Personal Philosophy of Education

Lisa Barton

L26861881

EDUC 305-D03

Dr. Thomas Marshall

Abstract: The times are ever changing. There is no decade that stays the same in any way shape or form. Even looking at recent events as to our new president elect, history has been altered forever. The main reason that things are ever changing is because of Social Reconstructionism. Everyone has an opinion on how we should change the world, and let’s face it, the world has a lot that needs to be changed. Being a Social Reconstructionist teacher means wanting to make a difference in my students academically but socially as well.

        Take a second to think about the people that have made a clear, positive change in the world. Did they do everything “by the book?” Did they rely on others to get the job done? People like Martin Luther King Jr., Michelle Obama, Oprah, and Mother Teresa lead the way for social reformation. It is up to the educational system as a whole; i.e. teachers and students, to lead the way for change no matter how tough it may be.

        Social reconstructionism is my philosophy of education. Social reconstructionism is an “educational philosophy asserting that schools, teachers, and students should take the lead in addressing problems and improving society (Eggen & Kauchk, 2011).” “Social Reconstructionism is a philosophy that emphasizes the addressing of social questions and a quest to create a better society and worldwide democracy (Philosophical Perspectives in Education).” This philosophy puts the responsibility of changing the world on education’s shoulders. I favor this philosophy because if you wait for someone else to fix your problems, they will never be fixed. A social reconstructionism teacher’s curriculum would most likely focus on social issues and ideas or solution to fixing such issues like racism, sexism, world hunger, violence, etc. The strategies for fixing these problems would be community-based, asking the students what they can do to fix it instead of letting someone else take care of it. “Critical theorists, like social reconstructionist, believe that systems must be changed to overcome oppression and improve human conditions (Philosophical Perspectives in Education).”

        As a teacher, it can be hard to get the students motivated to learn, especially when it comes to history, which some people (including myself) label as one of the more “boring,” subjects. It’s easy for history to become a mundane subject. A lot of students just want to memorize the information they are supposed to be learning so they can pass an assessment and then be done with that information forever. Students want to know every detail of the assignment instead of being creative.

 In order to get my students to start critically thinking, I would do several things. Instead of lecturing my students about American History, I would try to make it more like a discussion. I would make it an open conversation about the problems that arose and ask them how they would have tried to make a difference. Imagining yourself in a situation is the best way to really learn what went on. I would make sure the classroom is open enough for the students to freely give their opinions, enabling creativity. I would ask questions that make my students think about American History and how it relates to their lives. Example, “how would your lives be different now if the Civil War never happened?” Or have the students put themselves in American History, “What would you say to George Washington if you had to interview him?” It’s also good to have the students think about how the past can affect the future, “If Thomas Edison never existed, how would our world be today?” These types of questions do not exactly have a right or wrong answer, rather they make the student think about things deeper. Asking questions with no right or wrong answer make the students feel safer about opening up to the given subject.