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Mrs. Miller's Philosophy of Eduction

“Flowers are Red,” a song written and performed by Harry Chapin best puts my philosophy of education into words. In the song a young boy starts school. During his first art class, the students are told to take out their crayons and draw flowers. The little boy proceeds to do so with enthusiasm. He pours all of his crayons out on his desk and begins to draw flowers in multiple different colors all over his paper. Proudly, he takes his colorful drawing up to his teacher and holds it up to her with a grin on his face. However, she looks at him and says, “Flowers are red, and green leaves are green, and there’s no use to draw flowers any other way than the way they always have been seen.” Unbroken, the boy replies, “There are so many colors in the rainbow. There are so many colors in the morning sun. There are so many colors in the rainbow, and I see every one.” The teacher and the student go back and forth several times until the student is broken. He is ashamed of his drawing and returns to his desk to scribble down red and green flowers.
The next year the same young boy starts school at a new district. His new teacher begins the day by asking the students to draw something about themselves or anything at all to share later with the class. The little boy takes out his red crayon and his green crayon and in a perfect row draws red flowers with green stems. As his teacher passes by, she compliments him on his drawing and then reminds him, “There are so many colors in the rainbow. There are so many colors in the morning sun. There are so many colors in the rainbow, so let’s use everyone.” Once again, the boy is filled with energy and delight as he dumps the remainder of his crayons on his desk to draw flowers of whatever color he chooses.
I want to be the second teacher. The second teacher is a leader and an example, yet also a facilitator. She allows the little boy to be creative; to put his heart and uniqueness into every aspect of his education. I believe that the fastest way to dampen the spirit of a child is to strip them of their individuality and force them to adhere to underlying rules of authority. Every child learns and expresses what they have learned through unique processes and in a unique manner. Although I believe it is the most challenging task teachers face; they are responsible to seek out each student and discover how to reach them. As a teacher, I will always remember that the children in my classroom are not “just students,” but people with unique backgrounds, learning styles, and interests. I will do my best to cater to the abilities and well-being of each individual student.