Every good teacher has their own philosophy on education. As individuals we live our lives in accordance with our own personal set of moral and beliefs. In a similar fashion, professional teachers conduct their classes and lessons based upon their own methods of education. A sound philosophy of education attempts to define four essential concepts: the perceptions of students, beliefs about teaching and learning, understanding knowledge, and determining what material is worth knowing.
All students are unique. There are no stereotypes or categories that a specific group of students fall into. Each and every student exposes the teacher to a new and distinct way of life. It is the responsibility of the teacher to help student identify their motivation for learning by exposing them to a large body of knowledge. No student has absolutely no desire to learn new material, the innate curiosity to learn new things exists in everyone. The teacher’s role is to help students discover and appreciate this concept.
Class materials should always challenge students to work hard and excel. Student ability varies, therefore a teacher’s methods of instruction should as well; what works for one will not work for all. Grades are not always the true measure of effective teaching. A student can do well in a class and not learn anything. The teacher must devise accurate methods of assessment to ensure required material is understood by the students.
Teachers must be able to determine what knowledge is relevant. It is not enough for a teacher to know a lot about their subject, a teacher must also know how their subject is perceived and applied in a modern setting. By understanding the current qualities of their subject, the teacher will gain a clear perception of which aspects of the material are essential and which are not. A teacher must never decide what knowledge is relevant based on their own likes or dislikes. Their responsibility is to the students and making them proficient in the subject as it exists today.
Clearly the role of the teacher is not easy to accept, but if it were easy it wouldn’t be teaching.