Educational Philosophy

Education is not something you decide to take up from one day to another. I consider education to be one of the most promising careers you can decide to carry from all the others. Teachers have such an impact towards students, you really have to love what your about to study and get yourself into. My reason's to have chosen this particular career would have to be no other than, the love I have for children, the difference I know I can make in a child's life, and the desire I have to be involved with kids on an everyday basis. But not only would I like to be seen as their simple teacher, but as their coach, mentor, role model, and most of all friend. Some people would automatically think this is just simply impossible and crazy, but what their not seeing is the will and way to do so.
My philosophy on education is that teachers hold a special power that only they have to help make students succeed and have a better future for themselves and ours. Educators are different from all other majors, with out educators their would be no doctors, lawyers, business people, and so on. Their the ones who educate these successful people. That's why til this day I believe teachers don't receive a well deserved pay check; beats being paid dimes and nickles from back then, but still not enough.
We need teachers to help our society succeed at large and help others want to help others. If not, what kind of future are we looking at? Not a very good one I'll tell you that much. Our planet will indeed fall apart and not function as it should be. We need more people who will make a difference, and teachers are ones who push and help make things happen.
Also, teachers are the ones who allow you look deeper and figure out what testing your true knowledge really is.
One of my most favorite philosophers, Plato, brings me on to my next point. He always allowed students to explore, and figure out what their true knowledge of mind really were. He tested and challenged students minds with out even having his own school. Students followed him because they choose too on their own will. He also believed woman should be equally taught just like men were. He quoted, "If woman are expected to do the same work as men, we must teach them the same thing."
When I arrived fresh and new out of high school to college, I didn't think I would choose this major to become my career. But with some time, I knew this was what I wanted to do. Looking at my teachers lecturing and helping me to become a better person in life and in my school work is just priceless.

Reflection # 20

There are many ways U.S. high schools differ from European high schools. For example, European high schools do not have extracurricular activities like our U.S. high school praise. U.S. high schools are usually known for their cheerful school spirit and dashing sports team. On the other hand, European high schools have no sports team going on in their school. The only way you can be able to join a team, which is mostly soccer, is when high schools students themselves join a public association around their community.
Furthermore, since European high schools do not have any extracurricular activities their size in school is rather smaller than U.S. high schools are today. European high schools do not consist of having football fields, gymnasiums, swimming pools, tennis courts, or basketball courts. Also, European high schools do not have any lockers. So as you can see U.S. high schools are rather huge compared to European high schools.
Moreover, European high school students switch classes less often than U.S. high school students would. Usually European students would remain in one classroom and have the teacher be the one to revolve to a different room. The only time European students would switch classes would be for their science class, if that.
Also, it is said to be that European high schools are more academically challenging that U.S. high schools are. In European schools their are no multiple choice tests; just written ones. It is also said to be that teachers in U.S. high schools are more motivating and involved with students, than European teachers are. U.S high school teachers are not only teachers but can also be the leader for lots of extracurricular activities, which makes them involved with getting to know the student in and out of class.
So as you can clearly see, education in European high schools are a lot different from U.S. high schools. It has its good and its bad but as long as education keeps evolving, things could only go up from there on.

Reflection # 19

When we look back to old colonial times, to our public schools now there's a major difference. It's amazing to see how our schools and education have been improved since the Dame schools of old times. Our education has only progressed throughout centuries. The first schools created during Colonial times were known as Dame schools. Boys and girls were taught by women in their own homes. You can think of it as a very private lesson given by women. Boys were usually taught writing, reading, and religion; where girls were being educated on house chores.
Students usually used slate pencils and wrote on clay tablets. Whenever they would make a mistake all they had to do was erase and reuse it whenever their instructor told them too. Smaller children usually used something called a horn book. It was basically a wooden board with a simple handle; inside consisting of prayers and the alphabet.
Now in days we use paper like we consume oxygen. We're constantly throwing away good paper that could be used again, or make thousands of unnecessary copies that remain in files for years, that in the end their going to end up in the trash.
Furthermore, in the colonial times students were required to learn about religion at least one day a week. High schools these days do not have this requirement. Although I think its not such a bad idea, only private religious schools carry this subject.
So as you can see time does take a toll on everything, it takes a toll for change. For the most part time has taken a better toll on education. It gives us more hope that many of us can succeed in what we want we dream to become.

Reflection # 18

“In America, education has always been viewed as a vehicle for improving the society at large.” I honestly would have to totally agree with this quote. And the reasons for this matter would have to be because America is always trying to figure out ways to improve education throughout time. Woman's rights have definitely come a long way for example. Now we have right to decide and choose our own paths instead of relying on men only. Women have the right to learn as much and more than a man would. No longer do woman have to stay at home and slave around doing household chores.
Furthermore, education has always been targeted at large. It has always been the center of attention to quit a few people. It's such a huge impact, which can change lives and destine us to what we want to become on the long run. Throughout years people have been trying to figure out ways to improve it. To become a teacher it was never an easy job. But now we have higher standards to become licensed to be a teacher. They have raised tests scores, training, and all you can think of. The same goes to becoming a doctor, veterinarian, broadcasting, even a simple physical education teacher.
Through out time they have also been trying to build up much more schools than they had in the old Roman days. In the Roman days they had no more than two formal schools for children.
Education has come a long way, and it just keeps on growing. From religion, race, and culture it's something that invites us to learn more from one another. It helps us work and become one whole community. There's more meaning that just a simple diploma, it's a movement of living.

Reflection # 17

Children in the New England colonies were raised to have the up most respect towards their parents, at an early age they were to be taught morals, manners, and about religion. Parents were supposed to educate their children in order for them to take over their family profession. They were highly disciplined on their behavior for the upcoming future as grownups.
A lot of children in the early colonies began working at a young age. Girls doing house chores, of course, and boys outdoors.
Education was not offered to every child in the New England colonies. Some did not have sufficient money to send their kids off to have a formal education. But those who did have the chance to attend had a very hard time, somewhat different than we have today. Some students literally went to school after they finished off their responsibilities at work; like little minnie adults that they were.
Teachers around this time of area were very strict on students. Whatever mistake or wrong answer they would get resulted as whips. The lectures they received contained of bible lessons, math, and reading. People wanted to make sure students well good enough to read the Bible most of all. They thought the Bible provided a message for living.
Now in days public schools don't offer a religion class, unless it's a private church school. And of course being whipped by a teacher is not exactly an option teachers have now in days. Now we have the opportunity to choose what we want to do with our lives and not fall into the same footsteps of our parents. You're free to explore what you want to get out of the profession that you choose.
U.S. Education gives us more opportunities and hope for students to have a formal education. You have financial aid, more and more public schools opening up for the community, even free transportation for those who qualify for it. Everything for those possitive reaction students will be able to give back.

Reflection # 16

As education to Romans became more popular and trendy, education started to develop a more complex form of knowledge. Rhetoric allowed you to learn how to write and speak, something you needed to learn in law courts or public life. Greeks thought as language being very high ranked and important. Everybody wanted to learn and absorb it. Speaking that language to them was like having a brand new pair of pumps to wear Saturday night at the club, it was the IT thing to know.
Three types of teachers they had were, grammaticus, litterator, or rhetor. Grammaticus taught you how to recite papers and corrected you on your pronunciation. Litterator teachers usually taught reading and writing, when the rhetor taught students how to make speeches from specific topics.
Rhetoric was implicated by Greece itself. What is called declamation took control over the school department. This was a system that allowed students to express themselves and perform a speech made up by each of them and debate amongst each other, making literature more exciting, while parents loved it. On the other hand, the controversia had a higher status than declamation did. The controversia was a well performed show, which that was very amusing and high ranked by others; the controversia was always performed in public. This form came from love poems, and fairy tales fantasy's people held within them. This had all sort of storytelling forms you can think of, so you can just imagine the effect this had in people.

Reflection # 15

In Ancient Athenian students were taught various subjects, three of them being physical education, music, and literacy. On the other hand, Romans considered music and physical education of less importance. But they did emphasize on teaching their students about literacy.
Ancient Athenians attendance at school was mostly optional. Not being grounded by the government, the age range went up to at least 14 years of age. Of course girls had no part in having any sort of a descent education. They had the typical stereotype to take care of house hold chores, while boys were sent off to school. But some with a higher economic status did receive somewhat of an education.
However, Romans considered education to be of important significance. Wealthy students were often educated at home by their tutors. But those who were sent off to schools, which were only boys, had quit a rough time remaining there. Students were often whipped by their teachers if they committed any sort of violation. Students did not have the right to know why something was right or wrong. They just believed in whatever was taught to them.
Roman girls were married at a very young age, usually around the age of 12 years old, unlike the boys that waited until they were 14.
Moreover, Roman schools usually had two separate schools. One for younger children around the age range of 12 and the other children went off to a more complex school; where they practice public speaking. Since paper was very high priced students had to accommodate to wax tablets.
Nevertheless, Athenian schools were private schools. Students were taught in a one room are. Some teachers had books but students usually didn't.