Week 1:

I think that most individuals who have been involved in education have their own set of beliefs and ideas with regard to teaching and learning. In my experience, techniques for teaching often change with each group of students I am working with but my overall purpose does not. I have never attempted to put these ideas, beliefs, or actions into words, and I am excited to use this opportunity to do so!

As we did in class, I think that exploring the term “education” is crucial to successfully outlining my personal “philosophy of education.” What is education? Based on our in-class discussion, the answer to this is different for everyone and seems to include multiple concepts. For me, education is a process that builds upon itself and is unique to every person. Education takes many forms and occurs in both formal and informal settings. As discussed both in Dewey’s Pedagogic Creed and in class, I too feel that there is a strong connection between education and the community as well as environment that surrounds each of us. Adding to this, I feel that there is a strong relationship between culture and education. I found this to be extremely true when I taught in Belize, Central America. While courses in Belize are similar to courses here, the way classes are taught, the way in which students interact with their peers and  instructors, and the learning environment differs from the US and most likely from other countries. While there may be cultural, communal, and environmental differences that play an important role in education, I do feel that overall, education serves to help and guide an individual to become a functioning member of his or her society.

I am looking forward to discussing this in more detail as the weeks go on!