Philosophy: My philosophy of education is realism.
Realists believe that the universe exists whether the mind perceives it or not. One of the leading proponents of realism, Aristotle, argues that knowledge is acquired through senses. This idea coincides with another leading proponent, John Locke’s, theory of the tabula rasa, which states that humans begin as a blank slate. I agree with both, Locke and Aristotle, because I believe society and experiences play a vital role in the shaping of a person. I also believe that this is important for teachers to keep in mind because as this nation gets more diverse, it is imperative that no student is stereotyped and the teacher should not have preconceived notions.
I began college as a biological science major. I’ve always been a very logical and straightforward thinker. In my mind, everything is what it is. There are so many questions that go unanswered in science that I’ve learned to just accept things as true whether I have seen it or not. Also, as a biology major, experiments are conducted several times to gain knowledge. This coincides with the idea of learning through experience. Therefore, I agree with this philosophy the most because it recognizes matter. Idealists only recognizes ideas, neo-thomists focus on spirits, etc. This philosophy aligns best with my personal outlook on life.
Theory: My theory of education is behaviorism.
Behaviorists believe that learning is only the acquisition of a new behavior and use conditionings, classical and operant, as a learning process. I began school in a private school. My teachers were very strict and almost everyday was the same. We were disciplined and uniformity was essential. Behaviorist teachers focus mainly on classroom behavior and try to manipulate the