Philosophy of Education :: Philosophy of Teaching Statement

Philosophy of Education I have thought several times over what my philosophy towards teaching is, or quite frankly, will be as I learn more about the teaching profession and eventually begin teaching on my own. While I have already been teaching swim lessons for the past five years and presently hold the position of assistant football coach at Bluefield Middle School, I can say that my hat goes off to anyone possessing the patience and expertise to stand before a classroom or gymnasium of students and have the confidence to pass their knowledge on to that group of students. On the other hand, I have an equal level of disgust for those "oxygen thieves" that merely roll out a basketball and read the paper while the whole time claim to be teaching. These teachers, a term I use loosely, have taught nothing. They have at no point attempted to communicate with their students the importance of taking care of their bodies and learning the essential movements that will provide them the opportunity to be active for a lifetime. With that in mind, it our responsibility as Health and Physical Educators to provide that knowledge, instill that importance and to never allow a child to fall through the cracks, but rather to make a lasting impression on the lives we teach. It is my firm belief that our duties begin in the way we present ourselves. I look back at my experiences growing up and compare them to what I have learned. It amazes me that someone on the opposite end of healthy can try to teach others how to be healthy. The solution lies with credibility. We must evoke fitness and encourage that concept in our own lives before we should ever think to influence the life and well-being of children who see teachers as role models. How can we expect our students to accomplish something that we are not willing to pursue? We must challenge our student’s everyday by setting high, but realistic goals for those under our instruction. Why would you give a student a starting line without defining a place to finish and leave them with a sense of accomplishment?