Educational Philosophy Statement

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I decided that I wanted to become a teacher at a very young age. As I progressed through the various levels of my education, with each new grade I entered I wanted to be a teacher of that grade. In Junior High and High School I found that I excelled at English. During that time I thought I wanted to be an English teacher at a secondary level. In High School I got a job at a daycare that accommodated children aging from six weeks old through kindergarten and included an after school program for first through sixth graders. I had the privilege of working with many different age groups. My favorite were the elementary kids, specifically the first and second graders. It was then that I decided that while I loved English, I would love working with a younger group of kids much more than junior high or high school students.

To me, being a teacher means much more than standing in front of a classroom and lecturing students on the information I am trying to share. Being a teacher means taking the time to really get to know your students one on one. While as a teacher I may have one class, it is made of many individuals, each with their own likes, dislikes, and needs. I feel that it is important to try and connect with each and every student on a personal level so that I may be able to teach them more successfully as well as relate to them both inside and outside the classroom. I would like to be the kind of teacher that my students can depend on for both issues in the classroom as well if they need help with something outside the classroom, such as a problem with a friend, or a family issue.

I also believe that all students deserve equal educational opportunities. I understand that students with learning disabilities present additional challenges for teachers; however, I feel it is important that these students remain in mainstream classrooms instead of being secluded into their own classrooms with other students with similar disabilities. This semester I had the privilege of observing a teacher who taught a fifth and sixth grade split. I feel that this is a challenge in itself; however, this teacher also had a fifth grade student who was moderately autistic. Throughout the class this student would constantly ask questions, either clarifying what the teacher had just said as well as about random thoughts he was wondering. He was very verbal and would constantly speak out of turn or argue with the teacher. I saw that while this student was very difficult to deal with, the teacher remained calm and would take the time to discuss his question. When the student was disrupting the class, the teacher would calmly pull him aside and explain that his behavior was inappropriate. I admired the teacher who calmly, patiently and gracefully would take the time to speak with the student privately instead of yelling at him in front of the whole class. I believe that while working with a student who has a learning disability may be time consuming, these students have the same right to an education that other student have access to also.

As a teacher I also believe that it is important for each student to be in touch with their own heritage. The United States of America is a very diverse country, and within many schools there is a diverse population of students who come from many different backgrounds. While I believe that United States history is very important, I also believe that every student’s individual history is also important. Because of this, I believe it is important to allow students to bring their own personal history and cultures into the classroom. A student’s culture and history is what makes them who they are, and they should be able to share this with their classmates. Whether it is through a multicultural fair, or a project, I want to ensure that all of my students have a chance to explore and share their family’s history and where they came from. I also believe that by enabling students to share with one another their different cultures, heritages, and histories, students will learn about one another’s differences and develop a respect for their fellow students. In addition to this, I believe I will be given insight as to where my students come from and the issues they are facing. Armed with this knowledge I will have a better understanding of my students as people, figure out how to relate to them and hopefully teach and engage them successfully.

When I have my own classroom I want it to be a very welcoming environment for my students so that they feel comfortable in the classroom setting. I plan to use a lot of different colors on the bulletin boards and have numerous displays made up of the student’s work and projects. I believe it is important to display and recognize a student’s work so they know that they are doing well and are successful in the classroom. I also feel that by decorating the classroom with student’s work makes the classroom more personal for them and students are then more comfortable in this somewhat formal setting. While many teachers focus on what students do wrong, I believe it is extremely important to focus on what students do well and focus on their strengths.

I believe that as a teacher it is important to have rules for your students that encourage both respect for the teacher as well as respect among one another. I believe that teachers are some of the most influential people in their student’s life. I personally remember every elementary school teacher that I had. I admire and learned from every single one of them. I decided at a young age that I wanted to be a teacher because I wanted to be an inspiration to students the way my own teachers were an inspiration to me. I believe that it is a teacher’s job to inspire their students, and help them find their strengths. When students are having trouble I believe that teachers should be there to offer guidance both in and outside the classroom. Not yet having a classroom of my own, I am eager to start on my journey, I am eager to implement my thoughts and ideas. I hope to implement the strengths and skills of many of my former role models in the classroom. I want to be the kind of teacher that is there for my students and who encourages them to be the best that they can be. If I am able to touch just one life the way my teachers have touched mine and make a difference I feel that I will have done a good job in the classroom.

Assignment #1-Group B, Reflection #1: A Student's Perspective on Teachers

Having been a girl all my life, I clearly saw the differences and similarities between boys and girls while growing up. I noticed the obvious things, such as appearance, dress, style, like and dislikes. I never really gave much thought to how these differences appear in a classroom and how a teacher may respond to them. In order to get a student’s perspective of gender differences in the classroom I interviewed a female 5th grader from Lincoln Elementary School, my alma mater. The student I interviewed has the same teacher that I had in 5th grade, so I was very interested in what her perspective was on gender differences. In addition I wanted to see how my former teacher, the students current teacher, responds to gender differences.


The first question I asked the female student was, “What are some of the differences you see between boys and girls?” I thought that the female student would have to stop and think about this question but she was very quick in her response. She talked about how she felt that the boys tended to be “louder and goofier” and like sports and other “boy stuff”. She discussed how girls were “better listeners but liked to sing more” and how girls were “much better at doing homework on time”. Having been in school I do remember these stereotypes that this girl discussed. She did not give me many details about the stereotypes; however, she touched on the major ones that I remembered from my own education. In essence, boys were louder and rowdy while girls did better at time management and discipline in getting the homework completed.


I then asked the female student whether or not the teacher treated boys and girls differently. She said no, but she then told a story in which she turned in a paper and the teacher told her that she had “boy” writing and that girls were supposed to have “pretty writing”. Other than this, the female student did not say that the teacher treated boys and girls differently in anyway. I feel that it is important to treat all students the equitably. I felt that this comment was rather rude and stuck out to the student because it made her fell different and as if she was doing something wrong. Gender differences are very apparent in a classroom; however, I do not believe that a teacher should draw attention to the differences or treat their students differently.

Assignment #1-Group A, Reflection #1: A Parent’s Perspective on Their Child’s Education

Having always been a student, I am able to reflect on my own personal experiences and beliefs about the public education I received from kindergarten through twelfth grade. However, my view is limited to the student’s perspective. Yet as a student I realize that the student is not the only one who is impacted by the schooling they are receiving or have received. In order to explore a different perspective of the education system I chose to interview a parent whose child is currently attending Lincoln Elementary School, my alma mater. I was curious whether or not the parent’s had considered private school before enrolling their child in their nearby school. I was also interested in their perspective of their child’s experience in the public school system. I wondered for instance how gender, race and social class affected their student’s experience and if so in what way.


Lincoln Elementary School is located in La Crescenta, California and is in a middle to upper class neighborhood. I chose to interview the mother of a fifth grade student whose child had attended the school since Kindergarten. I first questioned the mother if she and her husband had considered putting their child in private school before choosing Lincoln. She said that when she and her husband were looking for a home they purposefully looked in locations where they knew that their child would have access to a meaningful and prestigious public education. Lincoln Elementary School is part of Glendale Unified School District, which is well known for its distinguished schools. This was interesting to me because my parent’s had considered putting me in private school before they decided that I would receive just as good of an education if not better in the public school system. While many argue the benefits of private schooling, I agree with the parent I interviewed that an excellent education can be obtained in the public school.


After learning more about the mother’s view on public education, I was curious to find out about her perspective on her child’s education regarding the teacher and the administration as well as their social life within the public education. Regarding the teacher and the school administration the parent was very positive. She felt that the teacher was very hands on and created great communication between the students, parents, and herself. She also shared that the teacher went out of her way to provide needed help to specific students who needed it and yet still managed those who were advanced. According to the mother, her student felt very comfortable in the classroom and had a great like and respect for the teacher. She went on to inform me that while she was not very active in the PTA, she felt that the administration was very successful in addressing parent concerns and spreading the information and changes to all parents regardless of their involvement. While her student had not been in any significant trouble that had caused personal interactions with the principle, she shared that he was very visible and active on campus and related well to the students. Having matriculated through Lincoln, I knew the teacher that the student currently had and I too loved her class. In fact it was one of my favorite classes at my time at Lincoln. The mother knowing that her student was about to enter adolescence said that when discussing friends and social life their student did not open up as much as they once had. However, the parent had picked up on the fact that the girls were becoming more catty and while boys and girls did not necessarily go out of their way to play with one another, there was a mutual interest in the opposite sex among the boys and the girls. While she was not sure of all that went on she believed that her student was happy and had a core group of friends that she had been with since the primary grades. I thought this was interesting because fifth grade was difficult for me and friendships. Due to a school boundary change two of my closest friends changed school and I felt very out of place in my group of friends. On a broader level however, I do remember the cattiness of the girls as well as the sudden “liking” and wanting to have a boyfriend or girlfriend even though that was simply a title.


Talking to the mother of a student who is going through what I once experienced was very interesting to me. I felt that I gained insight into how my own mother viewed my education and my personal life. I know that while every child faces ups and downs, their parents play a very key roll in their student’s education. Until now I have never really given much thought to the other side, in other words, how a parent views their child’s education and I felt it was beneficial for me to see the other point of view.

Assignment #1-Group C, Reflection #2: Americanization within the Public School System

Being an American citizen, whose parents and grandparents were also born here in the United States, I feel that I have grown up practicing stereotypical American traditions and learning the American culture. Since I was born into the American culture I have never given much thought to how or when I learned “how to be an American”. I attended public school from kindergarten through High School. Through out my education, I knew that I was learning about American history and its traditions but I never stopped to think about how American culture and traditions were the only ideas being taught. Jeannie Oakes and Martin Lipton address the issue of “Americanization” in their book Teaching to Change the World.

Oakes and Lipton address the fact that “Americanization” began when immigration heavily increased. Politicians pressured teachers to “Americanize” the new student immigrants. Oakes and Lipton explain, “These new immigrants were not only coming in unprecedented numbers but they were coming from southern and eastern Europe which made them seem much more “foreign” than earlier waves of northern European immigrants. In response schools were asked to go beyond teaching the rudiments of citizenship and patriotism and ensure that these young people learned the habits, values, and language of the predominantly Anglo-Saxon Protestants who considered themselves trustees of American culture”(Oakes & Lipton, 2007). Oakes and Lipton go on to explain that while “Americanization” introduced the immigrant children to American ways and beliefs it also eliminated the children’s different home cultures (Oakes and Lipton, 2007). I believe that while living in America, it is important to understand American culture, however, I also believe in the value of a person’s individual culture because it is part of their identity.

Oakes and Lipton also address the fact that one of the key components to “Americanization” required the immigrants to give up their native language which is often considered the heart of one’s culture. Oakes and Lipton state that after the World War II Red Scare Period, “an ideological link was established between speaking ‘good English’ and being a ‘good American’. Across the nation most bilingual education was ended in the 1920s” (Oakes & Lipton, 2007). The topic of single language or bilingual education is controversial. I personally believe that while living in America, an English speaking country, everyone, citizens and immigrants, should learn the language. However, I also believe it is important to speak more than one language. While it is important for schools to teach students English, it is also important that classes are provided for students to learn other languages, or continue speaking their own native language.

Reading this, I began to think more about the public school education that I received. As Oakes and Lipton discuss, bilingual education has returned to the school system however, “educators point out that like so many reforms, bilingual education is necessary, but by itself, it is not sufficient to deliver a good education to non-English speakers” (Oakes & Lipton, 2007). I agree with the educators who believe this, however, I also believe that while students are taking the time and making the effort to learn English, they should have the opportunity to bring bits of their home life into the classroom and introduce other students to their own culture.

Works Cited:
Oakes, J., & Lipton, M. (2007). Teaching to Change the World (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Assignment #1-Group C, Reflection #1: Low Income/ High Income Communities and Their Parent Involvement in Schools

Having grown up in a small community in a middle-class neighborhood there were many stay at home mothers. Because of this I always believed that parent involvement in my various schools was a very normal occurrence as well as beneficial to myself as well as other students. In Jeannie Oakes and Martin Lipton’s Teaching to Change the World, the importance of community and parental involvement to a student’s education is addressed. Oakes and Lipton state, “When parents participate in their children’s education, students’ attitudes and achievement improve. Increased attendance, fewer discipline problems, and higher aspirations also are correlated with an increase in parent involvement…A stronger curriculum and more positive school and community relations are associated with parent involvement” (Oakes & Lipton, 2007). While parental involvement is important, not all schools experience this. While some schools have little to no parental involvement, which is negative, other schools have too much parental involvement which is equally bad but in a different way.


As Oakes and Lipton explain, students from low-income families who are also most often culturally diverse, struggle through school. Many argue that it is because of a lack of involvement, caring or enthusiasm from their parents. However, when spending more time examining these low-income families, this is often not the case. Oakes and Lipton address the many different reasons for a lack of involvement in schools among low-income families. They state, “Often low-income parents who grew up in the United States have unhappy recollections of their own schooling that dampen their enthusiasm for getting involved with schools” (Oakes and Lipton, 2007). They also address immigrant parents, “Immigrant parents may understand little about American schools—they mistakenly (or correctly) assume that parents are neither wanted nor needed at school, or trust that their children and the school will make all appropriate educational decisions. For many, language barriers make it difficult or impossible to communicate with teachers” (Oakes and Lipton, 2007). This is an important topic because low-income parent’s lack of involvement is not due to a lack of caring but of a lack of understanding as well as other issues they may have faced themselves in schools.


While a lack of parental involvement is harmful, despite its reasons, too much parent involvement can also be harmful. In most cases, the overly involved parents are from middle and upper social classes. Oakes and Lipton explain, “Such parents’ involvement and worries about their children may do more than create distractions and burdens for teachers. They may also threaten educational programs and approaches for all students” (Oakes and Lipton, 2007). Some issues revolve around diversity. These parents do not want their children to sit near other children who may live in poverty, or are of a different race, or who may speak another language. Other parents “often seek educational advantages for their children” (Oakes and Lipton, 2007). This perspective is important because while parent involvement is important, there needs to be a fine balance of just how involved they are and respecting the teachers and the school.


I found these different perspectives on parent involvement very interesting. I feel they addressed some very important issues. The first being that low income, minority, parents may have a lack of involvement not because they do not care, but because of other personal reasons. I also found it interesting how some parents are too involved, I did not know that was really a possibility. However, it is clear that if their involvement is affecting their children’s ability to learn it is harmful. While this was very insightful I feel that some may misconstrue the idea of over involvement and may pull back from their children’s school and distance themselves. This is unnecessary because while it occurs it is not very often.


Works Cited:
Oakes, J., & Lipton, M. (2007). Teaching to Change the World (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

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