Philosophic Inventory for

Alexandria Hollingsworth
Elementary Education, EDU 201, College of Southern Nevada, February 19, 2017
 Score

Philosophy

Essentialism- 9
Behaviorism- 10
Progressivism- 21
Existentialism- 21
Perennialism- 17
Reconstructionism-20 Essentialism Behaviorism Progressivism
Existentialism Perennialism Reconstructionism
Progressivism and Existentialism

Progressivism focuses on the child rather

than the subject matter. The students
interests are important; integrating thinking,
feeling, and doing is important. Learners
should be active and learn to solve problems
by reflecting on their experience. The school
should help students develop personal and
social values. Because society is always Existentialism is a highly subjective philosophy that stresses the importance of
changing, new ideas are important to make the individual and emotional commitment to living authentically. It emphasizes
individual choice over the importance of rational theories. Jean Paul Sartre, the
the future better than the past. Influential French philosopher, claimed that existence precedes essence. People are born,
and each person must define him- or herself through choices in life. Influential
progressivists include John Dewey and existentialists include Jean-Paul Sartre, Soren Kierkegaard, Martin Heidegger,
Gabriel Marcel, Albert Camus, Carl Rogers, A. S. Neill, and Maxine Greene.
Francis Parker. Source: Prepared by Robert Leahy for Becoming a Source: Prepared by Robert Leahy for Becoming a Teacher: Accepting
Teacher: Accepting the Challenge of a Profession, 3rd ed.,1995. Used by
the Challenge of a Profession, 3rd ed.,1995. Used by permission of the
permission of the author.)
author.)
 Summary
I think with going to Performing Arts elementary and middle schools that promoted creativity helped influence my
progressivism and existentialism philosophies. The classes I did well in always taught in multiple ways and worked
with how I learned. My mother always promoted me being myself. She always said my weird quirks made me who I
am. My father always promoted being creative instead of being just an intellectual. The strengths of both the
philosophies is that they are more student focused. They help with having the students solve problems in many
ways instead of just the way the teacher wants them to solve it. The weakness of these two philosophies is that
they can easily become disorganized and they lack structure. My weakest philosophy is Essentialism. Essentialism
was a response to progressivism and advocates a conservative philosophic perspective. The emphasis is on
intellectual and moral standards that should be transmitted by the schools. The core of the curriculum should be
essential knowledge and skills. schooling should be practical and not influence social policy. It is a back-to-basics
movement that emphasizes facts. Students should be taught discipline, hard work, and respect for authority. I
believe this is my weakest one because it is very structured. I understand discipline being important because not
all children show adults respect, but if you constantly tell them what to do they will disobey. They would also not
know how to think for themselves when they become adults. I think this will help my future students because my
style of teaching helps the students learn by involving many things from the students lives. My philosophies also
can help with the three different learning styles in a classroom: auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners. Being
more flexible instead of always being structured helps with explain subjects to the students so they all can learn
instead of the small percentage in the classroom. This will help my learning because children will be able to learn
in their own way with some instruction. I think my philosophies align with the take that Clark County schools are
trying to follow. With many children learning things grades earlier than they used too; learning within groups and
with creative ways of teaching help catch the childrens attention.