Jeremy J. VanDerKern

9-12 English teacher

2004

Educational Philosophy

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “The secret in education lies in respecting the student.” Many teachers fail to recognize the empty vessels sitting before them in those worn desks as human beings—albeit, young, inexperienced human beings. Very simply put, our job as educators is to educate our students. In order to do that, we must be able to relate.

Unfortunately, in our over-stimulated society where students are lost in a sea of commercials, lyrics, styles, and trends, many teachers find themselves simply being ignored. I’m fond of the word Edutainer. Teachers are now required to be both an educator and an entertainer. Luckily, I can empathize and I am young enough to accomplish such a task. Differentiated Learning is crucial. Movie clips, CDs, and websites; guest lecturers, fieldtrips, and group projects; the Internet, PowerPoint presentations, and slideshows; puzzles, costumes, and puppet shows: I will use any tool if it will help a student understand and stay awake.

Sometimes, if teachers can lull their students to sleep, their job is much easier. When a student is alert and taught to ask questions, the teacher is required to actually know the answers. I openly admit that I do not know all of the answers. However, I am passionate about my subject and I love learning. I have been getting lost in great works of literature for hundreds of years. Yes, hundreds. I have walked the gritty streets of fair Verona while worrying aloud in iambic pentameter. I have sojourned with Hobbits. I have traveled through time and space by stepping into a wrinkle and out of a wardrobe door. I have seen the future unfold in countless ways and still I have no idea where the sidewalk ends.

Two passionate teachers of mine showed me that the journey did not have to end at all. They transformed me into a life-long learner. Not many people choose that path. It can be difficult. To quote Robert Frost: “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” A gentle push in the right direction was all it took for me. I am a highly organized, patient, calm, conversational, and rational person who swells with dedication and pride for my profession. The way I figure it, I owe those two teachers something. The best way I can think of to repay them is to follow in their footsteps. Henry Adams said, “A teacher affects eternity; no one can tell where his influence stops.”

The more involved we are, the more of an impact we can make. True teachers wear many hats: the wise mentor, the trusted friend and the dedicated fan; the active participant, the understanding listener, and the patient problem-solver; the effective communicator, the entertaining presenter, and the avid coffee drinker. True teachers rise before dawn and leave long after the last bell dictates that it’s time to go. We defy that conditioned response—Not because it’s our job and we have to stay, but because it’s our home and we want to.

My classroom brims with projects, artwork, and posters. Some of our more creative endeavors venture out into display cases, the local newspaper, and the Internet. Computers circle the room and the screens flicker with projects and papers. Amidst it all, at the very center, desks are circled up where we meet at a modern-day round table. My room is alive and on task. Students are engaged in ethical debates and meaningful assignments. Often, we hear the bell and wonder where the time went. My classroom flows smoothly because each of us has a job to do and we take our jobs seriously. My job is to prepare students to step into an evolving world and an ever-demanding workplace as educated adults.