Your culminating project will center on the relation of CLOs to the intersections and interactions of historical themes, current practices, relevant theory and philosophy, and personal cultural identity in education. A statement of personal philosophy of education is a reflective piece, 5-10 pages long, that summarizes your educational position on the purpose, process, nature, and ideals of education. As a reflection on your CLOs, your personal education philosophy explains the beliefs and ideas that underlie your thinking and regulate your actions. Your final project will be about how CLOs are connected to historical themes, current practices, relevant theory and philosophy, and your own cultural identity in education. A statement of personal philosophy of education is a 5–10-page piece of writing that summarizes your educational position on the purpose, process, nature, and ideals of education. As a reflection on your CLOs, your personal education philosophy describes the ideas and beliefs that shape the way you think and act.
Drawing on what you’ve learned in the course, your paper should reflect on how you, as a teacher, will
1. Continually and deliberately reflect on my practices in light of educational research, professional decisions, and pedagogical approaches. (Reflexive Praxis)
2. Create contexts for learning that are driven by evidence-based principles of diversity, difference, inclusion, and equity. (Learner Centeredness)
3. Apply knowledge, concepts, and strategies across domains to engage individuals and promote critical thinking and creativity. (Discipline Knowledge and Skills)
4. Demonstrate attitudes, knowledge, skills, and professional ethics that contribute to the success and well-being of all individuals. (Professional Commitment to Action)
5. Evaluate, plan, select, and implement appropriate formative and summative assessments–including those that are technology based–to monitor individuals’ understanding, behavior, and progress. (Data Literacy and Research)
The following questions may help to guide the creation of the action plan to implement your personal philosophy:
• Which aspects of your own and others’ philosophies would you like to focus on in your teaching? (RP1, LC1, DKS1)
• What action steps will you take to bring these philosophies to life in your practice? (DKS2, PCA1)
• How will enacting these chosen philosophies further your development as a reflective practitioner in relation to the CLOs? (RP1, RP2, RP3)
• How will you assess your growth and progress toward actualization of your personal philosophy of education? (RP1, DLR2, DLR3)
• What histories, philosophies, ideas, and theories of education that we learned about in this course are still present in schools, and which would you like to preserve in current educational practices? (DKS1, DKS2, DKS3)
• How will enacting these philosophies, theories, and ideas further your development as a teacher in relation to the CLOs you discussed in Module 1? Assess your personal and professional growth since your initial philosophical reflections on these CLOs. (RP1, RP2, RP3)
• How does/should culturally-responsive pedagogy manifest in schools? (LC1, LC2, PCA1, DLR1)
• Who are you as a student and teacher? How have you come to know what you know about education and schooling? In what ways have your cultural identities and social experiences shaped your understanding of education and schooling? (RP1, RP2, RP3, PCA1)
Is American education moving in the right direction? How can you transform your ideas about education and schooling into praxis, advocacy, and action? (DKS1, DKS2, PCA1, DLR3)
