I believe that the purpose of education is to better and further students’ lives. It is the responsibility of an educator to cater to the needs of the student and be aware of any special circumstances their learning may require, whether that be due to a learning disability or just a general boost in encouragement. Each student should know they are important, and their education is always at the forefront; they should never just be worried about getting a good grade and rather the focus should be on understanding the material. Each student should also know that they matter as a person, no matter their background, along with knowing and respecting that the other students around them matter just as much and deserve the same opportunities. 

 

I hope to utilize the work of Vygotsky in my classroom and allow my students to learn from each other with social development, as their social abilities will increase what they are able to understand. I also believe in Vygotsky's zone of proximal development, in which a student can do things on their own and by the end of our time together should be able to do most of our content without guidance (Mcleod, 2020).  I also hope to connect John Dewey's idea of interdisciplinary curriculum, by creating lessons that showcase multiple content areas, as well as lessons where the students can learn by doing and not just sitting through lecture style teaching (Janse, 2019).

 

The goal of the classroom should be one of success and confidence.  When the students are finished with me they should be able to feel confident in their abilities to integrate into society and have a desire to continue to grow their knowledge and share their passions.

 

 

Resources:

Janse, B. 2019.  John Dewey Theory. Toolshero. https://www.toolshero.com/change-management/john-dewey-theory/

 

Mcleod, S. (2020). Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory of Cognitive Development. SimplyPsychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html