Educational Philosophy
Give every child the tools they need, and teach them to use the tools appropriately. This is the basis for my educational philosophy. When we, as teachers and parents, give children tools we are helping them to be problem solvers for situations they may face. We are not limiting them by making them believe there is only one solution for a problem. It is important that children also know how to apply the tools they have learned to different situations. If children are brought up using these tools, they will be effective problem solvers when important decisions must be made.
This philosophy applies to all realms of education, but especially to technology. According to Andreas Schleicher, the Directorate for the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development, “A generation ago, teachers could expect that what they taught would last their students a lifetime. Today, because of rapid economic and social change, schools have to prepare students for jobs that have not yet been created, technologies that have not yet been invented and problems that we don’t yet know will arise (Schleicher, 2010).” If educators teach problem solving skills, students will be able to face the issues and find viable solutions. With the constant growth in technology, our world is much more global than it was a generation ago, also. By teaching students important 21st-century skills as a tool, we are giving them the tools necessary to live in a global society. As an instructional leader, I would also teach other educators to use technology and 21st Century skills as tools for preparing students for real world challenges.
In my classroom, I enjoy using different teaching methods to reach the different learning styles in the classroom. I am currently employed in an Expeditionary Learning school in which Project Based Learning is required. Project Based Learning is “an instructional approach built upon authentic learning activities that engage student interest and motivation (What is Project-Based Learning?, 2005).” Students are asked to think of solutions to real world problems, and to think beyond the classroom.
I also feel the Constructivist Theory has the best ideology for teaching students today. Constructivist Learning Theory is one in which students use their prior knowledge to construct understanding through experiences. This theory integrates itself well with the concept of Project Based Learning because they both involve asking questions and using hands-on experiences to find solutions. When students are given the opportunity to solve problems in school, with the guidance of a teacher, they take these tools with them into the adult world.
Through the use of technology in the classroom, students are able to research problems or questions quickly and effectively. They can also collaborate with students in the room or across the globe via technology. Technology allows students to reach out to experts in the field and discover the tools these experts use and how to use them. Students can then add this to their own “toolbox” which they will take with them to use in the future. Technology allows for students to experience events and locations never before possible in a classroom, permitting them the ability to obtain and use tools in preparation for real world situations.
Being a teacher is more than teaching students to read and write, add and subtract. I feel students must be prepared to face the future, and prepared to resolve issues never before addressed. In order to do that, students must know how to solve problems using the tools given to them. Allowing students to practice solving problems in a safe environment for the classroom prepares them for adulthood. I believe giving students the tools to solve problems and teaching them to use these tools is the most important skill I impart to my students.
Bibliography
Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching and Learning. (2004). Retrieved from Concept to Classroom: http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/index.html
What is Project-Based Learning? (2005). Retrieved from Project Based Learning: An Online Source for PBL: http://pbl-online.org/default.htm#
Brooks, J., & Brooks, M. (1993). In Search of Understanding: The Case for Constructivist Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Schleicher, A. (2010, January). The Case for 21st-Century Learning. Retrieved from OECD: Better Policies for Better Lives: http://www.oecd.org/general/thecasefor21st-centurylearning.htm