EDU 200: Philosophy of Education Assignment
Total Points: 100 points
This assignment will allow you to articulate your own philosophy of education and organize the bits and pieces of a lifetime of being a student and observing the world around you. By bringing your philosophy of education to a conscious level, thinking carefully about it, challenging your assumptions, and organizing your ideas into a written statement, you will have a solid foundation on which to begin teaching. A well-developed sense of purpose, values, and underlying beliefs about teaching and learning will help to maintain focus throughout your teaching career.
To complete this assignment, think about your own approach and experiences in education. Make a list of all of the things that are important to you as a student and to you as a teacher or future teacher. Consider why you think these elements are important. What will you do as a teacher to ensure that these important factors are present in your classroom and are reflected in your instructional strategies and classroom management techniques?
Read about the major philosophies of education: Perennialism, Essentialism, Progressivism, and Social Reconstructionism. There are others, but these four represent a broad range of generally recognized educational philosophies and should serve as a good starting place by which you will build your own. Explore philosophies that match your beliefs.
For this assignment, you will need to use at least 2 outside resources that will be included in a Reference page and cited in APA style.
Assignment Directions:
Write a 500-700 word (2-3 page) paper in which you:
1. Discuss your vision for your future classroom.
a. Include in this portion of the paper your specific beliefs about education and how these will be evident in your classroom. This can include things like instructional approaches/strategies, use of technology, role of collaboration, classroom management, appealing to exceptional learners and diverse learning styles, building relationships with students and parents, etc.
b. Be sure to include specific examples as to how your beliefs will be evident in your classroom
2. Select 2 of the 4 major philosophies of education that you believe align most closely to your own values and beliefs (Perennialism, Essentialism, Progressivism, Social Reconstructionism).
a. Provide a definition for these two philosophies
b. Explain how they relate to your own personal educational beliefs and values
3. Include a Reference page with your 2 sources. Remember to cite your sources in APA formatting.
Original content contributed by Howard Miller of Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, New York to Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative.