Introduction
I write this updated personal teaching philosophy exactly one year following my initial submission for the first Home Economics Curriculum and Pedagogy course in the UBC Bachelor’s of Education program. It had not been read or touched since then, waiting patiently in the EDCP 391 folder on my laptop. To gain inspiration for an updated philosophy, I curiously opened the document, and I was surprised to read that my personal philosophy had not changed drastically. In fact, my philosophies at its core, then and now, are identical. I had the privilege of taking various teacher education courses in the past year through which I came to acknowledge multiple ways of thinking, and gained knowledge that enhanced my view of education and thus my teaching philosophy. Moreover, I write this new version with a different purpose. I understand now why a teaching philosophy is important to produce in writing, and to spend time delving into. By acknowledging my passions, goals, and biases, I am able to reflect on what I teach, why I teach, and how I can implement the best teaching practices for a positive outcome. To quote Smith and de Zwart (2011),
“What you believe about the purposes of education, about the goals and aims of home economics, about your role as teacher, and how students learn will influence the way you plan courses, units and individual lessons.”
I am excited to share with you, the reader, my passions, goals, and rationale for teaching in the wonderful world of Home Economics as I prepare to become a certified professional B.C. teacher.
Philosophy
Revised from the three-point philosophy I had last year, the main goal for me currently as a beginning teacher is as follows:
I hope to teach Home Economics in order to equip youths with practical knowledge and relevant soft skills in order to live a healthy lifestyle, including being a confident, socially responsible, and mindful citizen of present and future.
This time, my philosophy is more student-centered than teacher-focused; that is, my goal as a teacher is that I have improved students’ lives, not that I became a better skilled teacher. That is not to say that I do not value self-growth as an educator, but that it is a secondary priority after fostering habits of well being in my students. From practicums and classes I realized that students are exponentially more engaged and learn better if they feel that their teachers are passionate about the subject, and care for their students. Even though I do not currently have students of my own, I already feel a calling to care for and prepare adolescents for a bright and secure future.
Inspired by all the keen educators in this field, I began to see the three Home Economics subjects in a different light. Instead of telling others that I teach “cooking and sewing”, I say that I teach “life skills”. Home economics is said to be the only subject that is “concerned with meeting the challenges of everyday living in a modern society” (Home Economics IRP, 2007). I believe wholeheartedly that the skills, knowledge, and habits gained in these classes will benefit anyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, career path, or technical capabilities. However, there will always be people who doubt the usefulness of such elective courses. Because outcomes of home economics classes are not always quantifiable such as standardized test scores or university entrance rates, there are those who reject its importance in students’ education. What skeptics do not realize is that we aim to teach life long skills versus short-term memorization of facts and figures. Personally, I remember more lessons now from a Foods and Textiles 8 classroom than facts that I memorized in Biology 12; and surely, this is not a singular experience. I also enjoyed my elective courses the most. Enjoying Foods 8 (enough to receive the Foods 8 Award) gave me the inspiration to continue cooking and baking on my own time, and gave me the confidence to experiment, fail, and try again when my dishes did not turn out edible. This curiosity eventually helped immensely when I began to live alone during my undergraduate experience, whereas many of my peers could not fry an egg. I hope that my anecdotes will be an inspiration for students as well as parents should they be unsure of taking foods or other home economics classes in secondary school.
Having officially begun the Bachelor of Education program at UBC, I learned about teacher inquiry and of its importance as an educator. Before writing this philosophy, I formulated this inquiry question that I strongly wanted to follow up with:
“In the Home Economics (Foods) classroom, how can social/digital media and project-based learning allow for the development of critical media literacy, and inspire students to be global food advocates and independently food literate?”
Without realizing, I was bringing forth one of my teaching goals in last year’s philosophy which was “To introduce and hone students’ critical thinking skills that will allow them to make informed judgements as a consumer and food advocate” (Yoon, 2014). The unintentional similarity was astonishing and this was a key moment that affirmed that my roots in food and nutritional sciences had not changed. It was great to know that I was still passionate about these issues enough to desire to teach them.
Rationale
Linda Peterat in 1986 asked “what is and what should be home economics?” Nearly 30 years later in present day, it seems that we have yet to satisfactorily answer that question. This is a good sign, however, because it is evidence of constant revision and reflection, and the fact that educators are refusing to settle on the current ‘best practice’ as being truly the best. We are continually considering and responding to present issues in society when planning curriculum.
In 1994, Thomas and Smith shined light onto the fact that home economics curriculum was affiliated with vocational education initiatives, and ignoring the “philosophical perspective of the field and the specific educational ideals to which the field aspires.” This has slowly changed, evidenced by Foods and Nutrition Integrated Resource Package (2007), where one of the rationale listed was to “[practice and think] critically about principles and techniques related to acquisition, production, and consumption of foods.” Like this point that encourages global citizenship, Home Economics education should be more thoughtful and moral than ‘cooking a meal’ or ‘sewing a button’. It is a medium through which topics such as social emotional learning can be delivered, or dialogues around social justice issues can be brought up. For example, Smith and de Zwart (2011) highlight how Smith (2009) chose the “notion of Food Literacy as [an] educational goal.”
Considering the nature of students’ learning is crucial in creating the best home economics experience. It has been recognized that learning ‘hands-on’ is more effective at changing behaviour towards nutrition and healthy eating than knowledge transmission (Smith and de Zwart, 2010). In recent years, many secondary schools across Canada witnessed a surge in technology use, especially cell phones and smart phones, even starting at age 9 (Steeves, 2014). By being aware of and accepting this generational difference, technology can be a great source for inspiration and satisfying curiosity.
Smith and de Zwart (2010) give excellent reasons as to why Home Economics is yet extremely relevant for today’s students, including healthy eating habit concerns, impact of poor parenting practices, impact of financial literacy and an increased concern for global citizenship and environmental health, to name a few. These are prevalent and crucial issues that, without home economics studies, students may never come to understand. Teachers should feel the calling to properly educate youth to not only succeed, but also become globally conscious citizens that will pave the way for the future.
Conclusion
In the introduction of the 2014 version of my philosophy, I mentioned that it was a working document, and that I wished it would change as it indicates a reflective view on education. I think this wish came true, as I have changed with increased knowledge and experience, yet I am very grateful that my passion and drive to become a teacher had not been suppressed. As I eagerly wait for my short and extended practicum, I am curious as to how my personal teaching philosophy will shine through. Furthermore, how will I ever know that my students have become confident, socially responsible, and mindful? As much as I am driven by my passions, and desire to teach and inspire, I foresee that hoping for a qualitative result may not be as satisfying. I am now glad to be fully aware of my teaching philosophy, as it allowed me to better know my teaching practice and myself. I am excited for the day when I will look back at this philosophy, perhaps after my practicum or in another year’s time, and see how much I have grown as an educator. With that, I am now ready to step into the classroom and continue my rewarding journey as a home economics teacher.
References
British Columbia Ministry of Education, Skills, and Training (2007). Home Economics: Foods & Nutrition 8 to 12 IRP. Victoria, B.C.: Author.
de Zwart, M.L., and Smith, M.G. (2011). Chapter Five: In What Ways Can We Plan and Implement Home Economics Curriculum? Education for Everyday Life: Curriculum and Pedagogy in Home Economics. [draft version].
Peterat, L.B. (1986). Home economics education in Canadian schools. Journal of Consumer Studies and Home Economics, 10, 271-278.
Smith, G. (2009). Unexamined Food is Not Worth Eating. Proceedings of Canadian Symposium X Issues and Directions for Home Economics/Family Studies Education, Saskatoon, SK.
Smith, G. and de Zwart, M. L. (2010). Home Economics: A contextual study of the subject and Home Economics teacher education, May, 2010.
Steeves, V. (2014). Young Candians in a Wired World, Phase III: Life Online. Ottawa, ON: MediaSmarts.
Thomas, J., and Smith, G. (1994). Toward an ideal of the person educated in home economics: An invitation to dialogue. Canadian Home Economics Journal, 44(1), 20-25.
Yoon, S. (2014). Home Economics Teaching Philosophy. Unpublished manuscript, University of British Columbia.
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