# Application asks for "Philosophy of Education" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 4, 2013, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/application-asks-for-philosophy-of-education/662614 "2013-07-04T06:00:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SayTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@SayTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SayTwo)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/application-asks-for-philosophy-of-education/662614/1 "2013-07-04T06:00:18Z")
So, I’m applying to be a high school math teacher. And I’m asked to describe my “Philosophy of Education.” I’m not sure I agree with their characterization of such ideas, but still. Below is what I came up with. What would you have said? Comments on mine? > [@](#): > > I believe that by and large children will meet the expectations we set. I believe that some part of every child is eager to learn. I believe that learning is, and should be, fun. I am convinced that educating our youth is the most sacred obligation we have. > > I believe that math is important. I believe that math is valuable in ways rarely recognized. I believe that math is every bit as approachable as any other discipline and is not at all something to fear. I am convinced that our next generations need teachers who offer math as a help and not a hindrance. > > I believe that community is important to education. I believe that better students are ones more invested in their world. I believe in the village that prepares the child to be a responsible, productive, upstanding global citizen. I am convinced that should we get this one thing right the rest will follow. > > I believe education should be a gift–soberly given, enthusiastically received, and sturdy enough to make it till the next time. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/application-asks-for-philosophy-of-education/662614/2 "2013-07-04T07:14:43Z")
In 200 words or less? 2000 words or less? 2000 pages or less? “Philosophy of Education” is a whole subject. Their are entire graduate level courses taught in Philosophy of Education. My father was a professor of education, and that’s what he taught (along with History of Education). It was part of the Masters-level curriculum for people who are going to become teachers. Do you have a Masters degree to become a teacher, or are you working one one? Did you have to deal with a class like that? How do you think they want you to answer this question in just a brief paragraph or two? You could write your whole dissertation on “Philosophy of Education”! ---
**Author:** ![SayTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@SayTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SayTwo)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/application-asks-for-philosophy-of-education/662614/3 "2013-07-04T07:32:08Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > How do you think they want you to answer this question in just a brief paragraph or two? I think they want just a little bit of color. Brevity being the challenge, and all. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/application-asks-for-philosophy-of-education/662614/4 "2013-07-04T11:02:49Z")
I think they will search for your text using Google, and they will find this thread. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/application-asks-for-philosophy-of-education/662614/5 "2013-07-04T11:11:31Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > In 200 words or less? 2000 words or less? 2000 pages or less? > > “Philosophy of Education” is a whole subject. Their are entire graduate level courses taught in Philosophy of Education. My father was a professor of education, and that’s what he taught (along with History of Education). It was part of the Masters-level curriculum for people who are going to become teachers. > > Do you have a Masters degree to become a teacher, or are you working one one? Did you have to deal with a class like that? > > How do you think they want you to answer this question in just a brief paragraph or two? You could write your whole dissertation on “Philosophy of Education”! I don’t they mean philosophy of education in the same way it would be in a formal context. I think here it’s more akin to “personal mission statement” ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/application-asks-for-philosophy-of-education/662614/6 "2013-07-04T18:48:18Z")
> [@SayTwo](#): > > So, I’m applying to be a high school math teacher. And I’m asked to describe my “Philosophy of Education.” I’m not sure I agree with their characterization of such ideas, but still. > > Below is what I came up with. What would you have said? Comments on mine? High school math teacher here. As a Platonic ideal of a statement of philosophy of education, yours is fine. The school may be looking for a clear statement that you understand and are interested in pursuing certain approaches within the classroom. I would look carefully at the job posting and see whether you can find anything specific about the approach to education that they’re looking for. If they mention technology in the classroom, incorporate that into your statement. If they mention project-based learning, incorporate that. If they mention student-centered learning, mention that. Use whatever exact words the posting uses. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/application-asks-for-philosophy-of-education/662614/7 "2013-07-04T23:06:43Z")
I agree with the previous poster: they’re looking for buzz words. The individual school, or the district, may have a nice statement you can crib from. Education is full of fads and fashions, which go in and out of style. You might want to write about hands-on learning, encouraging self-direction, catering to different learning styles, disruptive innovation… ---
**Author:** ![SayTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@SayTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SayTwo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/application-asks-for-philosophy-of-education/662614/8 "2013-07-19T03:11:27Z")
Thank you all for your advice. I got two interviews from the district. Boy, you guys nailed many things right on the head, in that you previewed several topics they asked about in the interviews. Very insightful of you. I enjoyed the interviews very much. I was a little disappointed they didn’t ask anything about math, though. I don’t know…maybe that shines a little light on the problems learning math they say we are having these days. If these two interviews were any indication, as long as you can wax poetic about peer teaching and project-based learning and using technology and inspiring kids to want to learn, you don’t actually have to know any math! ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/application-asks-for-philosophy-of-education/662614/9 "2013-07-19T03:21:46Z")
> [@SayTwo](#): > > So, I’m applying to be a high school math teacher. And I’m asked to describe my “Philosophy of Education.” I’m not sure I agree with their characterization of such ideas, but still. > > Below is what I came up with. What would you have said? Comments on mine? For a start, let’s delete all instances of “I believe that” or “I am convinced that” or even “I \ \<“that” or zero relative pronoun\>” > [@](#): > > By and large children will meet the expectations we set. Some part of every child is eager to learn. Learning is, and should be, fun. Educating our youth is the most sacred obligation we have. > > Math is important. Math is valuable in ways rarely recognized. Math is every bit as approachable as any other discipline and is not at all something to fear. Our next generations need teachers who offer math as a help and not a hindrance. > > Community is important to education. Better students are ones more invested in their world. I believe [_OK, I had to keep this one in._] in the village that prepares the child to be a responsible, productive, upstanding global citizen. Should we get this one thing right the rest will follow. > > Education should be a gift–soberly given, enthusiastically received, and sturdy enough to make it till the next time. A thousand times better. You don’t need to preface every sentence with “I believe that …” or its cousins. That can be inferred from appearing on your application under the header “Philosophy of Education” where it asks you to "please described what you believe the role of a teacher, and of education in general, to be. ETA: Oh, I see I’m tardy for the party. Well, my remarks are “sturdy enough to make it till the next time” and all that… ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/application-asks-for-philosophy-of-education/662614/10 "2013-07-19T03:54:59Z")
Take out any references to “fun”. Until you graduate from HS, or make an informed decision to drop out, school is your job, and needs to majority of your focus. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/application-asks-for-philosophy-of-education/662614/11 "2013-07-19T05:08:18Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > I agree with the previous poster: they’re looking for buzz words. The individual school, or the district, may have a nice statement you can crib from. Education is full of fads and fashions, which go in and out of style. You might want to write about hands-on learning, encouraging self-direction, catering to different learning styles, disruptive innovation… I would also add 'transformative/transformational/etc…" ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/application-asks-for-philosophy-of-education/662614/12 "2013-07-19T05:12:49Z")
Probably a good idea to not go with [that’s a paddlin’](http://simpsonswiki.net/wiki/That%27s_a_paddlin%27). But…using “I” to begin every sentence in a paragraph? That’s a paddlin’. 😃