My professional philosophy of education is existentialism.  Existentialists believe in making your own choices, and taking responsibility for your actions.  I agree with Forest Gump when he said, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.”  Just like the chocolates that have different shapes and fillings so does life.  Every aspect of life is different.  We have to lay out our options and decide what is the best way to handle it.  We also have to be willing to pay the consequences for our choices.
     I am an elementary education major, and I think we have to start early in life teaching children to think for themselves, and to let them know they will be held accountable for their actions.  I also want to stress that they should not blame others when things go wrong.  They should try to fix the mistake and learn from it.  The goal of existentialist education is to promote freedom, and to encourage active decision making.  Stressing that individuals control their own lives.
     The role of the teacher is to provide an environment that allows the students to make their own decisions, and them accountable for their mistakes.  Encourage students to think a problem through, and be sure they feel strongly about their choices.
     The role of the students is to be self-disciplined.  Make mature decisions and take the consequences that may follow.  Realize that a wrong decision does not mean failure, but success.  Take the mistake and learn from it to help them become a better person in their community.
     Methods of learning include discussions; analysis of own and other’s choices, and role-playing.  The subjects that existentialist’s study are drama, art literature, social sciences, and history.  Students can use each of these subjects as tools for reference in their own lives.
     There is one teacher that stands out in my mind that has made the greatest impact in my life.  She was my junior English teacher, Ms. Clark.  Her passion for learning and teaching others was contagious.  She believed she could make a difference in the world and she was willing to start right there in her classroom.  She fought for what she thought was right for her students.  She stood by her convictions even when they were being questioned by the administration.  She taught me that as long as I found something to fight for no one could take it away without a fight.