Artifact 1 Student Pre-Philosophy Statement

Emerald Skelton
Professor Dale Warby
EDU 203
20 January 2022
In regards to education, I tend to hold to the essentialist school of thought. I keep in
remembrance that ultimately my positional role is to pass down specific skills and information to
my students, and that latent learning is secondary. This is not to say that I believe in a pedagogic,
bleak classroom culture. On the contrary, I highly value a warm and encouraging classroom
environment— particularly for elementary students— wherein students may express their
questions freely and have their curiosities met. Although I have not taught special education, I
speculate that my educational philosophy would likely apply in the same way. However, I look
forward to acquiring a deeper understanding of special education during this course and I am
very much willing to have my philosophy developed.
What I can say based on the limited experience I have is that teaching a special education
audience challenges your own methods as an instructor. I say this in the most positive way.
During a 10 hour field observation assignment for a previous education class of mine, I was
involved with a classroom containing multiple IEP students. As I was assisting some of these
children, I realized that I had to reevaluate the way I communicate so as to ensure my message
was being transmitted effectively. I’ve come to feel that a great emphasis is needed in placing
qualified, loving, and patient teachers in front of IEP students. It could be detrimental to the
student’s future if he/she is assigned to learn under a teacher who does not know how to
communicate to the student well.

On the flip side, I have observed that an audience of gifted and talented students requires
a different teacher mindset than that which is used in an ordinary classroom. Special education
students in this demographic just as equally require a well-communicating and qualified
instructor.
Although I did not begin my teaching journey with the intention to teach special
education, I am not opposed to having my ambitions geared in that direction. Learning specific
instructions and methods from this area of teaching, I believe, is bound to broaden my horizons
and ideally will make me a more versatile teacher toward any audience. Specifically, I believe it
would be enriching if I could land an opportunity to student aid or student teach in a special
education classroom. Although I’ve done this before when I was in elementary school, I think it
would be much more beneficial to do it now that I’m older and specifically seeking to become a
teacher.
A significant reason that I desire to become a teacher is due to the influential teachers
I’ve had in the past. As a young child, I remember the teachings of my educators influencing my
ways of thinking and my behavior– even teachers of objective subjects such as math and science.
As I stated earlier, I do not prioritize the teaching of latent values over the essentials, but they are
still very valued in my eyes. I would be honored to, as a teacher, influence my students in a
positive and meaningful way.
Perhaps the biggest behavior I need to personally alter in order to be a better teacher is to
recognize that I’m the students’ teacher primarily and their friend secondarily, and not the other
way around. It can sometimes be hard to lay down that foot of authority without feeling that I am
being too authoritarian. There is a right balance of stern and permissive that I am still in the
process of discovering for myself. It’s possible that I care so much for correcting this attribute
because I deem it to be a key trait of an effective educator. I have come to this realization more
fully once I began to teach the young children at the church I attend. I learned that, even with a
well prepared lesson and assignment, the teacher must have a line drawn in terms of authority.
As I proceed onward in my college education and continue to partake in teaching
experiences, I trust that the process, along with my effort and the help from those around me,
will enable me to become the teacher I aspire to be.

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Emerald Skelton

Professor Dale Warby

In regards to education, I tend to hold to the essentialist school of thought. I keep in

very much willing to have my philosophy developed.

communicate to the student well.

students in this demographic just as equally require a well-communicating and qualified

positive and meaningful way.

As I proceed onward in my college education and continue to partake in teaching

will enable me to become the teacher I aspire to be.

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