LIT 004

My Philosophy As An Educator

The ideal learner in our rapidly changing world is one empowered for lifelong learning, is an active maker of knowledge and open to learn in any context. Such an active learner is competent in initiating change that can contribute to a bright future and has developed skills capable of serving humanity and of God.

Pragmatist teachers teach to develop learners into becoming innovative and intelligent citizens of a democratic society. This group of teachers teaches learners so they may live life fully now. Such that they may understand how the real world evolves as reflected in the classroom context.

The pragmatists are identified with need-based and relevant curriculum. This is a curriculum that responds to students’ needs and that relates to students’ personal lives and experiences. There is a similarity between this pragmatism and the progressivism philosophy since they both center on the student. However, this would not leave to help students understand and appreciate themselves as unique individuals who accept complete responsibility for their thoughts, feelings and actions (as emphasized by the existentialists).

I believe that molding learners should be wholistic. This includes their personality, life values, complex thinking, and acquired skills. Altogether must be taught to and experienced by our students for meaningful learning.

My task as a teacher is to facilitate the development of the individuals to the optimum and to the maximum by employing experiential and inquiry methods more than what is seemed traditional way of teaching. I believe that one learns by doing. For John Dewey, book learning is no substitute for actual experience. It is learning how and not just what, in order that learners do the work themselves.

Thus, part of my chosen profession is to teach my subject matter with mastery so that every learner will use his basic skills to continue acquiring knowledge, skills and values of honesty, love, and care for others regardless of race, nationality, appearance and economic status. I will strengthen the value formation of every child through “hands-on-minds-on” experiences inside and outside the classroom. Beyond the classroom context is my ability to do collaborative teaching from different disciplines and to build a community of effective educational practice.

The said “change” of this risky new world is indeed a great factor of forming an ideal learner but an effective teacher knows how to effect pedagogy processes meant to develop the body, the mind, and the spirit.

To this, I am an educator of values; a manager of the learning process; and a role model of the learners.

                                                                                                                                                  -CCB