Mr. Milillo's Educational Philosophy
As a teacher, my role is to break stereotypes and patterns that negatively affect your students’ performance and self esteem. One of the best ways to do this is to teach a diverse and equitable classroom. Diversity and equity not only refer to the students in the classroom and how they are treated, but also the curriculum. Non-traditional forms of literature should be taught in conjunction with what is considered to be traditional. The distinction between traditional and non-traditional only serves to illustrate the previous focus of teaching literature, only British and American authors, not the works themselves. By teaching diversity and equity in many different forms, your students will be provided with the best education.
I believe that school both reflects and directs society. It’s increasingly apparent that this cyclical relationship could destroy the educational system as easily as it could reform it. If the aspects of culture that are used to disempower certain groups are perpetuated in our educational system, then we will fail our students. We, as teachers, need to be proactive in breaking stereotypes and to prevent the perpetuation of social beliefs that negatively portray a group or their value to society. If we raise, and teach, our children in a way that is open to diversity, many problems of society would begin to fade away. School is the greatest institution to teach diversity and equity at an early age and continue to do so throughout a child’s development. While it is difficult to teach a diversity of beliefs, simply because of the number of different ideas, the exposure to a sense of diversity in the world will shape the beliefs of a student. It is the role of the educator to prepare their students in a way that promotes diversity, academic achievement, and Democracy.
In Savage Inequalities, Jonathon Kozol describes the state of schools that are failing our children in the nation. He discusses “death zones” which are areas that refer to the rate of infant mortality in ghetto neighborhoods, and relates this concept to schools in the area that are dying due to filth and disrepair. This is a perfect example of what our education system shouldn’t be. Rather than ignoring the extremely low performing school in a district, our system of public education should be equal, equitable, and diverse throughout. The aims of our educational system should emphasize the importance of diversity and Democracy so that when the students become active participants in society, they will be able to make well informed and educated decisions that will continue to shape the educational system for the next generation.
To truly reflect the times, it is imperative that a modern education fully integrates technology into the curriculum. Most students have a fluency with technology not characteristic of previous generations. Because of this, technology is the tool to equalize education across all diversity gaps. As technology becomes more and more readily available, there is no discernable reason that classes all over the country, regardless of socioeconomic status, can’t have access to the same opportunities. Also, technology provides the opportunity to develop higher order thinking assignments focusing on synthesis and creation, rather than reaching a plateau at the level of analysis. Restructuring our curricula to emphasize creativity shapes education around the emerging technologies of world.
As a teacher, my role is to welcome diversity, promote equity, understand the relationship between society and school, and center my lessons in social context. I have to always put the needs of my students first, because the goal of education is what is best for the children. In addition to fulfilling that goal, it is the goal of the educator to promote social awareness and openness to diversity as equally as the content area is treated. The most important part of any philosophy of education is to continually reshape your beliefs through your experiences. While we have to provide a diverse and equitable education to our students, we must also be open to diversity in our lives and treat others equitably.
I believe that school both reflects and directs society. It’s increasingly apparent that this cyclical relationship could destroy the educational system as easily as it could reform it. If the aspects of culture that are used to disempower certain groups are perpetuated in our educational system, then we will fail our students. We, as teachers, need to be proactive in breaking stereotypes and to prevent the perpetuation of social beliefs that negatively portray a group or their value to society. If we raise, and teach, our children in a way that is open to diversity, many problems of society would begin to fade away. School is the greatest institution to teach diversity and equity at an early age and continue to do so throughout a child’s development. While it is difficult to teach a diversity of beliefs, simply because of the number of different ideas, the exposure to a sense of diversity in the world will shape the beliefs of a student. It is the role of the educator to prepare their students in a way that promotes diversity, academic achievement, and Democracy.
In Savage Inequalities, Jonathon Kozol describes the state of schools that are failing our children in the nation. He discusses “death zones” which are areas that refer to the rate of infant mortality in ghetto neighborhoods, and relates this concept to schools in the area that are dying due to filth and disrepair. This is a perfect example of what our education system shouldn’t be. Rather than ignoring the extremely low performing school in a district, our system of public education should be equal, equitable, and diverse throughout. The aims of our educational system should emphasize the importance of diversity and Democracy so that when the students become active participants in society, they will be able to make well informed and educated decisions that will continue to shape the educational system for the next generation.
To truly reflect the times, it is imperative that a modern education fully integrates technology into the curriculum. Most students have a fluency with technology not characteristic of previous generations. Because of this, technology is the tool to equalize education across all diversity gaps. As technology becomes more and more readily available, there is no discernable reason that classes all over the country, regardless of socioeconomic status, can’t have access to the same opportunities. Also, technology provides the opportunity to develop higher order thinking assignments focusing on synthesis and creation, rather than reaching a plateau at the level of analysis. Restructuring our curricula to emphasize creativity shapes education around the emerging technologies of world.
As a teacher, my role is to welcome diversity, promote equity, understand the relationship between society and school, and center my lessons in social context. I have to always put the needs of my students first, because the goal of education is what is best for the children. In addition to fulfilling that goal, it is the goal of the educator to promote social awareness and openness to diversity as equally as the content area is treated. The most important part of any philosophy of education is to continually reshape your beliefs through your experiences. While we have to provide a diverse and equitable education to our students, we must also be open to diversity in our lives and treat others equitably.