Philosophy of Education
Larry C. Ingram, ME, USN-Ret

 My first four years teaching in public high schools were at Kennedy High School in San Antonio, Texas.  Kennedy High School is an inner-city school whose student body is 99 percent Hispanic.  It is in a tough neighborhood where graffiti litters the walls and the gangs have more recruits than the football team.   Here I learned many lessons that helped shape my philosophy of education and helped develop my teaching style which I now use as I teach at Woodland Park High School in Colorado:

- Every student is an individual: Even if you have 35 students in your classroom, you have to teach each one of them individually.  Each student has their own unique learning style.  My lessons are multi-dimensional aimed not only at the students who like to read, but also the visual and auditory learners.  I use cooperative learning and many manipulatives to help the kinesthetic and tactile learners.  In addition I make my lessons fun and interesting, not only for the outgoing students, but also the shy and introverted.

- Good classroom discipline is built upon trust and consistency:   Students must believe that the teacher is there to help them and not hassle them. The student must be able to trust the teacher to treat them fairly and equally and once a classroom standard is set, it will be consistently applied.  I always establish my expectations right up front so the students know what to expect.  As for class rules, I use the technique of helping the students develop their own class “Honor Code.”   I find that If the students feel they have an input on the class rules, they tend to follow them better.

- Teacher to Student relationships: One of my oddities is I encourage the students to call me "Chief."  Actually, I give them the choice of calling me Chief or Mr. Ingram.  I do this to build a rapport with the students.  If the students feels comfortable with the teacher and are not "On Guard," all the time, then they will be more open to what I have to say and what I have to teach. On the other hand, I do not allow the students to call me by my last name, "Hey Ingram," as other teachers commonly do.  I believe this is disrespectful and will not allow it. My students know when I am angry with them because I address them formally, "Mr. Jones, what are you doing!"  You don't have to be scarcastic when you are unhappy with a student, they just have to know that you disapprove of what they are doing. Then you take steps to modify their behavior.  Lastly there is an old teacher saying, "never smile till after Christmas."  This is bad advise.  Always smile.  It builds trust.  If a students steps on that trust, then the smile can go away.

- A teacher must be as realistic as idealistic:  Teaching is truly a profession that requires a workman like approach where preparation and organization are the keys.  I always make sure that my lesson plans are detailed, yet easy to follow, materials are at hand, and the necessary technology is available.  In addition to content, I make sure that my lessons teach and build upon the skills of note taking, memorizing, research, teamwork, reading, and communication, both oral and written.    Once that is done, you can go out and save the world.

- You can’t tell a book by its cover:  One of my biggest successes was, helping an 19 year old student who was deep into the gang culture.  At first glance, his dress and demeanor gave a very negative impression, but once I got to know him, he turned out to be very intelligent, with a quick mind.  By talking with him and tutoring before and after school I helped him see his  potential,  become excited about his future and get his diploma.

The recent incidents of violence in our schools has shown us that more than ever before, the youth of our nation need adult supervision and proper role models.  We are competing with television, rap music, video games, drugs and dysfunctional families.  I believe we must  help our students understand and develop a positive attitude about themselves and others.  We must help them gain a sense of self-worth and how they fit into society.   As a Social Studies teacher I must help our students keep their feet on the ground  with a knowledge of the past, give them a full understanding of the present, and assist them in preparing for their future.

Woodland Park: At Woodland Park High School I teach 4 classes of Freshman Civics/Geography and two classes of Economics.  9th graders (Freshmen) need a special kind of care when they advance up to the high school level.  In middle school they were the "Big Cheese," but in high school they are the littlest fish in the pond.  They must begin to learn self descipline:  How to organize themselves, prioritize their time, think ahead and how to work hard.  With a little help from my friends, I have developed a curriculum which in addition to content helps teach self discipline.  A student does not need to be smart to pass my class, they just must be self disciplined and willing to work hard. If a student is smart and also works hard they can easily earn an "A" in my class.
    As for Economics, I teach this to maily Juniors and Seniors.  This class is taught at a different level of difficulty.  I do not lay everything out for the student which I do for the freshmen, I encourage the students to think for themselves.  This is because that is what will be necessary when they enter the big bad world after graduation.  My final exam is a project which takes all of the economic theory and turns it into reality.  The final is graded tough, but it is the highlight of the class.

Final thoughts: I believe my job is to prepare young people for the future.  That future is not an easy one.  It is full of hard work, challenges and competition.  That is why I make sure my teaching always requires hard work, is always a challenge and is competitive.  The highest compliment ever given to me as a teacher was when a student came up to me at the end of the class and said, "Mr. Ingram, your class was tough, but I really learned something."

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