This document outlines 6 educational philosophies - essentialism, progressivism, perennialism, existentialism, behaviorism. For each philosophy, it describes the views on why teach, what to teach, and how to teach. Essentialism focuses on transmitting basic knowledge and values. Progressivism aims to develop citizens for a democratic society. Perennialism emphasizes rational thinking through studying great books. Existentialism supports student choice and whole-person development. Behaviorism modifies behavior through environmental conditioning.
This document outlines 6 educational philosophies - essentialism, progressivism, perennialism, existentialism, behaviorism. For each philosophy, it describes the views on why teach, what to teach, and how to teach. Essentialism focuses on transmitting basic knowledge and values. Progressivism aims to develop citizens for a democratic society. Perennialism emphasizes rational thinking through studying great books. Existentialism supports student choice and whole-person development. Behaviorism modifies behavior through environmental conditioning.
This document outlines 6 educational philosophies - essentialism, progressivism, perennialism, existentialism, behaviorism. For each philosophy, it describes the views on why teach, what to teach, and how to teach. Essentialism focuses on transmitting basic knowledge and values. Progressivism aims to develop citizens for a democratic society. Perennialism emphasizes rational thinking through studying great books. Existentialism supports student choice and whole-person development. Behaviorism modifies behavior through environmental conditioning.
PROFESSION College of Education and Natural Sciences
ESSENTIALISM Why teach?
This philosophy contends that teachers teach for
learners to acquire basic knowledge, skills and values. Teachers teach “not to radically shape society “but rather “ to transmit the traditional moral values and intellectual knowledge that students need to become model citizens.” What to teach? Essentialist programs are academically rigorous. The emphasis is on academic content for students to learn the basic skills of the fundamentals r’s- reading, ‘riting, and right conduct.- as these are essential to the acquisition of higher or more complex skills needed in the preparation for adult life. What to teach? The essentialist curriculum includes the “traditional disciplines such as math, natural science, history, foreign language, and literature. Essentialist frown upon vocational courses… or other courses with ‘watered down ‘ academic content. The teachers and administration decide what is most important for the students to learn and place little emphasis on student interests, particularly when they divert time and attention from the academic curriculum.” How to teach? Essentialist teachers emphasize mastery of the subject matter. They expected to be intellectual and moral models of their students. They are seen as “fountain” of information and as “paragon of virtue”, if ever there is such as a person. How to teach? To gain mastery of basic skills, teachers 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 possible like the lecture method. There is a heavy stress on the memorization and discipline. PROGRESSIVISM Why teach? Progressivist teach to develop learners into becoming enlightened and intelligent citizens of a democratic society. This group of teachers teach learners so they may live fully NOW not to prepare them for adult life. What to teach? The progressivist are identified with need-based and relevant curriculum. This is a curriculum that “responds to students’ needs and that relates to students’ personal lives and experiences.” Progressivists accept the impermanence of life and the inevitability of change. For the Progressivist, everything else change. Change is the only thing that does not change. Hence, progressivist teachers are more concerned with teaching the learners the skills to cope with change. What to teach? Instead of occupying themselves with teaching facts or bits of information that are true today but become obsolete tomorrow, they would rather focus their teaching on the teaching of skills or processes in gathering and evaluating information and in problem-solving. What to teach? The subjects that are given emphasis in progressivist schools are the “natural and social sciences. Teachers expose students many scientific, technological and social developments, reflecting the progressivist notion progress and change are fundamental. In additions students solve problems in the classroom similar to those they will encounter outside of the schoolhouse.” How to teach? Progressivist teachers employ experiential methods. They believe that one learns by doing. For John Dewey, the most popular advocate of progressivism, book learning is no substitute for actual experience. One experiential teaching method that progressivist teachers heavily rely on is the problem-solving method. This problem- solving methods makes use of the scientific method. How to teach? Other “hands-on-mind-on” teaching methodology that progressivist teacher use are field trips during which student interact with nature or society. Teachers also stimulate students through thought- provoking games and puzzles. PERRENIALISM Why Teach? We are all rational animals. Schools should, therefore, develop the students’ rational and moral powers. According to Aristotle, if we neglect the students reasoning skills, we deprive, them of the ability to use their higher faculties to control their passions and appetites. What to Teach? The perennialist curriculum is a universal one of the view that all human beings possess the same essential nature. It is heavy on the humanities, on general education. It is not a specialist curriculum but rather a general one. There is less emphasis on vocational and technical education. What to Teach? Philosophers Mortimer Adler claims that the great books of ancient and medieval as well as wisdom, a tradition of culture which must initiate each generation”. What the perennialist teachers teach are the lifted from the Great Books. How to teach? The Perennialist “centered around teachers”… The teachers do not allow the students interest or experiences to substantially dictate what they teach. They apply whatever creative techniques and other tried and true methods which are believed to be most conducive to disciplining the students minds. Students engaged in Socratic dialogues, or mutual inquiry sessions to develop an understanding of history’s most timeless concepts”. EXISTENTIALISM Why teach?
Is to help students understand and appreciate themselves as
unique individuals who accept complete responsibility for their thoughts, feelings and actions”. Since “existence precedes essence”, the existentialist teachers role is to help them to various paths and they take in life and by creating environment in which they freely choose their own preferred way. Why teach?
Since feeling is not divorced from reason in decision making, the
existentialist demands the education of the whole person, not just the mind.’ What to teach? In an existentialist curriculum, students are given a wide variety of options from which to choose. Students are afforded great latitude in their choice of subject matter. The humanities, however are given tremendous emphasis to “provide students with vicarious experiences that will help unleash their own creativity and self-expression. For example, rather than emphasizing historical events, existentialist focus upon the actions of historical individuals, each of whom provide the possible models for the student’s own behavior What to teach? Moreover, vocational education is regarded more as a means of teaching students about themselves and their potential than of earning a livelihood. In teaching art, existentialism encourages individual creativity and imagination more than copying and imitating established models. How to teach? Existentialist methods focus on the individual. Learning is self- paced, self-directed. It includes a great deal of individual contact with the teacher, who relates to each student openly and honestly. To help students know themselves and their place in society, teachers employ values clarification strategy. In the use of such strategy, teachers remain non-judgmental and take care not to impose their values on their students since values are personal. BEHAVIORISM Why teach? Behaviorist schools are concerned with the modification and shaping of students’ behavior by providing for a favorable environment, since they believe that they are a product of their environment. They are after students who exhibit desirable behavior in society. What to teach?
Because behaviorist look at “people and other animals… as
complex combinations of matter that act only in response to internally or externally generated physical stimuli”, behaviorist teachers teach students to respond favorably to various stimuli in the environment. How to teach Behaviorist teachers “ ought to arrange environmental conditions so that students can make the responses to stimuli. Physical variables like light, temperature, arrangement of furniture, size and quantity of visual aids have to be controlled to get the desired responses from the learners. How to teach Teachers ought to make the stimuli clear and interesting to capture and hold the learner’s attention. They ought to provide appropriate incentives to reinforce positive responses and weaken or eliminate negative ones.” (Trespeces, 1995)
Mystical Rose College of Science and Technology Mangatarem, Pangasinan Module 1 in Theory / Concept 104 The Teaching Profession Lesson 1: Your Philosophical Heritage