Educational Philosophy that Delivers Results

One of the most essential elements in a free society is an educated public. This concept is a cornerstone principle on which the United States was founded. Unfortunately, according to the US Commission on National Security in a 2006 report by the Department of Education, “The inadequacies of our systems of research and education pose a greater threat to U.S. national security over the next quarter-century than any potential conventional war that we might imagine.” In comparison to many countries around the world, our students are having a difficult time competing in an increasingly global economy.

Education is necessary for the advancement of society, and the role of the educator is to spark an interest in students so that they can pursue an enjoyable career in which they will excel. On the secondary level, it is essential that we focus on two tracks: a career track and an education track. With the current state of our economy, we must promote a goal oriented curriculum that includes job training elements as well as a challenging core academic curriculum. We must engage our students in exercises that teach them how to think critically and apply the knowledge that they learn. These life skills with a well-rounded knowledge base will help them excel in their post-secondary lives.

Two influential Americans that have had a large impact on my personal philosophy of education are Thomas Jefferson and Horace Mann. These men supported the idea that public education is “The Great Equalizer.” We cannot forget this as we look to the future of education in the state of New York and across the nation. Horace Mann, who is known as the father of American education, supported the first common schools which were an early attempt at institutionalizing education as a way to ascend skyward on the socio-economic ladder. Educators today must understand and impart the significance of education as a gateway from poverty.

When it comes to scholastic discipline I believe that we should take the approach of Immanuel Kant and his categorical imperative. Character education programs in our schools serve this idea in supporting that there is a right behavior and a wrong behavior. In the course of my experiences teaching in the Sachem School District, I support their great new initiatives that center on students acting with good manners, healthy behaviors, and following Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

My teaching methods share elements with Ancient philosophers Socrates and Aristotle. The Socratic Method is an effective teaching strategy which uses questioning to systematically lead a student to discover a conclusion on their own which today we refer to as discovery learning. Aristotle believed in repetition as a tool for success, and I share this sentiment as I believe strongly in learning by repeatedly doing a task.            

On the angle of cognitive development, I agree with much of Jean Piaget’s theories, but feel they miss the mark when underestimating a child’s capacity for higher level thinking. Leading child philosopher, Gareth Matthews, in his book, Philosophy in Children, criticizes Piagetian theory because Piaget states children are incapable of higher level thinking, while it lacks to discuss a child’s ability to think about and ask philosophical questions. Matthews notes that children’s book stories are often popular for the philosophical background lessons, such as good versus evil and other themes that children can identify with, understand, and discuss. The wonderment that drives a child when asking questions often parallels the inquiring thoughts in the fields of science and mathematics.

As educators we have a great responsibility to maintain the interest of inquiring minds while encouraging our students to lead good lives, make informed decisions, and work hard. With these principles and values that I have come to learn over my lifetime, I know that our teachers can inspire the next generation of students to lead this country into the future.

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Douglas M. Smith serves as Constituent Services Director for New York State Assemblyman Alfred C. Graf, has a B.A. in Mathematics and has a New York State Teacher Certification in Mathematics Grades 7-12.