National Education Philosophy
Philosophy of Education focuses on the values, beliefs and attitudes in relation to the growth process of individuals and society. These values, beliefs and attitudes determine the direction of our education, particularly the aims, goals, objectives, content delivery and assessment of education.
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“EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA IS AN ON-GOING EFFORT TOWARDS FURTHER DEVELOPING THE POTENTIAL OF INDIVIDUALS IN A HOLISTIC AND INTEGRATED MANNER SO AS TO PRODUCE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INTELLECTUALLY, SPIRITUALLY, EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY BALANCED AND HARMONIC, BASED ON A FIRM BELIEF IN AND DEVOTION TO GOD.”
“SUCH AN EFFORT IS DESIGNED TO PRODUCE MALAYSIAN CITIZENS WHO ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND COMPETENT, WHO POSSESS HIGH MORAL STANDARDS AND WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE AND CAPABLE OF ACHIEVING HIGH LEVEL OF PERSONAL WELL-BEING AS WELL AS BEING ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE HARMONY AND BETTERMENT OF THE FAMILY, SOCIETY AND NATION AT LARGE”.
The curriculum developers in CDC decide the National Curriculum. The National Curriculum is…”an educational programme that includes curriculum and co-curricular activities which encompasses all the knowledge, skills, norms, values, cultural elements and belief to help develop a pupil fully with respect to the physical, spiritual, mental and emotional aspects as well as to inculcate and develop desirable moral values and to transmit knowledge”.
Education Act 1996
(Education (National Curriculum) Regulation 1997)
The curriculum developers in CDC will decide on the kind of knowledge, skills, and attitudes to be transferred to the learners based on personal needs, community needs, social needs, economic motives, future needs, and knowledge continuity.
From our NPME, we can conclude that education in Malaysia is designed to produce Malaysian Citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, and who possess high moral standards so that they can function more effectively in their current times and in the future.
In summary, it can be stated that the functions, or outcomes, or the consequences of schooling include the development of the main domains of growth of our young children (as stated in NPME):
- Cognitive domain (knowledge)
- Psychomotor domain (skills)
- Affective domain (attitudes)
- Social domains (social interactions)
- Productive domain (knowledge and skills)
- Physical domain (development & maintenance of healthy body)
- Aesthetic domain (values & appreciation of arts)
- Moral domain (values & behaviors)
- Spiritual domains (recognition & beliefs in the devine)
- Aims of education:
The aims of Malaysian education are “to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonic, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God; so that they become Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, possess high moral standards and are responsible and capable of achieving high level of personal well-being as well as being able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the family, society and nation”.
Some keywords in the NPME are : “holistic”, “intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced”, “knowledgeable and competent, who possess high moral standards”, and “responsible and capable of achieving high level of personal well-being as well as being able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the family, society and nation at large”.
Based on the above keyword, we probably can match NPME to the general educational philosophy of Progressivism, which stresses that “school should be a miniature of a democratic society in which students could learn and practice the skills and tools necessary for democratic living; which include problem-solving methods and scientific inquiry; and learning experiences that include cooperative behaviours and self-discipline; which are important for democratic living”.
Keywords “to produce Malaysian citizens who possess high moral standards and being able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the family and society” have certain sociological elements in them such as ethnic integration. These foundations become very important in Malaysia because of the rapid change in our society.
Some keywords in the NPME that are related to the psychological elements of human being are : “an effort towards further developing the potential of individuals” and “to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically”, indicated that people have different abilities (mental and physical) and multiple intelligences , and thus education should develop these potentials to the maximum.
The keywords like : “on-going effort”, “in a holistic and integrated manner”, and “intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonic” may suggest that our past education did not address these issues. It also indicate the importance of life-long learning, and well-rounded-person education.
Throughout the year I will use both informal and
formal assessment. During the units and for most of the lessons I will use
informal assessment. I will have checklists to mark specific things I see or do
not see. While my students are working, I will walk around to observe them and
to help them if needed. In my observations I will write down notes to remember
things and use that information to help me plan for in the future. At the end
of the units an sometimes for big lessons, I will use formal assessments. While
I will give tests, that is not the only form of formal assessment I will use. I
plan to have papers, projects, presentations, and other creative ways to fit my
students’ learning needs.
Science Education Philosophy
My philosophy of teaching science is to use hands’
on activities. The only way
students
are really going to learn is to experience science themselves. Science is all
around
us and the students need to realize and understand that. They need to be
engaged and interested in what they are learning about. The best way to
accomplish this is to guide them to asking questions and to try new things and
ideas.
I will use the state’s standards to help me plan
my units for the year. There are way too many standards to cover all of them
equally so I will pick three to four specific units to focus on. In my three to
four units I will have the standards I feel are most important. I will try to
work as many as I successfully can into the various units. One thing I need to
do is look at the standards and use them to help me plan for the year. I will also
be flexible and realize lessons might not always go in the direction I plan
because the students get interested or excited about something. This is a good
thing if it happens and I now realize that.
I plan to have a lot of hands’ on activities and
with that I will have a lot of
supplies
and materials. For passing out the materials and supplies, I will have special helpers
to help me and I will change the helpers every week or every couple of weeks.
If there are supplies that need special care I will plan ahead to have a parent
volunteer come in and help me pass out and handle the special materials and
supplies. Another thing I plan to do is have the students work individually as
well as in groups. I will plan ahead and try to mix it up so the students work
with different classmates for different activities.
For the groups, I will either pick them ahead of
time, have them work with the people in their table group, or sometimes I might
let them choose. Science can be a complicated thing and I think the students
will benefit the most in learning it by working together in groups. I do also
plan to have some activities where the students will work individually. In
deciding whether to have an activity be individual or group work, I will look
at all the possible options both types have to offer and pick the one I feel
works best for my students. I do realize some students prefer to work alone and
some prefer to work in groups and because of this I will try and give my
students the choice as well.
It is very important to teach science because
science is everywhere and such a big part of our lives. A lot of people don’t
realize a certain thing is science and it is up to educators to realize this
and teach science to our students. I plan to use science any chance I can get
and I hope to be able to set an example for my colleagues, especially the ones
who don’t see an importance in teaching and learning about science. Some ways I
hope to set examples are by inviting their class to join my class for a big
science activity, having bulletin boards of science up in the room and maybe
even out in the hall, having my students do science projects and display them around
the school, and by having science centers with different materials set up in
the room.
Since science is everyone it is easy to combine
it with other lessons. Other educators don’t realize this and I hope to be able
to demonstrate and help them understand. I now realize how important it is to
teach science and I hope to take this knowledge and help my colleagues realize
it as well.
Before taking this class, I was very nervous
about teaching science since I did not have the best experiences with it in
school. My teachers had us learn about science by reading textbooks that I did
not understand I do not remember doing many hands’ on activities. I now feel I
have a lot of great ideas for teaching science to make it engaging and
interesting for my students. Science is about discovery and I want my students
to discover and be involved in their learning.
Teaching Philosophy
I believe that each child is a
unique individual who needs a secure, caring, and stimulating atmosphere in
which to grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially.
It is my desire as a educator to help students meet their fullest potential in
these areas by providing an environment that is safe, supports risk-taking, and
invites a sharing of ideas. There are three elements that I believe are
conducive to establishing such an environment, (1) the teacher acting as a
guide, (2) allowing the child's natural curiosity to direct his/her learning,
and (3) promoting respect for all things and all people.
When the teacher's role is to
guide, providing access to information rather than acting as the primary source
of information, the students' search for knowledge is met as they learn to find
answers to their questions. For students to construct knowledge, they need the
opportunity to discover for themselves and practice skills in authentic
situations. Providing students access to hands-on activities and allowing
adequate time and space to use materials that reinforce the lesson being
studied creates an opportunity for individual discovery and construction of
knowledge to occur.
Equally important to
self-discovery is having the opportunity to study things that are meaningful
and relevant to one's life and interests. Developing a curriculum around
student interests fosters intrinsic motivation and stimulates the passion to
learn. One way to take learning in a direction relevant to student interest is
to invite student dialogue about the lessons and units of study. Given the
opportunity for input, students generate ideas and set goals that make for much
richer activities than I could have created or imagined myself. When students
have ownership in the curriculum, they are motivated to work hard and master
the skills necessary to reach their goals.
Helping students to develop a
deep love and respect for themselves, others, and their environment occurs
through an open sharing of ideas and a judicious approach to discipline. When
the voice of each student is heard, and environment evolves where students feel
free to express themselves. Class meetings are one way to encourage such dialogue.
I believe children have greater respect for their teachers, their peers, and
the lessons presented when they feel safe and sure of what is expected of them.
In setting fair and consistent rules initially and stating the importance of
every activity, students are shown respect for their presence and time. In turn
they learn to respect themselves, others, and their environment.
For myself, teaching provides an
opportunity for continual learning and growth. One of my hopes as an educator
is to instill a love of learning in my students, as I share my own passion for
learning with them. I feel there is a need for compassionate, strong, and
dedicated individuals who are excited about working with children. In our
competitive society it is important for students to not only receive a solid
education, but to work with someone who is aware of and sensitive to their
individual needs. I am such a person and will always strive to be the best
educator that I can be
Learning never stops and as students
are expected to be humble, a great teacher is always very humble; he is free
from selfishness and ego. Goal is imperative in teaching and the answer comes
only through introspection. Teachers should know whether his teaching is for
demonstration of his skills and knowledge or for the benefit of his students.
Nothing is original apart from
the creator. All we have, our thoughts, our visions, are thought waves already
present in the universe. We just catch the waves we are more sensitive to. All
we have is the presentation. Teaching is a presentation of wisdom of growth of
humans and its different aspects but at times great teachers visit the planet
to set new standards and break the illusion
very nice and useful blogs... thanks! :)
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