E Times Three.
My Philosophy
My philosophy of education centers around my concept of "E Times Three", which are core the concepts of Empathy, Empowerment, and Expectations. These three concepts together lend themselves to a healthy learning community, not just school or group. Too often, the values and norms of "community" are left out of formal education.
By doing this, we omit the skeleton of what makes people want to learn.
Without this crucial structure, our education model falls apart and we rely on more superficial ways of teaching and assessing knowledge, such as high-stakes standardized testing and meaningless worksheet packets. We do this to try to rebuild the skeleton. It will never work. Something must change.
The answer is in community. Seeing a school as a learning community and not just a building full of people is crucial to changing the way schools are typically viewed by the outside world. It also directly impacts the amount of profound change we can bring about in a fledgling generation growing up in a world progressing much faster than the schools they attend. The three Es are community building concepts which rely on one another.
What is Empathy? And why is it important to Education?
Empathy, in its simplest form, is the act of sharing and understanding the feelings and emotions of another through identification. Learning communities which are based on empathy celebrate the mistake. They encourage learners to take risks. They say to students, "I've been there. I messed that up too when I was learning. Try again, because I believe in you." That statement alone spoken once to a child can have a lasting impact. Imagine the possibilities if they were to hear it every day, without fail.
What is Empowerment? And why is it important to Education?
Empowerment is a crucial part of community development. It is a social process which in my philosophical construct allows students to have a level of control over their own experiences in school, and gives them opportunities to make choices, maintain commitments, and experience consequences (both positive and negative). This is not to say that students are left to build and maintain their own learning environment. Rather, it relies on a level of relational trust between teacher and student that is built up over time. Students who are deliberately given choices are given ownership. Ownership creates duty and perceived responsibility. This is a generative cycle -- gradually becoming more powerful over time and reinforcing itself.
What are Expectations? And why are they important to Education?
Simply, expectations are the standards we set for others. Teachers owe it to students to set high expectations and stick to them. The reasons for this are clear: students will only reach as far as you give them opportunity. Expectations that are set high (maybe higher than the student thinks possible) should not be avoided because they are intimidating or daunting. This is the connection between Empathy and Expectation. When high expectations are embraced, failure happens. When failure happens, empathy becomes the safety net. Empathy sets the supportive tone that makes students want to try again until they get it right.
By doing this, we omit the skeleton of what makes people want to learn.
Without this crucial structure, our education model falls apart and we rely on more superficial ways of teaching and assessing knowledge, such as high-stakes standardized testing and meaningless worksheet packets. We do this to try to rebuild the skeleton. It will never work. Something must change.
The answer is in community. Seeing a school as a learning community and not just a building full of people is crucial to changing the way schools are typically viewed by the outside world. It also directly impacts the amount of profound change we can bring about in a fledgling generation growing up in a world progressing much faster than the schools they attend. The three Es are community building concepts which rely on one another.
What is Empathy? And why is it important to Education?
Empathy, in its simplest form, is the act of sharing and understanding the feelings and emotions of another through identification. Learning communities which are based on empathy celebrate the mistake. They encourage learners to take risks. They say to students, "I've been there. I messed that up too when I was learning. Try again, because I believe in you." That statement alone spoken once to a child can have a lasting impact. Imagine the possibilities if they were to hear it every day, without fail.
What is Empowerment? And why is it important to Education?
Empowerment is a crucial part of community development. It is a social process which in my philosophical construct allows students to have a level of control over their own experiences in school, and gives them opportunities to make choices, maintain commitments, and experience consequences (both positive and negative). This is not to say that students are left to build and maintain their own learning environment. Rather, it relies on a level of relational trust between teacher and student that is built up over time. Students who are deliberately given choices are given ownership. Ownership creates duty and perceived responsibility. This is a generative cycle -- gradually becoming more powerful over time and reinforcing itself.
What are Expectations? And why are they important to Education?
Simply, expectations are the standards we set for others. Teachers owe it to students to set high expectations and stick to them. The reasons for this are clear: students will only reach as far as you give them opportunity. Expectations that are set high (maybe higher than the student thinks possible) should not be avoided because they are intimidating or daunting. This is the connection between Empathy and Expectation. When high expectations are embraced, failure happens. When failure happens, empathy becomes the safety net. Empathy sets the supportive tone that makes students want to try again until they get it right.
