Paul's Place of Musings and Insights

the reflections of a techno-meddling teacher

About

I am an upper primary classroom teacher. I believe that Education should be at the forefront of responding to change, rather than catching up with it. I believe that the profession is changing rapidly and that the role of a teacher is approaching that of a facilitator of learning. I enjoy implementing new ideas into my classroom and continuously learning with my students. Intelligence is knowing the right question, not the right answer.

 

My Educational Philosophy

Education is one of those things that every single human being on earth receives.

The sights, sounds, emotions and experiences that all children encounter both in formal and informal educational settings are catalysts for active knowledge construction. I believe in the philosophy of educational rationalism, whereby rational discourse and logical deduction reveal to learners knowledge they already possess through these encounters. Above all, I believe that children, and indeed all human beings, have an inherent tendency to learn and such learning is at its core, a function of social interactions. It is the role of a teacher to facilitate this.

Learning occurs constantly for all humans, but it is in formal settings that children can most effectively be given the opportunity to be active constructors of their own knowledge. Each student has different learning characteristics, processes and outcomes, but there is a tendency for teachers to assess all students, despite these differences, against the same achievement standards. I believe that the evidence of actual learning is more important that the evidence of knowledge.

I believe in creating a positive, energetic learning environment that appeals to all students. I enjoy the challenge of engaging reluctant learners as much as the thrill of seeing them achieve what they thought was not possible.

I am a guide to self discovery, not a deliverer of knowledge.

Please drop by my classroom blog, Year 5 SAS to see what Year 5 are up to and leave a comment for the students on their individual learning blogs.

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