Teaching Philosophy

As a new teacher, my educational philosophy was vague. I believed that teachers were visionaries and facilitators and students were eager learners who would actively pursue knowledge based on desire, and if not that, then my enthusiasm and dazzling personality. I was wrong, and since returning from South Korea two years ago, my philosophy has changed. I now believe that students need to learn how to be resourceful, learn how to find answers that cannot be found in textbooks, learn to become independent thinkers, and finally, learn how to work. So, my educational philosophy is a work in progress.

Resourcefulness is a trait that seems to be lacking in today’s American student. Too often students rely on the teacher to point out the answer on a specific page, or if the information is not in bold print, then students stop looking for it. They cannot seem to think of alternative ways to find information. The ability to seek answers and gain knowledge are qualities students will always need to have and will remain a necessary component of a well-educated person despite our access to technology or lack thereof.

Thinking independently is another quality students must develop if they are ever to compete in a global market. Many of today’s students will be working in fields that may not currently exist. If they do not learn to think for themselves in a creative way, where will our next innovators come from? If we want the future generations to be able to find alternative fuel sources, be problem solvers and budget balancers (did I say that?), then they must learn to think of questions and answers that are not currently in textbooks or created and answered by a teacher.

Finally, students must develop a work ethic. The most striking difference between the American student and students I saw overseas is the ability to work until the job is done. Korean students are relentless workers. They are also interested in how to improve and constantly seek to increase the quality of their work. My students here resent having to work hard and most see little value in working to improve; they are working to just get it done. This is a deadly attitude. I think that the apathy toward learning is actually the greatest risk to students today. The ability to work hard, even when the task is not entertaining, has application and value that extends far beyond the classroom. Somehow a willingness to work needs to be revived within students.

Resourceful, independent thinking and hard working students do exist in my classes. My challenge is to shape more of them into that mold.