Philosophy

Personal Curriculum Philosophy 1

Personal Curriculum Philosophy

Simon Shelton

MAT 644 Foundations and Principles of Curriculum

National University

Professor: Spacek

11/22/14


Personal Curriculum Philosophy

Why I teach

I teach because it is the most invigorating, reinforcing, good feeling I get out of life. When I see

a student grasp a concept or skill, my personal self-esteem grows. The euphoria and happiness I

experience within, is addicting. Both the student and I benefit, the learner uses the knowledge to

help themselves and others. Knowing and feeling these emotions keeps me motivated through

difficult and challenging times. One educational philosophy I use on a regular basis is

perennialism. Perrennilists believe that the role of education should be to develop character and

morality (Ornstein and Hunkins, 2013, p. 34). I believe in passing on my values and morals. I

teach integrity, respect and accountability. Without these, it is difficult to find success.

How I teach

There are so many excellent philosophies out there. My personal philosophy will continue to

evolve over time as I gain additional experiences. I believe every individual deserves a safe,

nurturing and stimulating environment for social, physical, emotional and intellectual growth. I

guide students through the learning process to promote each individual’s interests. This form of

management creates respect for each other and what the subject is. The humanistic approach is

evident in my teaching. I believe in honoring every individual through respect and dignity. One

of the best ways of doing this to empower individuals to be actively involved their own growth

(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2009, p. 168). I have found this to be true in many instances; when one

respects themselves, they respect others.

As a guide, I provide the information to the students and it is their responsibility to find the

answers. This self-discovery process creates deep level thinking and fosters many skills such as


researching, analyzing and communication. Each student is given the necessary time and

resources to eventually take the knowledge learned and apply it to a variety of real-world

scenarios. Progressivism has influenced my teaching. My role is to guide the students through

problem solving and scientific inquiry (Ornstein and Hunkins, 2013, p. 48).

My lessons are engaging and captivate the student’s needs and interests. Each lesson is carefully

designed so that it can foster internal motivation. Fun, creativity and safety are always

implemented during a lesson. I formulate my lessons based on the student’s goals and objectives.

This keeps each student engaged throughout the process. When ownership is taken by the

student, lessons are highly motivating and the new knowledge is quickly displayed.

Students all learn differently. Sometimes I use cues, examples, modeling, direction instruction

and other methods of teaching. Video analysis also helps each student see and correct their

mistakes; this method in particular through the utilization of technology has helped many of my

students improve at a much faster rate than before.

What I teach:

Tennis is the primary subject I currently teach. However, components of health, well-being and

fitness are all disciplines I touch on during a lesson. I focus on the body’s movements during a

lesson, primarily footwork and biomechanics. Lessons primarily work to improve a student’s

balance, spatial awareness and decision making. Each student has strengths and weaknesses; I

work to improve the weaknesses and the gifts. Lessons may also emphasize strategy and tactics;

the skill level will determine the depth of these topics. Each lesson is customized to the needs,

goals and objectives of the student.


Reference:

Ornstein, A. & Hunkins, F. (2013). Curriculum: Foundations, Principles, and Issues. Upper

Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Philosophy

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