I believe that behind every great teacher there is a teacher who inspired them to be in the classroom. Merriam Webster defines philosophy as “a set of ideas about how to do something or how to live” and education as “the act of teaching someone, especially in a school, college, or university.” Your educational philosophy is just that, your ideas about how to teach. There are no right or wrong answers. Sure, there are more “assumable” answers, but the joy of writing your own educational philosophy is that it can evolve and grow with you as you gain experience as an educator. How exciting is it? Teachers who love teaching teach children to love learning. Noam Chomsky describes the purpose of education as follows: “Education is really about helping students get to the point where they can learn for themselves.” After all, education is a lifelong journey. This is not a single destination or a simple transaction. Education equals power, the power to create and fulfill your own destiny. Mark Van Doren, who has had a profound influence on generations of students, described teaching as “the art of fostering discovery.” Effective teachers impact lives. As an educator, I hope to make a difference for one student, for one classroom, at a time. The First Days of School by Wong & Wong states: “Teachers universally say they go into teaching to make a difference. You make more than a difference. You ARE the difference. My role as an educator is to get to know each student as an individual to understand their unique needs, learning styles, background, interests and abilities. I believe there are six key elements to creating a well-rounded educational philosophy; passion, learning, creativity, leadership, commitment and listening....... middle of paper... students are active learners. I will involve them in practical activities. I will invite them to explore. I will encourage them to wander and wonder. Being an educator requires an act of listening; listening is a vital aspect of school and life. You need to observe and listen to your students to build on their prior knowledge, skills and interests. I will teach and implement the HEAR (Halt, Engage, Anticipate, Replay) strategy, which offers concrete steps for focusing and improving listening, in my classroom. Teaching is complex. It often requires educators to juggle multiple tasks and objectives simultaneously and flexibly. It is not a profession, but a vocation. Behind every great man and woman there is an educator who inspired them. There is no place I would rather be than in the classroom. “A teacher influences eternity; he will never be able to tell where his influence stops. –Henry Adams