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There are many different forms of teaching philosophies for teachers to pick from these days. As time moves on, and people's
way of thinking changes, so too will philosophies form and also pass away. However, I believe that there is one that will
always stand strong and strive to enlighten our students in the knowledge that has been accumulated over the existence of
humankind. The philosophy I speak of is the philosophy of Essentialism. Essentialists, like myself, believe in teaching the
students the core courses that now make up our basic curriculum. Many people have called it the back-to-basics philosophy,
as it was created to try and train the mind, promote reasoning, and keep our culture in America a common one. This philosophy
fits me perfectly because I believe everyone should be taught the basics of knowledge and learning, as to give everyone an
equal footing to start their adult life on. As an Essentialist, I believe that I should be the one teaching class, not the
students, and that I have an obligation to be a good role model for my students and try and help them to become mature adults
and capable of surviving in the real world. An Essentialist school should be run in a manner that keeps its eye on what is
important for the students, such as them learning the entire basic core curriculum. The school should also be very patriotic
and focused on helping the students to become good productive citizens.
Diverse students will be in almost every classroom a teacher steps into. Knowing that, I think that we as teachers have
the responsibility to help and teach these students in a way that will be most beneficial to them. Whether that means helping
get a gifted child in more difficult and rigorous curriculum, or helping special education students by getting them a helper
in the classroom or sending them to a class designed to specifically fit their needs, we should be willing to do what it takes
to make sure each child has an opportunity to learn. However, it is also my belief that another student should not be allowed
to hold back the advancement of another student, whether accidental or on purpose. Yet there are ways to make sure each child
gets the education they need and deserve, if only we would take the time, and that is what I intend to do.
According to No Child Left Behind, it is my legal duty as a teacher to make sure that every student is taught fairly
and that they all have an equal learning opportunity. As far as my ethical responsibilities are concerned, I think it's my
job to teach the students everything I know, not just academically, but also about life. I should teach them how to be good
upstanding men and women, who are smart and know how to act and act that way. Somewhere along the line, someone has failed
many of today's youth and has not shown them how to act. I believe that if every teacher would take the time to be a good
role model, then we would have a much better society than we now have. As an Essentialist, it will be my duty to make sure
the students are respectful to authority, have a basic knowledge of the entire core curriculum, such as reading, writing,
math, science, and history. When they leave my classroom, they should know traditional morals and behaviors, and should be
able to live by them.
I adhere to many values, but there are two main core values that I hold near and dear to my heart, with the first one
being integrity. If someone has integrity, then many other values and moral beliefs will be taken care of. Integrity is the
way in which a person holds themselves to all their moral beliefs and values. As a teacher, I would hope that I will show
all my students how to gain integrity, as this is one thing that no one will ever be able to take from them. If someone still
has their integrity, then they will be able to overcome many obstacles that will challenge and tempt them in life. The second
value would have to be family. Family are the people that when everyone else has left you high and dry, you can count on to
be there to pick you up off the ground and get you back on your feet. I want to be there for my students as well as my coworkers
like their family would be there for them, so that they know know matter how bad things get, I'll be there if they ever need
any help or advice.
My father once told me that people are called to do certain things in life, and that I needed to always have an open
mind and heart so that when God told me what it was I needed to do with my life, I would be able to hear him. I have long
since felt the calling to be a teacher and am certain that this is what I'm to do with my life. I have a yearning to teach
and tell people everything I know about agriculture, and I intend to put that yearning to good use. I also care very much
about people, and want to make sure that they are as prepared for their life up ahead as they can possibly be, and teaching
seems to be the best way to prepare young people for life, not just academically but for life in general as well.
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