CHAPTER 8:

PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION
To philosophize is so essentially
human - and in a sense to
philosophize a truly human life.

- J. Pieper
Introduction
 We are heirs to a rich philosophical heritage.
Passed on to us are a number of philosophies of
various thinkers who lived before us. These
thinkers reflected on life in this planet. They
occupied themselves searching for answers to
questions about human existence. .
 These existential questions come in different
versions- “what is life?” “who am I?” “why am I
here?” or “what am I living for?” “what is
reality?” “is the universe real?” “what is good to
do?” “how should I live life meaningfully?” and
the like
 In the school context, these existential questions
are: “why do I teach?” “what should I teach?”
“how should I teach?” “what is the nature of the
learner?” “how do we learn?” etc. These
questions are philosophical questions. They are
tackled in the subject, philosophies of education.
 LESSON 01
Our
Philosophical
Heritage:
Philosophies of
Education
Learning Outcome
 • Explain at least seven philosophies of education
Introduction
 Lesson 1 is focused on at least seven
philosophies of education. Each philosophy has
its own answer to questions like “what is the
nature of the learner,” how does he/she learn,
what should I teach him/her.
Seven Philosophies of
Education:
CONSTRUCTIVISM
Why teach. Constructivists sees 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. The learners are taught how to learn. They
are taught learning processes and skills such as searching,
critiquing and evaluating information, relating these pieces
of information, reflecting on the same, making meaning out
of them, drawing insights, posing questions, researching
and constructing new knowledge out of these bits of
information learned.
How to teach. In the constructivist classroom, the teacher
provides students with data or experiences that allow them
to hypothesize, predict, manipulate objects, pose questions,
research, investigate, imagine, and invent. The
constructivist classroom is interactive. It promotes
dialogical exchange of ideas among learners and between
teacher and learners. The teacher’s role is to facilitate this
process.
 Knowledge isn’t a thing that can be simply deposited by
the teacher into the empty minds of the learners. Rather,
knowledge is constructed by learners through an active,
mental process of development; learners are the builders
and creators of meaning and knowledge. Their minds are
not empty. Instead, their minds are full of ideas waiting
to be “midwifed” by the teacher with his/her skillful
facilitating skills.
ESSENTIALISM
Why teach. This philosophy contends that teachers teach
for learners to acquire basic knowledge, skills, and values.
Teachers teach “not to radically reshape 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 or the fundamental r’s - reading,
‘riting, ‘rithmetic, right conduct - as these are essential to
the acquisition of higher or more complex skills needed in
preparation for adult life.
 The essentialist curriculum includes the “traditional
disciplines such as math, natural science, history, foreign
language, and literature. Essentialists frown upon
vocational courses…” or other courses with watered
down academic content… The teachers and
administrators 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
subject matter. They are 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 a person. 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 as possible like the lecture
method. There is a heavy stress on memorization
and discipline.
PROGRESSIVISM
Why teach. Progressivist teachers teach to develop
learners into becoming enlightened and intelligent
citizens of a democratic society. This group of
teachers teaches learners so they may live life fully
NOW not to prepare them for adult life.
What to teach. The progressivists 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.
 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.
PERENNIALISM
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 view that all human beings possess the same
essential nature. 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
EXISTENTIALISM
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. Vocational 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.
BEHAVIORISM
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.
LINGUISTIC PHILOSOPHY

Why teach. To develop the communication skills

of the learner
What to teach. Learners should be taught to communicate
clearly-verbally, orally and/or in writing, nonverbal, and
paraverbal. Verbal communication refers to the content of
our message, the choice and arrangement of words.
Nonverbal refers to the message we send through our body
language while paraverbal refers o HOW we say what we
say-the tone, pacing, and volume of our voice.
 Students should be taught to use language
correctly – grammar, syntax, vocabulary…so that
they can express their thoughts and feelings
clearly and accurately. There is also a need to
teach students as many languages as you can so
that they can communicate with the world.
How to teach. The most effective way to teach
language and communication is the experiential
way. The classroom should be a place for the
interplay of minds and hearts.
SUMMARY
 We have a very rich philosophical heritage. But only seven
phiosophies were discussed here: essentialism, progressivism,
perennialism, existentialism, behaviorism, linguistic philosophy and
constructivism. The seven philosophies differ of their concepts of the
learner and values, in why do we teach (objectives), what should be
taught (curriculum), and how should the curriculum be taught
(teaching strategies). However, there exist also some similarities
among the philosophies.