EDU 525: Foundations in Elementary Education Graduate Studies

Philosophy of Education Assignment

A philosophy of education is a statement regarding your beliefs and values about education. This statement is often required as part of the application process to gain employment as a teacher. Understanding educational philosophies help professional educators form their own teaching philosophies grounded in research.

Using the topic Resources and your own research complete the “Philosophy of Education Worksheet” to organize your thoughts on educational philosophies and begin building your own personal philosophy of education.

Support the assignment with a minimum of three scholarly resources.

While APA Style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

Philosophy of Education Worksheet

Student Name

College of Education, Grand Canyon University

EDU 525: Foundations of Education

Instructor Name

Assignment Due Date

Part 1: Educational Philosophy

Describe each philosophy, giving characteristics of the philosophy as well as teaching strategies used. Feel free to use bullet points. Use in-text citations in each cell.

• Idealism
• Realism
• Neo-Thomism
• Pragmatism
• Existentialism
• Perennialism
• Progressivism
• Behaviorism
• Essentialism
• Social Reconstructionism
• Constructivism
• Eastern Philosophies

Part 2: Personal Philosophy of Education

In the above chart in Part 1, highlight characteristics and strategies that you believe elucidate your personal philosophy of education.

Using the ideas that you highlighted, write a 200-250 word draft to explain your personal philosophy of education, grounded in theory. You will revise your educational philosophy throughout your program of study to make it more concise. Include the following in your draft:

• Purpose of education
• Core values and beliefs as an educator
• Your personal vision of meeting the learning needs of diverse students (e.g., ELLs, students with exceptionalities, gifted, and early finishers) using standards-based instruction

References

Sample answer content: Realism focuses on objective knowledge gained through sensory experiences and scientific methods. Teachers employ direct instruction and hands-on experiments to build logical thinking skills. Pragmatism views education as a tool for problem-solving and adapting to change in society. Educators facilitate collaborative projects that connect learning to real-world applications. Existentialism encourages students to find personal meaning through self-directed choices. Classrooms promote reflection and individual expression to foster authenticity. Progressivism centers on student interests and democratic participation in learning. Activities involve inquiry-based explorations that address social issues. Ornstein and Levine emphasize how these philosophies shape curriculum design and instructional strategies. Ornstein, A.C. and Levine, D.U., 2019. Foundations of education. Cengage Learning. Integrating elements from multiple philosophies creates a balanced approach for diverse learners.

References

• Ornstein, A.C. and Levine, D.U., 2019. Foundations of education. Cengage Learning. Available at: https://books.google.com/books?id=ABC123
• Parkay, F.W., 2020. Becoming a teacher. Pearson. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-12345-6
• Sadker, D.M. and Zittleman, K.R., 2022. Teachers, schools, and society: A brief introduction to education. McGraw-Hill Education. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67890-1
• Schiro, M.S., 2018. Curriculum theory: Conflicting visions and enduring concerns. SAGE Publications. DOI: 10.4135/9781483386836