There are two things: in bold

What is your philosophy of education? What are the theoretical underpinnings of that philosophy? What does your philosophy look like at the school site and in the classroom? 

What are the theoretical underpinnings of that philosophy? What does your philosophy look like at the school site and in the classroom? 

What does your philosophy look like at the school site and in the classroom? 

At least one paragraph for each questions.

This is for Education class. 

Feedback for below two peers. 

1.I always remember my education in my public grade school as a very positive and safe environment. There is no doubt that the teachers played a big role in creating such an environment and they were always excited to be at work.  Experiencing this type of education in my primary years inspired me to become this kind of teacher for my first graders.  On the other hand, I remember that there came a point in about fourth grade where I began losing interest in school.  Looking back I know that it was because I did not feel challenged.  Because of this, I felt as though there were talents and strengths that I had that I was not able to fully develop and utilize.  Because I lacked in motivation and yearning to challenge myself, I promised myself that I would be a teacher who challenged all of her students regardless of their backgrounds and abilities.  

My philosophy of education is to hold all students to high standards and instill in them the confidence and motivation to reach those high standards.  This takes a lot of trust on their end so it is also my philosophy to create an environment where students feel comfortable to explore new ways of learning, thinking, and expressing themselves.  

Motivation theories have always stuck with me since motivation was something that I struggled with in school.  Intrinsic motivation, self determination, and autonomy support (2010) are all theoretical underpinnings to my philosophy.  

My school site prides itself on community.  This year we implemented the “TRIBES” agreements school wide.  It gives our community guidelines to follow and we are able to hold each other accountable. Following the Tribes agreements means that students must show mutual respect, not put each other down, listen attentively, try their personal best, and they are given the right to pass in community circles.  These agreements not only apply to the students, but to our entire staff and parents as well.  As a first grade teacher, it is something I am reminding my students of daily.  I try to implement a community circle once a week.  The most recent circle we did was an appreciation circle where we gave a compliment/ appreciation to the person to the right of us.  It only takes about 15 minutes, but it is this kind of activity that creates an environment where students feel included and appreciated. Furthermore, it is in this type of classroom where students can find motivation to succeed in learning. 

References:

Burnett, P. C., & Mandel, V. (2010). Praise and feedback in the primary classroom: Teachers’ and students’ perspectives. Australian Journal Of Educational & Developmental Psychology, 10145-154.

Dev, P. C. (1997). Intrinsic motivation and academic achievement: What does their relationship imply for the classroom teacher?. Remedial And Special Education, 18(1), 12-19.

2.  My philosophy of education is to be an advocate for my students academically, socially, and emotionally. I have designed my curriculum and classroom around the motto that every student is capable to learn and excel with the proper guidance, support, access, and exposure to culturally responsive/inclusive material.

My school site is situated in a predominantly lower class area. 70 percent of the students would qualify for free or reduced price lunch, if it were offered at the school. 95 percent of the student population self identifies as being latino/hispanic with English as a second language. All of the aforementioned factors have shaped my teaching philosophy.

I strive to bridge the gap between my student’s cultural, linguistic, technological, and communicative limitations. I have designed my curriculum and classroom around the motto that every student is capable to learn and excel with the proper guidance, support, access, and exposure to culturally responsive/inclusive material. For example, I am a huge proponent of digital literacy instruction in the classroom. However, I am well aware that most of my  students do not have access to technology at home. In recognition of this, when technology is used in my classroom, I will take the entire class over to the classroom lab and make my classroom desktop available outside of that time.

I also value exposure to culturally responsive yet inclusive material. As a result, I make an effort to read literature that mirrors the cultural majority of my students and multicultural literature as well. Doing so will broaden my student’s knowledge base and (hopefully), foster a spirit of acceptance.