Module 8

The video with Dr. William Ayers discussing his philosophy on education was informing. There were a lot of statements about his philosophy that I agree with and that are part of my own philosophy on education. I think that he was correct in saying that our student's are not just empty vessels to fill or blank canvas' to paint on. They do have prior knowledge and their own history's before they step foot into our classrooms. I do not think that it is a teacher's job to necessarily mold student's into what he/she wants the student's to become. In my opinion, there should be some form of freedom of choice, so that each child can develop individually. We are not educating an army of robots, I think individuality is a necessity.
I also agreed with his idea's about moral and ethical commitments. Teacher's do teach moral behavior, even if they are not aware of it. The way a teacher addresses or does not address a problem can be a lesson of morals. I think Dr. Ayers had a good point about the commitments of teachers.
I did not disagree with any of his points. The world is ever changing and therefore our ways or philosophy's of teaching must adapt to these changes.
In module 4, Goals for Schools, I said,"I think work ethic, cultural diversity, maintaining America's history, eliminating racism and other such hates, are all very important issues. Schools are not only just for improving standardized test scores, there are other just as important reasons for schooling." I still feel strongly about these issues and my opinions have not swayed from my original feelings.
The type of classroom that I would have would be one that was full of positive emotions. I know that I am not going to be the type of teacher that says,"sit down and be quiet." I think group discussions are extremely important because new issues will always arise. I know that I do not know everything and therefore I am open to learning new things from my students. I know I am a human and I will definitely make mistakes. The ability to not let your pride get in the way is an important quality for a successful teacher.