Philosophy of Teaching and Learning

Philosophy of Teaching and Learning

Introduction

What is the significance of teaching? How can we learn best from our teachers? Do students have a responsibility inside the classroom or is it merely the teacher who is in charge of everything? Here I will outline my personal perspective in teaching and my perception about my teachers in the past and how they mold me as a person and as a nurse and become useful to me right now. I will talk about the important values and characteristics a teacher must have and how it can change a life of a student.

Teaching started from the time we enter in this world when our mother teach us how to properly suck in their breast, teach us how to lace our shoes, how to wash our butt in the toilet and so on. Our brain has a significant role in acquiring this knowledge. Studies show that person vary whether left or a right person. Left person develops dominance toward one side of the brain and have a certain characteristics like they are said to be logical and rational. These people can be a judge, lawyer or mathematician while right person tend to be intuitive, thoughtful and subjective. Teachers are considered to be the second parent for students and their importance is as much as of the parents. When students started to study, they spend long hours in the school and the responsibilities of teachers towards the students is important.

Significance of Teaching

                Teaching imparts knowledge, skills and attitude in every person. Education is considered to be the right of every human being to attain our goal and purpose in life.  This builds the confidence and dignity in each of us, make a living and pass on to the next generation.  Sometimes, there is unnecessary information, wrong principles or merely opinions of our teachers that affect our thinking and influence us but this is just part of learning. Thus, learning gives opportunity for unimaginable ideas and these dreams do come true. For teaching to be effective, one must have passion just like a singer belting her lungs out or a boxer willing to sacrifice everything for sports. I learned best from teachers who know what they’re discussing, prepare and deliver the lecture with all efforts and creativity. There are various ways of teaching they must know, they also need to master the lesson, organized and deliver the topic clearly, know their audience, create a good environment where students are free to speak in the class and teachers must be the best example and model for them. It’s not impressing if teachers use only one method of teaching. I remember when one of my professors enters the classroom, immediately write on the whiteboard expecting us already to write it on our notes. I just don’t learn from lame teachers who teach the subject matter in same methods everyday because I don’t get excited and enthusiasm to listen and participate.

Philosophies of Adult Education

                Adult Education has progress since the oldest philosophy of education began. The Liberalist in Ancient Greece period like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle are the famous teachers that started the Philosophy of Education.  They are experts that develop intellectual powers of the mind, to make a person literate in the broadest sense intellectually, morally and spiritually. I am not a type of learner who seeks knowledge rather than information because I easily get bored in simple discussion method. But if the subject is knowledge-based like History and Philosophy, I would just like to imagine myself in that period for me to appreciate the subject. Behaviorist like Watson brings behavior that will ensure survival of human species, societies and individual. I’ve learned a lot about behaviors of human being in Psychology and development from child to adult in Maternal and Child Nursing. I learned this subject in College through skills in assessing family in the community which is really helpful for me to appreciate. I was able to observe the developmental characteristics and differentiate them base from the psychologist point of view. The Progressive educator transmits culture and societal structure to promote social change. This is an important period because people became aware of their roots, they have societal responsibility to preserve and enrich their culture. The Humanistic develop people open to change and continued learning that enhance personal growth and development. This also facilitates self-actualization to reform the society. This has been an important part of the history because we become aware on the importance of democracy. It will be so hard for example if I cannot give my opinion in the class because it is prohibited just like in a democratic country like Philippines, public hearing must be done before amending any law in the constitution. Lastly, Radical experts bring about fundamental, social, political, economic changes in society through education.

“Teachers must have”

                  Effective teacher for me must have expertise on the subject matter or content. When I became senior nurse in the hospital I worked before, I became expert on a particular area which is Operating/Delivery Room and I passed the knowledge I had to others. Without books or notes, I can able to explain the process inside OR, the instruments and supplies needed in all surgical procedures, the skills need to render and how the machines will work and function. Experience for me builds the confidence and reliability of a teacher for students to believe on what he/she is discussing. Also, teacher must socialize with their students. They must know what type of students they are and when he/she gives responsibility to students to gain independence. I remember my junior nurse that I talked to when I noticed her always depending to what I am saying to her, what cases she must handled and tasks that she needed to do and she did not understood why I got mad to her that time. I admired my junior nurses who have initiative to receive patients on their own, willing to do extra tasks aside from what assigned to them and participated in activities in our area or institution. Now, I know that personally talking to her was the right thing for me to do but I should have understand that there are adjustments I need to make for myself and realize that each person have unique way of understanding things out. I should have explain and know her on what she can do on her own, where she needs guidance and direction more and not expect base from my own standards. Good teachers also must have understanding how their learners think and reason about the subject. This is the purpose of feedbacks, reflections and recitation. Students would be able to express themselves through opinion and personal contribution to the topic. For years, I always make a journal and write it on notebook or type it on my blog about my learning and insights on the most memorable experiences and events I have, some thoughts on issues around me, my observation on the current news or my personal journey and this could help me in the future to be a good teacher. These experiences are the stories I can share someday to my students, not for the purpose of sharing knowledge, but to inspire and make difference in their lives.

Assess and Evaluate

                To summarize, teachers have the responsibility to nourish the understanding and creativity in each of us. Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal recognized the importance of education in the development of our nation and our people. The writings and various events in his life are filled with ideas concerning education. He insisted that truly the youth are the hope of our nation through education. With great power comes great responsibility. In teaching, one must prepare, master and creative in delivering those topics. Knowledge on the different types of learners is important for a teacher to be effective. Teacher should not settle on one method in helping the students. As a teacher, she/he must identify specific needs on each student and try to evaluate these methods that would fit to them. I promise that in the future, when I will become a teacher, I will help each of my students find them the best way how can they learn best from me.  Not only will I impart knowledge but most importantly, inspire them to be a good person with full of dreams and aspirations in life. If only people would understand the life of Jose Rizal with his writings, we will all be the student of Jose Rizal fulfilling his dreams for a good nation.