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Each philosopher may have their own belief that differs them from everyone else, but the main goal at the end of the day is for students to get the best education possible.
I believe as educators today in the contemporary American education we use pieces from each philosopher dependent upon our own beliefs and values. Also by what is accepted in the public school systems.

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John Dewey, an American philosopher in the 1800's belief is a sum up of how my personal philosophy on education:
"Education is growth. It is not preparation for life, it is life itself."

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Gutek, G. L. (2011). Historical and philosophical foundations of education: A biographical introduction (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

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Plato reminded me of the importance of appreciating the works that came before us. Plato believed in seeking the ultimate beauty, truth, or concept. Next week my students will be learning about prime numbers and I will teach them about the Sieve of Eratosthenes to educate them on the history of mathematics. I agree, to a certain extent, with Plato’s idea of homogenous grouping. I think it should happen at the high school level only because heterogenous groups in lower level education is so powerful for social settings and peer tutoring. Plato also believed that many of our citizens are not prepared to be contributing members of society, much less educated voters. That being said, I believe the right to vote and participate in government should be closed to no one. However, our schools could do a better job of educating students on the importance of civic duty and participation.
Quote: "The beginning is the most important part of the work. Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything."

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I learned that education should be a stabilizing factor in the lives of students. In education, we often want to push buttons and be the agent of change, but students need experiences and instruction on how to be a citizen. Confucius knew that all students need instruction on social norms and rituals that keep society in balance. Because of Confucius I will be certain to incorporate as many reminders of ceremonies and social norms as possible, all while staying politically correct. We can study why we stand for the pledge, why some don’t, and why we have a moment of silence each day. We can also study and appreciate holidays, even if they are not celebrated by everyone in the class.
Quote: It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop. Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

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According to Aristotle, teaching and learning should provide occasions for students to examine and observe. I believe that knowledge is power and that there are universal truths, but I also believe that knowledge must be built upon experiences and manipulation of new materials. I think Aristotle probably enjoyed the wonder and enthusiasm of students when they made connections. I know he enjoyed classifying organisms and organizing new knowledge. I also like that he believed students should be exposed to a liberal education as long as they were achieving and growing. He believed that what raises humans above the “brute world” is the ability to be rational and that education should include some universal precepts that are common to all people, regardless of any contributing factors (2011, pg.63).
Quote: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

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Socrates is critical thinking at it's best. It's the upper level of Bloom's taxonomy.  In education today, we plan our lessons so that by the end of each SOL taught, the students reach the highest level of blooms, create. "The teacher's task is to draw ideas out of student's minds by asking them probing and challenging questions that cause them to think critically, deeply, and reflectively about their beliefs." I currently do this in my classroom (not so much in regards to beliefs though). Educators in the 21st century tend to ask open ended questions to allow the students to think far past and A, B, C, or D answer choice. On the state SOL, the TEI (technology enhanced items) allows them to go far past one correct answer. Not many enjoy these questions, but I do. It not only shows if the students know the content, but also has them think much deeper and depend on their critical thinking skills. I believe that this creates thinkers; and this is exactly what we need our students to be doing.
Quote: "True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing. To find yourself, think for yourself. I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think."

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Empirical knowledge will always have a place in our education system. These philosophers appreciated the search for knowledge and the whole standards based movement that is designed to ensure all students acquire a minimum level of competency.