Philosophy of Life, Essay Example

I believe that education can shape a child’s future. Each day, those involved in providing children with an education make decisions that affect that child’s well-being during that day and for a lifetime to come (Ross, 1995, p. 721). Every step in a child’s schooling affects how that child’s life can turn out. If a child has a bad experience in kindergarten, he may not look forward to going to school the next year. Dreading school can make it harder for him to pay attention and he may miss fundamental lessons that will make it hard for him to succeed the next year. The cycle may continue. Many children who fail to grasp concepts during their early school years will fall so far behind that they will not graduate from high school. Because they do not graduate, they will have a harder time finding a job that pays well (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005, p. 3). It is likely that such a student will live in poverty. Impoverished students tend to live in communities with schools in worse condition and with fewer opportunities than students who grow up in wealthy communities. This means that the children of those who do poorly in school may suffer. (Kozol, 1992)An education, then, can effect whole generations (Lareau, 2000, p. 99).

It is essential, then, for teachers to provide their students with the best education possible. They must strive, each day, to make their lessons make sense and to bring each student aboard. Students can often find success with the proper leadership (Crowther, Ferguson, & Hann, 2009, p. 1). This sometimes requires teachers to “use the tools of cultural proficiency as a lens” to understand how students from different cultures learn best (Lindsey, Karns, & Myatt, 2010). I believe that schools must provide small class sizes, when possible, to facilitate their success. (Howley & Strange, 2000, p. 1)I also believe that encouraging creativity is essential to increasing student enthusiasm and facilitating success. Including lessons on subjects students particularly like can help teachers succeed. This has been true when teachers have included sports and music (Green, 2008, p. 14) in their students’ education and new promising learning models include the use of computer gaming. (Lynch & Tunstall, 2008, p. 1)

Finally, I believe that schools must strive to get parents involved in their children’s education, as most students spend the majority of their time in school and at home. Teachers and parents will have the most significant impact on children’s lives (Dornbusch, Ritter, Ritter, Leiderman, & Fraleigh, 1987). Working closely with parents, teachers can shape their students futures and the future of the world.