Running Head: PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT

Philosophy Statement
By: Kellie Carson
EDUC 290
College of Southern Idaho
Spring 2015
Instructor: Egbert

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Philosophy Statement

If you have ever looked at a pair of socks or a sweater you may not notice the small
stitches that make up the material. As an experienced hand knitter, I have a unique insight as to
how loops of yarn are joined together to make an article of clothing. The construction of a
knitted item reminds me of teaching children. The student is the yarn, the curriculum is the
needles, and the teacher is the knitter. Knitting involves taking the yarn and with the needles to
bend the yarn into an interlocking shape one stitch at a time. This is just like teaching. The
teacher takes the students, uses a curriculum and starts shaping the students mind lesson by
lesson and grade level by grade level until the student becomes a piece of knitted fabric.
Teaching and knitting take time and patience but the results are beautiful.
Educational philosophies that best fits my personality are Essentialism and Perennialism.
Essentialist believe students need a back to basics approach and learn best when taught with
direct instruction (Educational, n.d.). This philosophy coincides with my support of a common
core curriculum. In my high school years there was a local movement to take out literary classics
from the curriculum because it was believed the curriculum was biased to Caucasians. When I
returned to college a professor asked me about themes in Shakespeare to help me with an
assignment. Shakespeare was not studied in my high school and I was in a position of ignorance
with a professor. I am a perennialist because the classics are timeless and knowledge of them is
needed in college. This not only includes western classics, but also folk tales and stories that are
classics in other cultures as well.
According to my philosophical beliefs schools should teach a high quality curriculum that
would be the same curriculum that is taught in successful schools no matter where the student is
attending. This would be good for children who are in military families and children in schools

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that are not teaching a high quality curriculum. This curriculum needs to include classics and arts
of many cultures so that students can learn about all the different people that make up American
society. Perennial philosophy states that we are taught by example through imitation and this
would include themes taught in classics such as love and tolerance in Romeo and Juliet
(Philosophy, n.d.). Also included in this curriculum are subjects that have served well in the past
including: writing, mathematics, literature, and history. Essentialist philosophy states that
students should be able to master facts. This is important as children become adults when they
need manage their money and make informed decisions.
A teachers role according to perennial philosophy is to teach for handling ideas: lecture
and discussion (Philosophy, n.d.). This means that teacher is able to promote free discussion on
the subject matter and help students understand themes and examples in the material. An
Essentialist teachers role is to teach for mastery of basic skills: demonstration, recitation
(Philosophy, n.d). This would mean that the teacher is able to teach the approved curriculum and
the students are able to demonstrate their mastery of the subject through standardized testing.
However, the students role is to take responsibility for their learning and have motivation which
is from the Humanism philosophy (Philosophy, n.d.).
I learn best by doing. I have discovered that once I am given direction it is best that I dive
in and tackle the problem. Subject material should be taught with the direct instruction approach
so that students have a model, practice time, and correction as they learn. Teachers need to teach
based off the curriculum which is the Essentialist philosophy, but students should also be allowed
and guided through their own interests too.

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References

Educational Philosophies Scoring Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved March 20, 2015, from
http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/scoringguide.html.
Philosophy and Education Continuum Chart. (n.d.). Retrieved March 20, 2015, from
http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/chart3.html.