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Philsophy of Education

3/19/2022

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I was recently asked in a job interview what my philosophy of education was. I am embarrassed to admit that I was caught somewhat off guard; the job was not directly a teaching job, so I had not prepared a polished, well-thought-out response like I had with some other anticipated questions.  It's embarrassing because as a life-long educator, I should have a succinct answer at my fingertips.  So I stumbled around, talking about some of the things I know to be important, but never really pulled it all together.

After the interview, I thought about this question for a long time.  I had written a philosophy of education as part of my B.Ed a hundred years ago, and revisited it about a decade ago, when I completed my principals' qualifications. I remember being pleased that -- while my thoughts had matured somewhat with age and experience -- fundamentally, I was still on the same page I had been as a beginning teacher.

However, both of these assignments were too wordy.  At approximately six pages each in length, neither my new teacher nor my aspiring edu-leader approach could be expected to hold someone's interest for very long.  And so, I set out to re-write my philosophy in a more succinct manner.

Below is the result. As a word doc, it's a single page, and can be expanded on or further synthesized as needed.

Vera's Philosophy of Education, 2022

I believe that – given the right context – all students can and will learn to a high degree.
The “right” context is not the same, necessarily, as “ideal conditions”.  It simply means that students are motivated to learn, and are engaged in the learning.  This can be orchestrated by an educator’s attention to what we know about how the brain works.  
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For example, we can engage a student’s limbic system in a positive way by attending to relationships and fostering an emotionally safe and inviting physical learning environment (including the “physical virtual” environment, where relevant).
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Getting to know our learners, and then choosing materials, tools, strategies and content that reflect their lived experiences, affinities and interests, helps to establish and maintain trust over time.  This means that students are more likely to learn, even when occasionally a topic doesn’t appeal, or the manner in which material is presented is misaligned with an individual’s learning style.  Because they have an established and trusting relationship with their teacher. 
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Building in predictable structures such as agendas and overviews, regular time to share and discuss learning goals and co-create success criteria, and frequent opportunities to reflect on and consolidate learning at the end of a lesson or unit further establishes and maintains trust. Students will know what to expect, so that they can use their brains for intended learning rather than focusing on the fight or flight mode that can accompany constant uncertainty. (Engagement of frontal lobe, rather than brain stem.) That said, the occasional “fun” activity that provides opportunities purely for mental or physical play allows for novelty, which the brain also seeks and thrives on.
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Considering Vygotsky’s “zone of proximal development” ensures students are intellectually challenged rather than bored… though not so much that they are overwhelmed and unable to learn.  
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Building in choice for assignments and learning activities helps learners develop metacognition so that they can participate in finding “the zone” for themselves. These should include choices about where/how to work and with whom (if anyone).

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Being transparent with students about why you as the teacher are doing these things further helps develop trust and motivation for students, so that they can become independent learners.  (Independence in this case means they confidently make learning choices independently, not that they necessarily work on their own all the time.)

If students appear to not be learning, I believe the teacher has a responsibility to self-examine: Rather than blaming the students, their families or the system at large, we must consider what is within our control.  More specifically, what is it about our practice, approach or the way in which we have chosen to set up the learning space that is inhibiting students from achieving excellence? Who can we call on for support as we attempt to do better?
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My philosophy of education assumes the teacher as a facilitator of learning rather than an expert on everything. Continuously learning about how the brain works, and using that information to make conscious decisions about what learning to facilitate, and how to facilitate it for the various individuals whose learning we support, will help educators ensure all students can and will learn to a high standard.
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    About Vera...

    Vera & her Sons, April 2021
    After writing for several teacher and multiple birth publications, including ETFO's Voice Magazine, Multiple Moments, and the Bulletwin, Vera turned her written attention to prolific blogging for some years, including BiB,  "Learn to Fly with Vera!"  and SMARTbansho .  In 2014, Homeschooling 4 was her travel blog in Argentina.  She now spends more time on her Instagram (@schalgzeug_usw)  than her blog (pictures are worth a thousand words?!) and moderates several Facebook groups in Canada and Mexico.

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    DISCLAIMER
    The views expressed on this blog are the views of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the perspectives of her family members or the position of her employer on the the issues she blogs about.  These posts are intended to share resources, document family life, and encourage critical thought on a variety of subjects.  They are not intended to cause harm to any individual or member of any group. By reading this blog and viewing this site, you agree to not hold Vera liable for any harm done by views expressed in this blog.
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Vera C. Teschow, OCT, M.Ed., MOT
Toronto, ON & St Peter's Harbour, PE
www.verateschow.ca 2023
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