Philosophy

=Philosophy of Education = The beginning of my journey as an educator began with good intentions. I simply wanted a meaningful career that made a difference in the lives of others. When I entered the Faculty of Education (F.O.E.), I realized I was disillusioned by the reality that teaching as I experienced has evolved beyond what I knew. The students of today are part of a rapidly changing world. In //Learning-to-Teach//, authors Beyon, Geddis and Onslow explains “Learning-to-teach needs to be a time ‘when desires are rehearsed, refashioned, and refused,’ and student teachers are involved in the construction of the ‘real, the necessary, and the imaginary.’”[i] In the past, I have been introduced to educational philosophers such as John Dewey and Paulo Friere who value education as a social process. My challenge is to be present in the critical interrogation of “what is” and “what could be” teaching. (Beynon, 2001, p.137) My idea of a successful teacher is one, who inspires learning in addition to just relating the required facts. A certain amount of creativity, enthusiasm, and motivation is required of the teacher. Most of all, a teacher needs more than good intentions to make a difference but also the courage to make it happen. For the past several years, my role as a teacher have taught me that I am always learning. My goals are to inspire my students to become life longer learners, to engage them in meaningful experiences that they will enjoy and remember and to teach them how to learn. I believe it necessary to be a reflective teacher to improve my teaching practices. Looking back on failures and successes helps me how to be a better teacher. It has also become more important to me to collaborate with my colleagues and partner with the parents see the students succeed. And finally, modelling good character is important for my students to learn about how to become responsible global citizens.

[i] Beynon, Carol A., Arthur N. Geddis, and Barry A. Onslow. __Learning-to-Teach: Cases and Concepts for Novice Teachers and Teacher Educators__. Toronto: Prentice Hall, 2001. pp. 137-8.