Practical Magic: Online Reflection #1

As I begin my student teaching journey, I realize that I have much to reflect upon.  And since it is a new year, I felt this post would be the perfect way to review and analyze my goals as a teaching professional along with my teaching philosophy.  I have always believed in a providing an education that will stimulate my students mentally, create learning experiences full of rigor, and most importantly that will equip them with the skills necessary to be successful outside of middle or high school.  These ideas best align with a pragmatic or practical theory of education. Pragmatism is a word derived from the Greek word “pragma” which means practice.  Pragmatists believe that the meaning of concepts lie in practical consequences. According to Ruth Anna Putnam (1999), “The Pragmatic outlook is forward looking, looking toward effects or future events rather than to the past.”  I think that this is an accurate statement.  In order to be a reflective practitioner in the field of education, it is imperative that you assess the past outcomes of your teaching, but that you look to the future and analyze the real world implications of your instruction.

I see this approach every day in my classroom (wow that’s weird I’ve never been able to call a classroom mine before).  Since my classes consist of high school seniors, determining a philosophy of education that is best suited to them is imperative.  Both my MT and I have come to the determination that this pragmatic approach will be the most beneficial for our students. Like the original pragmatists, we believe that our students’ reality is constantly changing and by applying knowledge and experience to new information, they will be able to negotiate solving problems as they arise (Cohen, 1999).  I believe in this approach, but often question whether it will be the most effective, especially in the English/Language Arts classroom.  Is it better to dig into an intricate piece of literature to find complex themes and literary devices (something that I love about this subject) or is it more beneficial to expose students to as many novels and literature as possible, helping students understand themes that are relevant to their everyday lives, and using that knowledge to help them navigate situations in their own lives?

I think this kind of questioning is important for every teacher to ask themselves when evaluating and developing their methodology and purpose for instruction.  For my students, the first approach is probably best.  As seniors graduating in a few months, most are not interested in drawn out critical analyses of works that have seemingly no connection to their lives today.  Instead, offering a multitude of experiences that can have a clear and concrete application (like problem solving, conflict resolution, resume building, professional writing) will be most beneficial for this group of students.

A practical approach to instruction can often have a negative connotation, but with the right learning activities and curriculum model in a disciplined and structured setting, success is the only option. While this method will guide my lesson planning and instruction in my student teaching semester, I think it is imperative that every educator takes the time each year to reevaluate their own philosophy and its relevance to their students.

Cohen, L.M. (1999). Philosopical perspectives in education. Retrieved from http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/PP2.html

Putnam, R.A. (1999). Pragmatism, ethics and education. Retrieved from http://eepat.net/doku.php?id=pragmatism_ethics_and_education