Philosophy of education Essay Example for Free

Philosophy of education Essay Philosophy is a set of beliefs or ideas one has towards their discipline or line of work. Don Kauchak and Paul Eggen, authors of the textbook â€Å"Introduction to Teaching: Becoming a Professional,† define philosophy as â€Å"The study of theories of knowledge, truth, existence, and morality† [ (Kauchak Eggen, 2011) ]. The philosophy of education is a very important aspect of teaching. It is meant to guide teachers in the classroom and offer insight to the thinking of past experts [ (Kauchak Eggen, 2011) ]. It often will answer the main questions any new and even seasoned teachers have when preparing to teach in the classroom. There are various degrees of philosophy, for example; there is the philosophy of life, the philosophy of religion, and the philosophy of education. However, there are four philosophies of education they include: Perennialism, Essentialism, Progressivism, and Social Reconstructionism. After calculating my scores on the philosophical assessment in the Kauchak and Eggen textbook, I found that my personal philosophy of education is an equal combination of Perennialism and Social Reconstructionism. According to Kauchak and Eggen, Perennialism consists of the teaching of classic knowledge [ (Kauchak Eggen, 2011) ]. This includes literacy, mathematics, and science. Another way of looking at this is teaching student’s subjects that they will use in the future, even if it does not seem relevant now. The definition of perennial is â€Å"long-term† and that is exactly how a teacher with a Perennialism philosophy teaches. Social Reconstructionism, according to Kauchak and Eggen is â€Å"An educational philosophy suggesting that schools, teachers, and students should lead in alleviating social inequities in our society† [ (Kauchak Eggen, 2011) ]. In other words, a teacher with this philosophy teaches their students about social problems, improving society and teaching their students about personal responsibilities. Perennialism and Social Reconstructionism are each on opposite ends of the spectrum. Social Reconstructionism focuses more on the society in which the student lives, while Perennialism focuses more on the intellect of the student. Having these two as my personal philosophies is a bit difficult. While I do believe teaching tolerance and understanding is important, I also know that learning mathematics, science and literacy is equally important. After reading the scenario on page 219 of the Kauchak and Eggen textbook, I would respond to the students by first trying to motivate them. Offering incentives is a great way to get students’ attention; they are more eager to pay attention if they are pursuing it to get something out of it. You can use anything as a motivator; my favorite was always free dessert at lunch! You can also give extra credit points on the next quiz or for younger students you could offer an incentive such as â€Å"line leader† or â€Å"bathroom monitor† for the day. The younger students love when they think they are in charge of something, it can also help their self-esteem knowing they are doing something important. I do believe this is more of an example of Perennialism, however, depending on the specific motivator and the response it gets; it could be Social Reconstructionism as well. The second response I would try is starting a discussion. I would try getting the students’ attention by putting them in discussion groups or having a discussion as a whole class. This would definitely be an example of Social Reconstructionism. This encourages the students to work together and to come up with a solution together. It gives them a chance to ask each other questions before asking the teacher. It also compels them to stay focused on the topic and eliminates the â€Å"my hand wasn’t raised† excuse. My third response, though I would make it my last resort, would be to write a summary on what was taught during the instruction. By doing this, it makes the students want and need to listen in order to do their assignment correctly. This also offers a chance to get some feedback from the teacher and allows you to reflect on what you learned and what you need to work on. This is an example of Perennialism, as it deals with the thought process and encouraging literacy. While Perennialism and Social Reconstructionism are complete opposites, they also share some characteristics, making it easier to teach using both philosophies. Many common knowledge subjects can be transitioned to include activities that work well to alleviate social problems. In math, you can have the students work in groups. This promotes team work and logic. In literacy, you may give reading assignments dealing with a specific problem in society (e. g. poverty, bullying, etc) and have the students write summaries on what they read. This can promote logical thinking as well as establishing knowledge of the society issue in the reading.

A Poker Addiction :: Personal Narrative Descriptive Papers

A Poker Addiction As Manny sits there, with half the chips he began with, he faces the hardest decision of the night. Does he call? Does he fold? There are so many things to consider, so much at stake. As the seconds tick by, flashes of frames from the World Series of Poker pass before his eyes; Johnny Chan slapping his cards down on the table, calling out â€Å"All in,† in front of God knows how many people. He sees Phil Hellmuth with his chin supported on his hands, shuffling chips and staring down his opponent. He smirks at the thought of Chris Moneymaker’s famous bluff against Sam Farha. He’s glad he doesn’t need to bluff this hand; he has very solid cards in front of him. At this point the adrenaline rush that is going through his body is one like no other. It is a mixture of excitement, nervousness, and competitiveness. It is a feeling players love to hate. They hate having it, but they love wanting it. As all these scenes pass before Manny’s eyes, he suddenly gets an urge to be bold and risky. He decides that calling his opponent would just weaken his position. â€Å"It would only make him think that I have a losing hand and am hoping for the best†, he reasons, â€Å"I’m all in† he then says, and slaps the cards down on the table in a Chan-like manner. Now it is up to Alex, it is his turn to decide whether to fold or call. Alex, though, is sure he has Manny beat, he gives Manny a smirk and says, in a Russian accent imitating the KGB guy from the movie Rounders, â€Å"I call.† All of sudden everyone is interested. One of these guys is about to lose all his chips. â€Å"Flip ‘em† somebody yells. As Manny flips his cards the whole table gets a look at them, A-K, an enviable hand. Alex flips his: 10-10, also a good hand. Alex definitely has an advantage, with a pocket pair. Both players look at each other and then back down at the table. Manny is hoping his bold move doesn’t backfire on him, and Alex just wants to finish the hand without having a heart attack. Here come the next three cards, also known as the flop, 7-9-K. Manny sighs as he sees his King, he is now in the lead. A Poker Addiction :: Personal Narrative Descriptive Papers A Poker Addiction As Manny sits there, with half the chips he began with, he faces the hardest decision of the night. Does he call? Does he fold? There are so many things to consider, so much at stake. As the seconds tick by, flashes of frames from the World Series of Poker pass before his eyes; Johnny Chan slapping his cards down on the table, calling out â€Å"All in,† in front of God knows how many people. He sees Phil Hellmuth with his chin supported on his hands, shuffling chips and staring down his opponent. He smirks at the thought of Chris Moneymaker’s famous bluff against Sam Farha. He’s glad he doesn’t need to bluff this hand; he has very solid cards in front of him. At this point the adrenaline rush that is going through his body is one like no other. It is a mixture of excitement, nervousness, and competitiveness. It is a feeling players love to hate. They hate having it, but they love wanting it. As all these scenes pass before Manny’s eyes, he suddenly gets an urge to be bold and risky. He decides that calling his opponent would just weaken his position. â€Å"It would only make him think that I have a losing hand and am hoping for the best†, he reasons, â€Å"I’m all in† he then says, and slaps the cards down on the table in a Chan-like manner. Now it is up to Alex, it is his turn to decide whether to fold or call. Alex, though, is sure he has Manny beat, he gives Manny a smirk and says, in a Russian accent imitating the KGB guy from the movie Rounders, â€Å"I call.† All of sudden everyone is interested. One of these guys is about to lose all his chips. â€Å"Flip ‘em† somebody yells. As Manny flips his cards the whole table gets a look at them, A-K, an enviable hand. Alex flips his: 10-10, also a good hand. Alex definitely has an advantage, with a pocket pair. Both players look at each other and then back down at the table. Manny is hoping his bold move doesn’t backfire on him, and Alex just wants to finish the hand without having a heart attack. Here come the next three cards, also known as the flop, 7-9-K. Manny sighs as he sees his King, he is now in the lead.

Creating a Credible Culture Essay

Nowadays if organization is willing to be successful and to respond quickly to changing demands, it should paid thorough attention to organizational cultures. Smart leaders and executives realize that greediness isn’t a bet of wealth and success as well as outward appearance of success shouldn’t be the substitute of achievement. Suzanne Bates claims that â€Å"when we allow spin to be used as a synonym of deception and when cutting ethical concern can pass for courage, leading the old-fashioned way somehow seems dreadfully dull†. (Bates 2003) Good name and respect of organization are rather vulnerable and, thus, organizational culture is of great importance. The most important thing for organization is the creating of atmosphere of trust. Place being respected for honesty and integrity is associated with good and skillful people working in it. (Bates 2003) Building credibility stars from the top and must be nurtured and cultivated constantly to achieve the desired outcomes. The first rule is to modify the behavior that will be promoted in future. If a company wants to perform honestly, it has to practice it from the very start. Therefore, employees should be thanked for honest feedbacks, even if feedback is a criticism. Bates recommends starting from building ethical culture, because leader always face ethical dilemmas and should be skillful enough to cope with competitive pressure. Actions should on the first place and only then words. For example, it is possible to set guiding rules for serving as ethical compass. The next moment is to lead by personal example and to improve communication process. (Bates 2003) Success is associated with honesty and sincerity. Organizational leaders spend lots of resources to maintain the outward appearance of success, though they lack the core principles of culture: honesty, openness, credibility and trustful policies. As Bates says, â€Å"a credible culture can be a magnet that draws people and talent to your organization†. (Bates 2003) Therefore, developing and motivating credible culture is a path to success. References Bates, Suzanne. (2003). Creating a Credible Culture. Nurse Leader, January-February, 37-38.

Essay On Socrates On Happiness - 1594 Words

The pursuit of happiness is a timeless and ageless endeavor. Since the beginning of time people have searched far and wide for the source of happiness. Even the greatest minds attempt to discover the basis of all human contentment. The father of philosophy, Socrates, was one of those few that might have unearthed the key to human happiness. His understanding shaped the way that the western world sees pleasure, joy, and happiness. His views on how to obtain them are still alive today. Socrates lived in Athens, Greece for the entirety of his life (B.C. 469-399). His main objective in life was to teach people how to think critically about questions concerning truth, justice, and happiness. He believed that an unexamined life is a life not†¦show more content†¦He recommended gaining a rational control over one’s desires, these desires being those that can be harmful to life such as: lust, greed, pride, and power. He argued that the key to human happiness is to turn away f rom the body and towards the soul. He said that harmonizing the different parts of the soul would produce a divine-like state of inner tranquility that the external world could not alter. A moral life is to be preferred to an immoral life. This view of happiness is linked to other concepts such as justice, virtue, and the ultimate meaning of human existence. Living a moral and just life would lead to a happier life. In the Euthydemus (which was written by Plato in B.C. 384), Socrates presents an argument as to what happiness is. Socrates is concerned with establishing two main points: 1) Happiness is what all human beings/rational beings desire. It is always the end (goal) of our activities, it is an unconditional good. 2) Happiness does not solely depend on external things, but rather on how those particular things are used. For example, a wise human being will use their money in a way that will benefit them or make them happy. An ignorant person on the other hand will be wasteful and use their money poorly and thus ending up even worse than before. This example shows us that money, in and of itself, will not make us happy. But rather, money is a conditional good but only when it is in the hands of the wise person. This argument can be used inShow MoreRelatedEssay about Socrates Views on Virtue and Happiness1049 Words   |  5 Pagesphilosopher is Socrates. Born in Athens in 469 B.C.E, he spent most of his time at the marketplace and other public places engaging in dialogues about truths of life. Among many other things, he discussed virtue and happiness and how closely they are related. According to Socrates, virtue is absolutely necessary for perfect happiness because virtue brings a type of happiness that other things could never bring. In this paper, I will explain the aforementioned idea of Socrate s on virtue and happiness and throughRead MoreMy Understanding Of Philosophy And Philosophy1490 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstanding of what philosophy was, and knew little about Aristotle, Socrates, and other well-known philosophers. I also thought that Aesop’s Fables were true and loved to read them as a little girl, even though they did not make complete sense to me at the time. As I worked my way through PHIL 200, I began to broaden my knowledge of this area of life study, and to appreciate the different viewpoints on the presented topics. Throughout this essay, I will explain the difference between my â€Å"basic understanding†Read MoreSocrates s Argument At 30a B Of The Apology1386 Words   |  6 PagesEssay #1 In this paper I will argue that Socrates’s argument at 30a-b of the Apology that the best possible state of the soul is the most important thing in life means to eliminate false beliefs and to have virtue. Specifically, I will show why Socrates wants to eliminate false beliefs and why he insist on having virtue is important in life. Then I will demonstrate why Socrates’ argument is incorrect because he fails to identify the true catalyst that drives his happiness. I conclude Socrates’sRead MoreAnalysis Of Plato s Republic And The Letter Of The City Essay1328 Words   |  6 Pagesabout justice and if it something that is just in itself. This essay is meant to shine light on three of the key concepts – (1) He has succeeded in Thrasymachus’s challenge, (2) being just provides more happiness than being unjust, and (3) the letter of the city is irrelevant and does not help his case. Thrasymachus’s theory is that there is no benefit to being just and that benefit would only com to the powerful. However, Socrates puts down this theory by proving that it is in every human’s interestRead MoreJustice Is The Best Choice For Its Own Sake1307 Words   |  6 PagesPlato’s Republic, is a classic philosophical novel that covers many points and topics regarding philosophy. One of these main points includes justice. In this essay I will be answering the question of whether justice in soul is choice worthy for its own sake. While this topic is quite complex, I will use a mixture of personal analysis as well as evidence from the book itself to assert that justice in soul is the best choice for its own sake. In the following paragraphs I will discuss what justiceRead MoreSocial And Political Thought1722 Words   |  7 Pagesdevitalize our personal freedom, however, according to Socrates; regulation is necessary in order to experience â€Å"genuine freedo m†. In the Republic, Socrates discusses his tripartite regime in which promotes optimal justice and happiness for its citizens. However, if we fully accept Socrates’ republic, this does not necessarily mean we have to reject democracy entirely. This idea will be furthered explored throughout the entirety of this essay. While Socrates describes democracy as the â€Å"fairest† regime, heRead MoreSocrates, Plato, And Aristotle900 Words   |  4 Pagesdefined. There are many philosophers that have many different views and opinions on philosophy. In this essay, I will be talking about the three great philosophers: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle and how they help to define what exactly philosophy is. These three Greek philosophers represent the birthplace of Western philosophy and help to shed some light on the actual meaning of the term. Socrates is from about 400 B.C. His final destination was simple. He wanted to assist others so that they couldRead MoreThe Meaning of Life According to Socrates, Epicurus, and Me1794 Words   |  7 PagesLife According to Socrates, Epicurus, and I The Meaning of Life According to Socrates, Epicurus, and I The two philosophers I chose to examine for the purposes of this paper/exercise are Socrates and Epicurus. As stated, these men were exclusively philosophers, while they were also writers and theorists. I chose Socrates because he is a fundamental fixture in Western philosophy. He is respected and read by scholars and professionals all around the world for centuries. Socrates is one of the mostRead MorePlato And St. Augustine1090 Words   |  5 Pagesas a world of forms, ideas or concepts. Plato argued that conduct comes from a reference to this world of forms. By this argument, there is an eternal idea or form of each moral principle, such as justice, piety or truth. This essay will discuss the ethics of Plato, Socrates and St. Augustine According to Plato, evil is simply the result of ignorance. He believed that all people are attempting to do what they understand as good. He believes there are three parts of the soul. There is a rational andRead MoreSpeech Analysis : The Apology 858 Words   |  4 Pagesto the eye, this speech isn’t even an apology, and it’s more of defense speech. Socrates uses the speech to defend his accusations against him. In the story, â€Å"The Apology† Socrates is on trial for accusation like, â€Å"corrupting the youth† and â€Å"impiety.† Through this following essay, According the following: what Socrates means of knowledge or wisdom and why he thought that knowledge/wisdom was the best means of happiness and perfecting the soul, what kind of knowledge is the best, how did he react to