Perspective Learning Orientation

I am studying to become a secondary education teacher, with certification in Social Studies. I want to teach Psychology as well as Sociology in a high school situation. I am also receiving a minor in Communications, which I will use to integrate technology into my classroom. I will use this paper as a vehicle to express my thoughts about my educational perspective.

People are something of an enigma. I truly believe that we are all born capable of being loving and comforting, even law abiding. However, there are those deviant individuals whom derive joy from their deviance. Whether it be minor, such as petty theft or something serious as in causing physical pain; people just make poor decisions. So to answer the age old question of are people inherently good or evil, I would have to say people are good. It just seems to me that individuals make decisions which are consequences of their circumstance. They are in the moment and it seems like a good idea, sometimes their rebelliousness is bolstered by peer pressure or internal motivation factors. But as time passes most people mature and come to regret their deviant decision making, sometimes soon after and other times in years to come. Of course, I exclude what I call normal deviance such as speeding, minor scuffles, or possibly under age drinking. These are technically felonious activities, and they have all been Ð'ÐŽÐ'§perpetratedÐ'ÐŽÐ'Ё by a multitude of individuals, including just about everyoneÐ'ÐŽÐ'¦s parents. In the truest sense of law they are indeed rules that are being broken, truthfully though no one really thinks that you are on a one way ticket to the penitentiary for these infractions; no real guilty feelings surface due to that societal phenomenon called social acceptance.

I like to think for myself and do not need accepted facts to tell me I am right. Please do not think of me as cocky or bullheaded, it just that I trust intuition. A lot of people tell me my strategy is risky. I disagree since I have been instinctively right the majority of the time. As a humanist, I have a philosophy of thoughts and empathy; not to be confused with behavioristsÐ'ÐŽÐ'¦ philosophy of facts. I use emotion to help distinguish between alternatives. Emotion is an invaluable plethora of reason which can guide us to innovative ways of perceiving the world and its condition. Manufactured truths pale in comparison to open minded theories. To bring it all into focus, I am infatuated with life and everything in it: the people, the feelings, the situations, and all of its nostalgia. To incorporate a personal anecdote about my humanistic tendencies, I have to call upon my undying devotion towards the Chicago Cubs. When I was much younger, I was told to be cautious with my green diamond affair involving the Cubbies. I was warned that the CubsÐ'ÐŽÐ'¦ sole purpose on earth was to break your heart. When they were in Game 6 of the League Championship Series against the Florida Marlins, I surely thought that the end was near for all of the ridicule of being a fan for this accursed Northside team. This team that has experienced the longest hiatus from owning a championship will make years of disappointment worth it just by winning. But as the fates would have it, Prior was on the mound doing great until Alou could not snag a foul ball down the left line due to fan interference. It was all downhill from there. The point I am making is that despite all of the mathematical statistics that prove the Cubs will never win a championship, I sincerely feel deep down that next year will be the year - every year.

I am very much a visual learner as I am an oral learner. However, I only learn orally if I am allowed to converse freely with the instructor. If I am spoken to endlessly, I will retain very little because I could not think for myself and could not formulate my own examples and conclusions. However if I am presented with the opportunity to communicate in an open forum, I tend to internalize the ideas being presented much more concretely. I am very adept at note taking if I can learn visually, since I write so much more then what is there. For example I always write possible questions to ask the instructor or various thoughts that semi-pertain to the topic that I will save until the professorÐ'ÐŽÐ'¦s office hours. To get the most out of a lecture I must have a combination of oral and visual stimulation. I know for certain that I am a poor kinesthetic learner. There are times that I need to learn by doing, but that is if it is something very technical such as learning new computer software. I am convinced that I learn better by observing and listening then by participating. I played football for a number of years through out middle school and high school. I was a mediocre player at best, because I never really understood the plays or the complete roles of the certain positions. For instance, I knew that a lineman was supposed to block but what I did not know was to watch the play development and to go block someone once your primary assignment was out of range from the action. I learned so much more as soon as I became interested in watching the NFL games. The commentators broke down each play and gave insight on what to do or not to do. I also observed how the professionals performed their roles and how they used critical thinking as the play progressed. Absorbing all of this, my knowledge of the game grew substantially. Now I am able to read an offensive or defensive set and know what to expect on the play. I defiantly possess a mixture of oral, visual, and kinesthetic learning abilities, I just seem to rely more oral and visual.

I see education as a cultivation of a person rather then the amount of knowledge that they can retain, for people can spout information without ever really having a grasp of the concepts that they are discussing. What is the point of having people Ð'ÐŽÐ'§knowÐ'ÐŽÐ'Ё knowledge with out Ð'ÐŽÐ'§learningÐ'ÐŽÐ'Ё it? (Gage & Berliner, 1991) Learning happens not through the presentation of facts, but through experiences that the students can internalize and then carry with them throughout life. Therefore I, as an educator, see more advantage in focusing on the student and their inherent needs. By taking the uniform curriculum that is mandated and individualizing it for the students, learning can and will take place. Of course most of my future students will be very different in their particular learning abilities. Therefore, I will accommodate for everyone to the best of my ability. I intend to do so by transforming the classroom into a stimulating atmosphere primed for creative thought. I will make great use of technology, because the students