Philosophy of Education
Given the multitude of pressures placed on teachers, each candidate must have his/her personal vision of education (Perrone, 1991). Central to the notion of philosophy is that every action taken by a teacher is a philosophical statement. That is, assumptions about the nature of knowledge, the nature of learning, and the role of the teacher, are philosophical questions, the answers to which have great importance for how one chooses to teach. This is a developmental process, especially for pre-service teachers who have little or no experience in a classroom. The first step is uncovering and challenging tacit notions of teaching. As the candidate begins to gain teaching experience and instructional skills, an initial set of guiding principles emerge that reflect a sense of purpose and direction.
