Educational Theory And Philosophy
Education is the backbone of society. In its absence, an individual will not be able to learn the basics of life, learning and discipline, thus regarding him to be a mere mammal. Therefore, much emphasis has been given to providing relevant education via optimum teaching methods. Such methods are supported by educational theories and philosophies that are integral to providing design-oriented teaching that enables the individuals to grasp the lessons well. Therefore, this paper presents itself as a position paper where my preferred educational theory and philosophical orientation will be discussed.
As a teacher, the relationships I have with my students are the only thing I want to remember. I'd want to speak to them about issues that are important to them, their worldviews, and the material we'll be covering in class. This will enable me to comprehend how they see and respond to the things we will be discussing in class. My classroom should be more like a community in which everyone exchanges ideas, communicates with one another, and learns from one another than a traditional classroom. I want to help children's education by integrating them into their learning environment, fostering higher-order thinking skills, and appreciating their viewpoints and experiences.
Therefore, owing to the stated context, in terms of relating to a philosophical orientation, I align with progressivism. DiCindio & Steinmann (2019) stated that, according to the philosophy of progressivism, education is not merely confined to the books and their contents but rather to the child and how they learn and perceive the materials. In the same vein, I believe that as a teacher, it is essential for me to provide quality experiences to engage their minds and enable them to become problem solvers. In terms of progressivism, the curriculum is built around what the student is interested in and what questions they have (Korsgaard & Aldinger, 2018). This aspect allows for an increased amount of collaboration between the teacher and the student, and this aids me in my personal philosophy of community building.
Moreover, I support my philosophical approach with the behavioral theory of education. The behaviourist theory of learning proposes that all behaviours are learned via contact with one's environment and through the process of conditioning. The conduct of people is said to be determined by their environment by behaviorists (Ahmad et al., 2020). Therefore, as an educator, it is essential for me to conduct a comprehensive learning environment that enhances the learning power as well as the questioning ability of the students so that they can be more involved in the process of learning and not merely depend on theoretical learning.
Thus, in summation, I believe that educators are weighed with the heavy responsibility of educating the generation who are set to become the pillars of the community in the future, and therefore, their education is not to be limited to the pages of books. Therefore, due to my personal beliefs concerning the medium of education and its impact, I strongly believe in progressivism and behaviorism as critical teaching methods.
References
Ahmad, S., Sultana, N., & Jamil, S. (2020). Behaviorism vs constructivism: A paradigm shift from traditional to alternative assessment techniques. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 7(2), 19-33.
DiCindio, C., & Steinmann, C. (2019). The influence of progressivism and the works progress administration on museum education. Journal of Museum Education, 44(4), 354-367.
Korsgaard, M. T., & Aldinger, M. M. (2018). The Educator's Diary: Arendt and Kierkegaard on Progressivism and the Educational Relation. Educational Theory, 68(4-5), 513-527.
