say, the business department (in regards to writing), etc. I am amazed at what our students will be asked of and think that we can press beyond what literature has to offer and enrich the text through real-world connections.

Personally, I also have changed my philosophy to include me. I want to continue to learn, to stretch myself, to find new ways to teach a thesis statement, to find news sparks of interest engaging students in a text, etc. I want to find ways to engage myself. I find myself frustrated at times at the unkind words thrown at colleagues, the patronizing words dripped onto new teachers...or new ideas, but I also find myself excited, becoming a learner all over again. I want to stretch myself the way I am asking my students to do so.

A paradigm shift, no, but a gathering of tools, resources to ignite the desire to stay an educator, is all part of my philosophy of education.