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Chapter 8 Philosophies of Education
Chapter 8 Philosophies of Education
Summarize at least seven (7) philosophies of education and draw their implications to teaching-
learning.
Formulate your own philosophy of education.
1. Find out to which philosophy you adhere. To what extent does each statement apply to you?
Rate yourself 4 if you agree with the statement always, 3 if you agree but not always, 2 if you agree
sometimes, and 1 if you don’t agree at all.
Statement 1 2 3 4
1. There is no substitute for concrete experience in learning
2. The focus of education should be the ideas that are as relevant today as when
they were first conceived.
3. Teacher must not force their students to learn the subject matter if it does not
interest them.
4. Schools must develop students’ capacity to reason by stressing on the humanities.
5. In the classroom, students must be encouraged to interact with one another to
develop social virtues such as cooperation and respect.
6. Students should read and analyse the Great Books, the creative works of history’
finest thinkers and writers.
7. Teachers must help students expand their knowledge by helping them apply
those previous experiences in solving new problems.
8. Our course of study should be general, not specialized, liberal, not vocational,
humanistic, not technical.
9. There is no universal, inborn human nature. We are born and exist and then we
ourselves freely determine our essence.
10. Human beings are shaped by their environment.
11. Schools should stress on the teaching of basic skills.
12. Change of environment can change a person.
13. Curriculum should emphasize on the traditional disciplines such as math, natural
science, history, grammar, literature.
14.Teacher cannot impose meaning; students make meaning of what they are
taught.
15. Schools should help individuals accept themselves as unique individuals and
accept responsibility for their thoughts, feelings and actions.
16. Learners produce knowledge based on their experiences.
17. For the learner to acquire the basic skills, s/he must go through the rigor and
disciplines of serious study.
18. The teacher and the school head must prescribe what is most important for the
students to learn.
19. The truth shines in an atmosphere of genuine dialogue.
20. A learner must be allowed to learn at his/her own pace.
21. The learner is not a blank slate but brings past experiences and cultural factors
to the learning environment.
22. The classroom is not a place where teachers pour knowledge into empty minds
of students.
23. The learner must be taught how to communicate his ideas and feelings.
24. To understand the message from his/her students, the teacher must listen not
only to what his/her students are saying but also to what they are saying.
25. An individual is what he/she chooses to become not dictated by his/her
environment.
Content Focus:
Philosophy of education is a set of related beliefs that influence what and how students are
taught. Teachers’ philosophy of education guides their behaviour or performance in the classroom and
reflects their personality and values.
Formulating your own philosophy may not be easy since you are just beginning, but here are
some questions you may consider in framing your philosophical statement.
1. Essentialism: Essentialism is a teacher-centered philosophy that adheres to the belief that the
basic skills of literacy (reading and writing) and numeracy (arithmeStic) as well as subject matter
knowledge should be developed in schools. Subjects such as history, mathematics, languages and
literature are essential subjects for secondary education. They believe that these basic essential subject-
matter be mastered to be able to function effectively in society. These skills will prepare them to be
competent and skilled individuals for the competitive global village..
Essentialists argue that schools and teacher must be committed to their primary academic
function-to teach students with knowledge ansd skills that will prepare them to function effectively and
efficiently in a democratic society.
The Why, What, and How of Teaching from the Essentialist Perspective
Why Teach. The contention is that teachers teach learners to acquire knowledge, skills and
values that they need to become model citizens and not to radically reshape society.
What to Teach. Essentialist programs are ACADEMICALLY rigorous with greater emphasis on
the fundamental r’s (reading, ‘riting. ‘rithmetic, right conduct). The eseentialist
curriculum includes the traditional disciplines. Essentialism frowns upon vocational
courses or other courses with ‘watered down’ academic content. The teacehrs and
administrators decide what is most important for students to learn and place little
emphasis on student interests particularly when they divert time and attention from
academic curriculum.
How to Teach. Essentialist teachers emphasize mastery of subject matter. They are
expected to be intellectual and moral models of their students. To gain mastery of subject
matter schools have to observe core requirements, longer school day, a longer academic
year. With mastery of academic content as primary focus, teachers rely heavily on the use
of prescribed textbooks, the drill method and other methods that will enable them to
cover as much academic content as possible like the lecture method. There is heavy stress
on memorization and discipline.
2. Perennialism. Perennialism asserts that the primary purpose of education is to bring students
in contact with the truth by cultivating the intellect and sense of rationality or reasoning power.
Perennialists believe that there are universal principles that students need to learn like the universality
of truth, the importance of reason and the power of aesthetics. They also propose the study of religion
to encourage ethical behaviour. Perennialists urge that students read the Great Books – works by
history’s finest thinkers and writers and develop their concepts about human knowledge. They oppose
the inclusion of non-academic subjects in the curriculum because they defeat the primary purpose o the
school which is to develop students intellectually. They endorse a subject-matter curriculum loaded with
cognitive subjects that develop rationality and morality.
The Why, What, and How of Teaching from the Perennialist Perspective
Why teach. We are all rational animals. Schools therefore should develop the students’
rational and moral powers. According to Aristotle, if we neglect the students’ reasoning
skills, we deprive them of their ability to use their higher faculties to control their passion
and appetites.
What to teach. The Perennialist curriculum is a universal one on the vew that all human
beings possess the same essential nature. It is heavy on humanities, on general education.
It is not a specialist curriculum but rather a general one. There is less emphasis on
vocational and technical education. Mortimer Adler claims that the “Great Books of
ancient, medieval, and modern times are a repository of knowledge and wisdom, a
tradition of culture which must initiate each generation.” What the perennialist teachers
teach are lifted from the Great Books.
How to teach. The perennialist teacher is centered around teachers. The teeachers do not
allow the students’ interests or experiences to substantially dictate what they teach. They
employ teaching methods and techniques which they believed to be most conducive to
disciplining students’ minds. Students engaged in Socratic dialogues, or mutual inquiry
sessions to develop an understanding of history’s most timely concepts.
3. Progressivism. Progressivists belong to a reform movement that opposed traditional education.
They were against: 1) authoritarian teachers, 2) book-based instruction, 3) rote memorization, and 4)
authoritarian classroom management. Progressivists believe that although knowledge come from varied
sources, the best way to learn is by actively exploring or engaging in direct experiences; thus the school
should serve as laboratory for experimentation. They advocate using the project method and problem
solving which promote democratic learning communities in the classroom.
The Why, the What, and the How of Teaching from the Progressivist Perspective
Why Teach. Progressivist teachers teach to develop learners into becoming enlightened and
intelligent citizens of a democratic society so that they may live life fully NOW not to
prepare them for adult life.
What to Teach. Progressivists are identified with need-based and relevant curriculum, a
curriculum that responds to students’ needs and relates to students’ personal lives and
experiences. Instead of teaching facts or bits of information that are true today but
become obsolete tomorrow, they would rather focus on skills and processes gathering
and evaluating information and in problem solving. The subjects that are given emphasis
in progresivists schools are the natural and social sciences.
How to Teach. Progressivists employ experiential methods because of their belief that one
learns by doing. According to John Dewey, the most popular advocate of progressivism,
book learning is no substitute for actual experience. The problem-solving method
dominates the progressivist curriculum. Other “hands-on-minds-on-hearts-on teaching
methodology that are used are field trips, thought-provoking games and puzzles.
Existentialist author, Jean Paul-Sartre often quoted the phrase, “Existence precedes essence,”
meaning we owe our existence to nature, but we define ourselves through our actions. We create our
own essence by making our personal choice and that we must take responsibility for our choices.
That the purpose of education is to awaken our consciousness about our freedom to
choose and to create our own self-awareness that contributes to our own identity.
That students should be trained to philosophize, to question, and to participate in dialogues
about the meaning of life.
That self-expression, creativity, self-awareness, and self-responsibility should be developed
in the students.
That open classrooms maximize freedom of choice.
In self-directed instruction.
That students should decide what they want to learn and when to learn.
The Why, the What, and the How of Teaching from the Essentialist Perspective
Why Teach . To help students understand and appreciate themselves as unique individuals
who accept complete responsibility for their thoughts, feelings and actions.
What to teach. In an existentialist curriculum, students are given a wide variety of options
from which to choose. Students are afforded a wide variety of subject matter from which
to choose but the humanities are given great emphasis to provide students with vicarious
experiences that will help them unleash their own creativity and self-expression. Rather
than teaching historical events Existentialists would focus on the actions of historical
individuals that will provide possible models for students’ own behaviour. Vocationa
education is regarded more as a means of teaching students about themselves and their
potential than of earning a livelihood. In teaching art, students are encourage to develop
the own creativity and expand their imagination rather than copying and imitating
established models.
How to Teach. Existentialist methods focus on individual learning. Learning is self-paced,
self-directed, and includes a great del of individual contact with the teacher. To help
students know themselves and understand their place in society, teachers use values
clarification strategy. In the use of the strategy, the teacher remains non-judgmental and
take care not to impose their values on their students.
Why Teach. Behaviourism believes that students are products of their environment. They
are after students who exhibit desirable behaviour in school, thus the goal of education is
to modify and shape students’ behaviour.
What to teach. Behaviourists look at people as individuals who act only in response to
externally generated stimuli, thus behaviourist teachers teach studnts to repnd fvorably
to various stimuli in the environment.
How to teach. Behaviourist teachers should arrange environmental conditions so that
students can make responses to stimuli. Physical variables such as light, temperature,
arrangement of furniture, size and quantity of visual aids have to be controlled to get the
desired responses from the students. Teacher must see to it that stimuli for learning must
be clear and interesting to capture the interest of the learners and provide appropriate
incentives to reinforce positive responses and weaken or eliminate negative ones.
6. Linguistic Philosophy.
7. Constructivism.
Why teach. The goal of teaching should be to develop intrinsically motivated and
independent learners adequately equipped with learning skills for them to be able to
construct knowledge and make meaning of them.
What to teach. Students should be taught how to learn not what to learn.—skills like,
critiquing, accessing, evaluating information, relating pieces of information, reflecting on
the same, making meaning out of them, making use of prior knowledge, questioning,
inferring, drawing insights, posing questions, researching
How to teach. Teachers must provide students with data or experiences that allow hem to
hypothesize, predict, manipulate objects, pose questions do research, imagine and invent.
The constructivist classroom is interactive. The role of the teacher is to facilitate this
process.
8. Social Reconstructionism
1. As you reflect on creating your own philosophy, are there elements of these philosophies (with
reference to the eight (8) philosophies) that you would like to include in your philosophy of education?
What are these? Format your answers using the table below. You can expand the table.(Individual)
Philosophy Elements
3. Explain how will you react to the following given situations. What advice will you give? Assume
that you are an advocate of (Group)
essentialism: Students are not interested in the lesson.
perennialism: Students want to become skilled in certain fields of specialization.
progressivism: Parents question students’ community immersion for it poses certain risks.
behaviourism: Teacher tells studens in slum areas this: “If there’s a will. There’s a way.
Poverty is not a hindrance to success.”
linguistic philosophy: A teacher insists on his reasoning and does not give a chance o the
erring student to explain his/her side.
existentialism: A colleague asks you to decide for her for fear that she may make the wrong
decision.
Constructivism: Teacher claims, he will be able to teach more if he goes straight to his
lecture.
4. Research work. Research on the following philosophies: (Not required for submission)
References:
Introduction:
Advance Organizer:
Cognitive and
Metacognitive Motivational and
Factor Affective Factors
(6 principles) (3 principles)
14
Learner-Centered
Principles
Individual
Developmental
Differences
and Social
Factors
Factors
(3 principles)
(2 principles)
Stimulating Learning:
1. Examine the title, “Learner-Centered Psychological Principles.” Quickly jot down at least 10
words that come to your mind.
2. Go back to each word and write phrases about why you think the word can be associated with
LCP.
Analysis:
Form groups of three members each. Share your responses. Summarize your group’s
responses.
Inculcating Concepts:
The Learner-Centered Psychological Principles were put together by the American Psychological
Association. These 14 principles pertain to the learner and the learning process and have the following
aspects:
They focus on psychological factors that are primarily internal to or under the control of the
learner rather than conditional habits or physiological factors. However, the principles also
attempt to acknowledge external environment or contextual factors that interact with these
internal factors.
The principles are intended to deal holistically with the learners in the context of real-wold
learning situations. Thus, they are understood as an organized set of principles. No principle
should be viewed in isolation.
The 14 principles are divided into those referring to (1) cognitive and metacognitive, (2)
motivational and affective, (3) developmental and social, and (4) individual differences factors
influencing learners and the learning process.
Application
This will be done later when you revisit the 14 principles
Assessment Tasks
1. Describe what you can do to advocate the use of the 14 Learner-centered Psychological
Principles through any of the following: (10 pts).
References
1. APA Work Group of the Board of Educational Affairs (1997, November). Learner-centered
psychological principles: A framework for school reform and redesign.
Washington,D.C.:American Psychological Association.
2. Aquino, A. M. (2010). Facilitating human learning. Quezon City, Phil. Rex Book Store
3. Lucas, M.R. & Brenda Corpuz.(2014). Facilitating learning: A metacognitive approach. Quezon
City, Phil. Lorimar Publishing
4. Schunk, D.H. (2002). Learning theories: An educational perspective, 6 th ed. Mass., USA.: Pearson