My Philosophy

In this fast-paced world, one seldom finds time to contemplate one’s philosophy. With our culture that values the temporal physical objects, I am glad to be enrolled in a course that allows me to think beyond what is tangible and to appreciate the essence of our life through philosophy. Thus, I am glad to open my mind and to seek for the truth.
As a math teacher, my philosophy is not particularly based on any particular dictum. Though it may be flawed, it is summarized as follows.

Nature of reality
Reality is a mental-physical universe created by a universal God. The physical universe and the forms or ideas are not conflicting, but co-existing. Example, the book exists as a physical object and the universal idea of “bookness” is also real. Even though idea is important in mathematics (e. g., idea of infinity of numbers), it is not superior to matter.
Reality is not based on the individual interpretation of the senses because it exists independent from being perceived. It is, therefore, not phenomenological. Reality is determined through one superior God, who is perceived in various forms and who is worshipped in different names.

Source of Truth
God is the source of truth. Through scientific and natural laws, man can seek for truth. As opposed to the beliefs of many people, science is an instrument in proving the existence of a universal God. However, some phenomena are not empirically verifiable because man’s knowledge is limited. Furthermore, truth is not based on subjective choice or feelings.

Nature of Human Motivation
Man is a naturally bad (sinful) rational being. Therefore, man must strive to cultivate the gifts endowed by God and to follow the will of God to be worthy of salvation.

Nature and Source of Human Values
The universal moral law established by one universal God is the basis of values. We can understand much of it through reason. It is not also based on the acceptance of the majority. Thus, in our society our government made wrong decisions because they consider the whims of the majority, even though they are in conflict with the universal moral law.

Purpose of Education
Man is endowed with intellect and talents; hence, the purpose of education is intellectual discipline and the development of moral character. Our educational institution must also strive to guide the learners in achieving self actualization and salvation of the soul.

Nature of the Teaching-Learning Process
The development of uomo universale is important in education. Learners must aim to be knowledgeable in various subjects and teachers must regard all subjects as equal in importance. Some subjects, such as music and literature, must be given importance even though learning those subjects do not directly relate to the survival of man.
“Ngaa kinanlan ko pa magtu-on algebra? Indi ko man na kinanlan magtig-ang!” (Why do I need to study algebra? I don’t need it in cooking rice!) is a famous line a Filipino learner would ask.
I would like to emphasize that the physiological needs of man (like hunger) need not be the only basis of the curriculum; however, it must also be considered. Thus, our educational system must also offer subjects that hone the skills of man in cooking, gardening, and homemaking.
Teachers must also offer classroom activities that relate theories to real life experiences. As John Dewey suggested, learners must be involved in real-life tasks and challenges. Math could be learnt via learning proportions in cooking or figuring out how long it would take to get from one place to another by mule. (wilder.com)
Simply stated, teachers and students must not be bias between experiential learning and learning for the love of the subject.

From idealism to empiricism, my philosophy (also known as rosemariesm) seems to be inferior. I may not have the capability to defend it from critics, but I take pride for having developed it for me to have the basis of my principles and actions. My sincere gratitude also goes to all philosophers especially Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Without them, rosemariesm would never exist.


Reference:
http://wilderdom.com/experiential/JohnDeweyPhilosophyEducation.html