My self-discovery as a learner came through both my connection with the concepts of my sophomore year English class and the way that my teacher articulated these ideas. His method and the curriculum he utilized clearly reflected the Core Practices 1, 5 and 8 from EL Education while also utlizing Dewey’s educational philosophy for his “My Pedagogic Creed.” My teacher introduced me to topics that were both new and non-traditional thoughts, breaking the habit of traditional concepts I was accustom to as a student but also did not imposing these ideas on me which Dewey determined as an essential role of teachers (Dewey, 92, 95). This specific teacher had a passion and acceptance about the diversity of thought from those such as Emerson, Thoreau, and Ambrose Pierce. Their thoughts and the tolerance of my teacher opened up my eyes to what education could be. Specifically, education changed in my mind from simply being a journey of check marks and rather became something that provided a path towards self-discovery and self-improvement. My teacher’s curriculum reflected Core Practice 1 and 8 through making each student pick one person who they felt attached to and becoming immersed in their mind and thoughts. This led me to making a personal connection with that of Ambrose Pierce, enabling me to make a personnel connection and a reward presentation at the end of the year. My passion for these “new” thoughts expanded and helped me to understand my internal thoughts and feelings better. I both ethically and morally improved while also being able to better articulate my purpose in life (Dewey, 94). Preparation for life and personnel growth are both reflected in this educational experience, which Dewey explains as essential in a positive learning experience (Dewey, 95). All of which have positively impacted me both psychologically and sociologically as a student, reflecting an essential aspect of the learning philosophy of Dewey and Core Principle 5 (Dewey, 93). This experience instilled a sense of curiosity and sparked a passion in me to fully commit to myself to academics and look at education as a path towards self-improvement.

Practice Max