An essential component of a teacher portfolio is your educational philosophy. It is a representation of your professional beliefs and foundations. This assignment requires that you develop or refine your personal educational philosophy and ground it in the philosophies and theories studied this semester. This task has you grappling with the fundamental cultural and ethical questions that have been debated by educators for centuries and relating these questions to the daily demands of teaching.
Make sure to explain your answers and provide examples, quotes, and citations from theory that represent your belief system where needed. Discuss your educational philosophy (theoretical frame) and provide concrete examples of these core beliefs based on your life experiences. Use quotes and citations from theory that represent your belief system. This assignment should be single-spaced; please see the rubric in the Syllabus and Canvas. Please remember to use APA formatting for your cover page, citations and reference list. Each section should be ½ page long.
Other Ideas/ Suggestions:
• You may introduce your statement with a quotation or metaphor that encapsulates your philosophy and that can serve to unify your essay if you wish (not required), but you must still use headers for each section.
• While using an appropriate academic style, write in a way that reflects your own voice and
personality. Personal pronouns are permissible, but avoid colloqialisms and cliches.
• Seek to inspire the reader. Identify what you believe are the primary purposes of education, and
explain your mission as an educator.
• Include specific examples from your experience to illustrate and support your ideas.
• Logically develop your ideas. While being careful to provide specific examples, relate ideas
and examples to the philosophical arguments we have studied this semester.
• Read the rubric before you write. After you have written your philosophy assignment, use the rubric to score the draft as if you were an evaluator. Remember, this assignment is the culmination of your work this semester!
Please see the next page where you can delete my placeholder text and use the headings as a template for your assignment.
Please look at the highlighted questions and headings below. Does are the six topics.
Basic Aims of Education
(What are the basic aims of education? Here you will write ½ page in normal font [not bold text].)
Morality in Schools
(Should schools teach what is moral and “good”? If not, why not? If so, how? Here you will write ½ page in normal font.)
Curriculum Content
(What knowledge should be included in the curriculum? Here you will write ½ page in normal font.)
Instructional Methods
(What are the most effective methods of instruction? Why? Here you will write ½ page in normal font.)
Role of the Teacher
(What is the role of the teacher? Here you will write ½ page in normal font.)
Personal Influences
(How have people, experiences, and events influenced your personal educational philosophy? For example, did you recognize the principles of a particular philosophy in the methods and aims of a favorite teacher? Here you will write ½ page in normal font.)