NAME:
Mrs. Patricia Ritter
SCHOOL:
St. Juliana School
CLASS:
5th Grade
SCHOOL PHONE:
714 871-2829
My personal philosophy of education has evolved after working with
children and being the parent of a challenging ADHD child. Each student is a
unique gift that needs the space and safety to explore the world and develop
a rich and varied zest for knowledge.
Education is a facilitator to life long learning. Students should not
just be filled with facts but inspired to seek knowledge and answers. I
believe today that many educational institutions do not allow the students
the freedom to explore and develop thinking skills and to explore the
answers, not just facts.
Education for today should allow time for hands-on experiences along with
well-developed units of direct instruction. The basics are mandatory for a
well-developed understanding for the student. The basics need to be
augmented by the arts and physical education. These units of education
provide the student with opportunities to develop life skills and problem
solving skills. Students need hands-on opportunities each day. This is a
time consuming endeavor but will enable our students to develop into
knowledge seeking problem solvers.
Curriculum and instruction are closely intertwined and must be the heart
of your philosophy. What you teach and how you teach it exemplifies the
way. If you want your students to be problem solvers you must allow for
problem solving situations. They must be challenged and allowed a safe and
encouraging environment in which to explore for answers. Your instruction,
therefore, is dictated by your philosophy.
An educator has an obligation to instill in each student that they
encounter, an excitement for learning, and excitement for knowledge and an
ever-questioning mind. A student that says, "But Why," is a student that will
be able to handle the many challenges that life will give him or her.