Philosophy Statement
Follow the guidelines below and design your own working philosophy of family life education. Address the questions in your discussion. (Duncan, S. F., & Goddard, H. W. 2011 p. 24)
What are my beliefs about the family and the nature and quality of family life and the human experience?
What is a “family”? How important are families? What values do I hold regarding families and the human experience? What does it mean to be human?
What are my beliefs about the purpose of FLE?
What is the nature of FLE? What value does FLE have in communities? Is it to provide insight, skills, and knowledge? Is it tochange behavior? How “interventionist” should FLE be?
What are my beliefs about the content of FLE?
Of what value is university-based theory and research to families? Of what value is the lived experience of individuals, families, and communities, and how can it become part of the content of FLE? How do my personal values regarding families and the human experience infl uence the content I select?
What are my beliefs about the process of learning for families in outreach settings?
How do individuals and families learn most effectively? What teaching strategies have the greatest impact? How important are learning goals and evaluation in these processes? What assumptions do hold about learners?
Duncan, S. F., & Goddard, H. W. (2011). Family Life Education : Principles and Practices for Effective Outreach. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, Inc. p. 24