My Philosophy of Education

(Imagine the large purple font on a Powerpoint. The yellow font is what was spoken.)

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Prov 22:6 (ESV)

I believe the purposes of education are to prepare the next generation. Education, by definition, means "to develop the knowledge, skill, or character of..." Those committing to a future in education should have a passion for 'training up a child the way he should go' Prov 22:6 (ESV). For the purposes of this presentation, I will discuss my philosophy as it would pertain to a 10th grade English class in a small southern town.

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Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance

Prov 1:5 (ESV)

Students do learn differently. Auditory, visual or tactile learners all require a common link for processing knowledge; lesson plans should be meaningful. As teachers, we should pay careful attention to the feedback each child provides us. If I were to present a Shakespearean drama to my 10th grade English class, I would pause often to apply the theatrics to a real-life situation. After a while, the students should be able to see past the flowery verse to gather the relevant information and actually visualize the play in front of them. Lesson plans must be meaningful and tangible and students must be able to relate to the information.

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Students should be taught the basics and taught them well. There is nothing new under the sun and everything builds on top of something else. In our society, we complicate things. We try to over-analyze and find a perfect fit for every abnormality. This causes us to lose sight of the bigger picture. I believe there is a high demand for simplicity and if we can teach our students to build on fundamental knowledge, I believe we will inspire them to continue as lifelong learners. Conquer the basics, then move forward.

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I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Phil 4:13 (ESV)

Students should be taught in a learning environment. As teachers, we should encourage open participation. I believe that every student has something valuable to bring to a discussion and the format of my classroom will be primarily discussion. I believe that every student should be able to relate their life experience with the curriculum. I believe positive and negative feedback to the students should always be critical and students should be encouraged to learn from each other. I believe this teaching method is essential to prepare this age group because it helps the children with social interaction. This shows the students that it is okay to disagree and they should be willing to listen to opposing viewpoints.

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The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.

Psalms 111:10 (ESV)

As mentioned previously, I believe students learn best when the subject matter and the presentation of the subject matter is meaningful. It creates understanding.

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Now may the God of peace … equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight...

Heb 13:20-21 (ESV)

Teachers wear many hats. We are the source of knowledge, mentors, counselors and friends. We must enter the classroom every day with light spirits and firm beliefs and we must be consistent in our practice. We must equip each child with the tools necessary for character and intellectual growth. The rewards of teaching do not come on a daily basis and many days there will be struggles. We must have the passion to pursue because we might be the only Jesus those children see that day.

Jesus is in the doctor's office

i find myself in peace as this world crumbles away. Sanctification is a process that takes time and it is often hard to see past the moment. We tend to feel that our problems will always be our problems, and instead of conquering them, we make accommodations for them. We are spoiled by instant gratification and we look for short solutions and temporary fixes instead of waiting for opportunities at lasting resolve. I love those moments when I see how God has worked out a problem while I was completely unaware of the process. Doors and windows are constantly opened and closed. In our stubbornness, we sometimes force our desires into fruition prematurely. Ah, the ease of fast food and texting... Things come so easily to us that we are now spoiled by the system. Times are 'hard' and will only get harder because we don't know how to work for anything. Im soooo guilty of this. Maybe this is why I sometimes thirst for suffering. I don't want to be numb. I don't want to just slide by. I want to pick up the cross and carry it and feel the burden on my shoulders. I don't want easy, I have had that and it drove me to temporary satisfaction and pleasure. I don't want to be of this world, i've had it and it and it brought me nothing but superficial pain, pain that was rooted in longings of the world. I want to die living so i can live forever singing praises to the One who delivered me from my sins. Jesus is everywhere, He will even sing to you if you pick the right music. Find Jesus in everything, He is more real than Waldo. He is even in you, all you gotta do is ask.