Philosophy of Education essay

I had to dig deep into reflection–and do some rewriting on a train ride to New York city!–to write this essay on my philosophy of education. (This shouldn’t be confused with my teaching philosophy, which concerns how I teach; this is a broad view of education.) This was written for my McGill Philosophy of Education class.

I start with the observation that the education system is failing students from less advantaged backgrounds:

I had the opportunity over the last month to observe the culture and educational system at James Lyng High School in the St. Henri neighbourhood of Montreal. James Lyng serves the poorest student community in the English Montreal School Board—54% of its students live below the poverty line—and despite the great efforts it makes to support its students, barely half leave with a diploma, and even those that do have limited post-secondary or employment options. For most James Lyng students, their parents’ disadvantages will pass into their generation despite the best efforts of the school.

From this starting point, I try to develop a coherent philosophy of education that addresses this and is tenable in a democratic society. Of course my philosophy will continue to evolve as I continue at McGill and start professional teaching jobs, but I think this is a good start.

You can read the whole thing: Democratic Education to Address Social Inequalities.