UNIT I

Objectives

PHILOSOPHIES 1.Summarize and differentiate the seven

(7) philosophies of education and draw
OF their implications to teaching-learning.
EDUCATION
2.Formulate one’s own philosophy of
education.

3.Identify the philosophical bases of the

k to 12 curriculum
The unexamined
“

life is not worth

living.” – Socrates
DOING PHILOSOPHY

To begin philosophizing,
one has to start wondering bout the things
around him.
from wondering one can start to question.
One can only begin to philosophize if questions
appear to be meaningful .
A meaningful question touches the very core of
the person… his whole mind and body is consumed
busy looking for the answers
DOING PHILOSOPHY

To ask questions
To reflect
To formulate and evaluate arguments

PHILOSOPHY BEGINS IN WONDER

ARISTOTLE
Philosophy – comes from the ancient
Greek word
Philla - (love)
Sophia - (wisdom)

Love – strong desire for a particular object

Wisdom – correct application of knowledge

 What is wisdom and how does it differs from knowledge?

• Wisdom is deeper than knowledge.

 It involves understanding the implications of that
knowledge and its uses with the thought of how it
could be beneficial for oneself and others.
Knowledge is…
 what we gained basically from experience fed by our senses.

 A person can be knowledgeable of something but he

may not be wise.
• Wisdom is not measured by the degree of knowledge we earned
Every human being is a philosopher, thus, he is capable of finding
wisdom or truth.
Philosophy can be defined as a set of ideas
that answer question about the meaning of life
.
For Karl Jasper – philosophy is a field whereby
question is more important than the answers.
Aristotle- It is a science that discusses all things
through the use of reason.
Pinon – It is a science of all things in their
ultimate cause through the aid of human reason
alone.
In a broad sense, philosophy is an
activity people undertake when they s
eek to understand fundamental truths
about themselves, the world in which
they live, and their relationships to the
world and to each other.
LESSON 1: BASIC PHILOSOPHIES IN EDUCATION
Every school is established and every teacher is guided by
the sets of related beliefs with a common term called
“philosophy of education.”

These sets of beliefs influence what and how students are

taught, trained and prepared for a purpose.

Philosophy of education may be defined as the application of the

fundamental principles of a philosophy of life to the work of education.
There are at least seven major educational philosophies.

These educational, philosophical approaches

are currently exercised in every classroom all over the world.

These educational philosophies focus heavily on the WHAT o

f the teaching profession
EXISTENTIALISM
• Existentialism is a philosophical belief that the human
being is the creator of his essence.

• It focuses on the individual existence, how humans use his

freedom of choice and free will in making decisions and finding
the meaning of their lives.
• It views that humans find the meaning of their lives through
rational decisions they make and by taking responsibility for
deciding who we are.

• Existentialists asserts that we define our being by our own personal

actions or choices in life.

• Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), a Danish minister and philosopher

is considered to be the founder of existentialism.
Why Teach - The main concern of the existentialist is
to help students understand and appreciate themselves
as unique individuals who accept complete responsibility for
their thoughts, feelings and actions.

In existentialist perspective, its primary aim in education is

emphasize the students’ directing their own learning.

Frame of reference: Existence Precedes Essence - Jean-Paul

Sartre
THE PROPONENTS

SOREN KIERKEGARD – Danish philosopher.

Father of Existentialism

MARTIN HEIDEGGER – German Philopsopher

JEAN PAUL SARTRE – French Writer and

philsopher

ALBERT CAMUS – French, Algerian journalist,

philosopher
THE EXISTENTIALIST CURRICULUM
Humanities are given tremendous emphasis to help students
unleash their own creativity and self-expression.

Composed of fine arts, drama, creative expression, literature

and philosophy

Vocational education teach students about themselves and

their potentials than that of earning a livelihood

History focus on the actions of historical individuals rather

than emphasizing historical events.

ROLE OF TEACHER

To help students define their own essence by exposing them

to various paths they take in life
Essentialism
It is an educational philosophy which asserts that education
involves the learning of the basic skills, basic knowledge of arts and
sciences that have been useful in the past and are likely to remain
useful in the future.

his philosophy is considered very conservative as it emphasized

learning the basics or the fundamentals, which is training the
student how to read, write, speak and compute.

Essentialists believe that character development is likewise important

and so teacher should try to engrain the traditional moral values and
virtues to students.
Essentialism
WHY TEACH
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

Essentialism Curriculum

The emphasis is on academic content for students to learn the basic

skills or the fundamental r’s – reading, riting, rithmetic, right conduct

Essentialists curriculum includes math, natural science, history, foreign

language, and literature.
In the essentialist system, the teacher should acquire mastery of the
subject matter and should serve as role model for the students.

This philosophy is also teacher-centered wherein students are expected

to be passive learners.

William C. Bagley (1874–1946) was one of the most influential

advocates of essentialism. Bagley believed that education was not
supposed to change society but to preserve it.

Other proponent – Theodore Brameld, George Counts, Isaac Berskon

The role of the teacher in essentialism is to ensure order and discipline

inside the classroom.
 Perennialism
• From the word “perennial” which means lasting or remaining active
throughout the year.

• Perennialists believe that one should teach ideas that are everlasting.
• It espouses the idea that knowledge is enduring and
• it continue to last throughout time and space and would still be
relevant today.
• It is a teacher-centered philosophy wherein teachers direct the learning

• The aim of education is to develop the human mind and teach students
to be rational thinkers and be intellectually capable.

• Structured lessons and drills are the typical method of instruction.

It also gives importance on the values so students are also expected
to be morally upright.
Perennialism
Robert Maynard Hutchins and Mortimer J. Adler are the leading
advocates of perennialism. Others Jacque Maritain and Allan Bloom

“The great books and the classics of art, music and literature are
especially important as they are seen as capturing the essence of
human search for what is true, good and beautiful”

Perennialists urge the students to read the Great Books – works by histor
y’s finest thinkers and writers and develop their understanding of the
concepts about human knowledge.

It is based on the Socratic methods of oral exposition or recitation.

 Progressivism
• Progressivism is based largely on the belief that lessons must be
relevant to the students in order for them to learn.

• The curriculum of a progressivist school is built around the personal

experiences, interests, and needs of the students.

• Progressivist contend that although knowledge may come from vari

ed sources, the best way to learn is by actively exploring/or by
engaging in direct experience
• Progressivist educators are outcome focused and don’t simply
impart learned facts.
• Teachers are less concerned with passing on the existing culture
and strive to allow students to develop an individual approach
to the task provided for them.
What to teach?

More concerned with teaching the learners the skills to cope

change. Change is the only thing that does not change.

Natural and social sciences. Teachers expose students to many

new scientific, technological, and social developments, reflecting
the progressivist notion that progress and change are fundamental
How to teach?
 Progressivists teachers employ experiential methods
. They believe that one learns by doing. (John Dewey)

 Problem-solving method makes use of the scientific

method.

 “Hands-on-minds-on” teaching methodology (e.g.,

field trips during which students interact with
nature or society).

• Teachers also stimulate students through thought-

provoking games and puzzles.
Behaviorism
Behaviorism, also known as behavioral psychology, is a theory of
learning based on the idea that all behaviors are acquired through
conditioning.

Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment.

Behaviorists believe that our responses to environmental stimuli
shape our actions.

This philosophy emphasizes that repetition is a useful action that

results in learning. If the student is ready for the connection of one
idea to another by repetition,learning occurs and may enhance the
previous, if not, learning is inhibited.
Strict behaviorists believed that any person can potentially be
trained to perform any task, regardless of genetic background,
personality traits, and internal thoughts (within the limits of
their physical capabilities). It only requires the right
conditioning.

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
.

Influential behaviorists include B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) and

John BWatson (1878-1958)
Cognitivism (Constructivism)
is a philosophy that evolves on the belief that learner is
capable of actively constructing his own understanding of
reality through interaction with objects, events, and
people in the environment, and reflecting on these
interactions.
(Cognitivism) is also known as cognitive development. The underlying
concepts of cognitivism involve how we think and gain knowledge.

Cognitivism focuses on the inner mental activities. Mental

processes such as thinking, memory, knowing, and problem
-solving need to be explored
Cognitivism (Constructivism)

Knowledge can be seen as schema or symbolic mental constru

ctions
Constructivism says that people construct their own understanding
and knowledge of the world through experiencing things and
reflecting on those experiences.

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
Reconstructionism
Social reconstructionism is an educational philosophy that views
schools as tools to solve social problems. Social reconstructionists
reason that, because all leaders are the product of schools, schools
should provide a curriculum that fosters their development.

Reconstructionists not only aim to educate a generation of problem

solvers, but also try to identify and correct many noteworthy social
problems that face our nation, with diverse targets including racism,
pollution, homelessness, poverty, and violence.

Reconstructionism may be referred to as more of a remedy for society

that seeks to build a more objective social order
Social reconstructionists believe that people are responsible for the
ir social conditions. They have the power to take control of their
lives, improve their human conditions, and build a just and good s
ociety.

Reconstructionist educators focus on a curriculum that highlights

social reform as the aim of education.
Idealism
This is one of the oldest educational philosophies It asserts
that ideas are the only true reality, the only thing worth
knowing. Idealism focuses on conscious reasoning of the
Mind.

It described Idealism as the philosophical theory that maintains

that the ultimate nature of reality is based on mind or ideas.

Idealism often takes the form of arguing that the only real things
are mental entities, not physical things and argues that reality is
somehow dependent upon the mind rather independent of it.
The key proponents of this philosophy is
Plato and Socrates.

Other proponents are :

George Berkely,
Rene Decartes,
Ralph Waldo Emerson,
George W.F. Hegel,
Immanuel Kant, and
Henry David Thoreau
This philosophy
• emphasize cognitive development and does not espouse
vocational training.

• aim of education – capacitate the students with broad ideas

and principles for intellect development

• believe that students should start from the basics like

learning the 3 Rs – reading, writing, and arithmetic

• in the secondary level, the subjects should focus on good

works in culture, history, literature, philosophy and politics.

• For the idealist, the teacher is one who is knowledgeable and

is able to teach key concepts and principles to promote
thinking in students .
 REALISM
Reality exist independent of the mind. Realists believe that the
objects we perceive exist independently of the mind; that whether
or not we perceive these objects, they really exist in the world.

For realists the purpose of education is to teach students about the

world in which they live.

Its well known proponents include Thomas Aquinas, Francis Bacon,

Alfred North Whitehead, and Bertrand Russsel.

Realist believe that what is true and real exists in the physical world
and that knowledge is obtained from logic and actual experience.

The focus of realism is on the body/objects, what can be truly observed

and experienced.
Teaching methods focus on mastery of facts and basic skills through
demonstration and recitation.

Students must also demonstrate the ability to think critically and

Scientifically, using observation and experimentation. The realist
method of teaching comprised of scientific research, learning based on
facts, mastery of information or knowledge and positive rewards.

The father of Realism and scientific method is Aristotle .

LESSON 2; FORMULATIng your
PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
 Life goes on……
Whether you choose to move on and
take a chance in the unknown
Or stay behind locked in the past
thinking of what could’ve been
PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE – AN OVERALL VISION OF ATTITUDE TOWARD
LIFE AND THE PURPOSEOF LIFE

A SET OF IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO DO SOMETHING OR HOW TO LIVE

Projecting our thoughts far ahead of us, instead

of adapting ourselves to the present, is cause of
fear. Foresight, the greatest blessing humanity
has been given, is also a curse.
A Personal Teaching Philosophy

Your philosophy of education is your “window” to the world and

“compass” in life. Hence it may good to put that philosophy of
education in writing.
 A Personal Teaching Philosophy
A statement of beliefs and attitudes relative to:
 purpose of education & role of teacher
 definition of teaching
 nature of pedagogy
 inquiry -- expository -- lab work
 constructivism-- cooperative -- home work
 lab work -- discussion -- enrichment
 student learning & assessment
 knowledge -- skills -- dispositions
 classroom atmosphere
 management -- engagement -- disabilities
 individualistic -- competitive -- cooperative
 Why a Personal Teaching Philosophy?

 What a teacher believes about both teaching and

learning can have a major impact on the classroom
environment.
 Teachers tend to implement classroom practices
that reflect their philosophical beliefs.
 A well-reasoned personal philosophy can provide a
basis for appropriate action.
Basic Teaching Philosophies
 Basic philosophies span the spectrum from:
 traditional and conservative to
 contemporary and liberal
 Main types include:
 - Idealist (emphasis on mind,ideas)
 Perennialist (emphasis on values)
 Essentialist (emphasis on knowledge)
 Progressive (emphasis on experiences)
 Reconstructionist (emphasis on societal reform)
 Idiosyncratic (any combination of the above)
 Everyone has a personal teaching philosophy!
 Perennialist Teaching Philosophy
(emphasis on values)

 Rooted in realism (teacher-centered: 3 R’s and

moral and religious training are the hallmark.)
 Based upon universal knowledge and cherished
values of society.
 Subjects that have stood the test of time are the
basis of the curriculum.
 Universal ideals are the focus of the curriculum --
goodness, truth, beauty.
 Students’ minds are sponges designed to soak up
knowledge with teachers as unquestionable
authorities.
Essentialist Teaching Philosophy
(emphasis on knowledge)

 Education seen as a mastery of essential facts and

skills -- English, math, science, history, and foreign
language (teacher-centered education)
 Not rooted in the past, but is more concerned with
contemporary scene.
 Like perennialism, rejects art, music, physical
education, home making, and vocational ed.
 Interested in conceptual thought and the principles
and theories of subject matter.
 Teacher is seen as a master -- an authority -- worthy
of emulation.
 Progressivist Teaching Philosophy
(emphasis on student experiences)

 Student-centered educational process.

 Democracy and education go hand in hand.
 Learning must include content plus the skills of learning --
problem solving, scientific inquiry, cooperative behaviors,
self-regulation -- and memorization is de-emphasized.
 Curriculum tends to be interdisciplinary.
 Teaching methods are not based on authority.
 The teacher is seen as more of a guide than an all-knowing
sage.
Reconstructionist Teaching Philosophy
(emphasis on societal reform)

 Places more emphasis on society-centered

education.
 Education to be relevant must also include elements
of social issues -- pluralism, equality, futurism.
 Curriculum centers around social, economic, and
political issues.
 Students practice is modeled after society.
 Teachers are considered prime units of social and
political change.
 Idiosyncratic Teaching Philosophies
 A teacher will rarely cling to a single, identifiable
teaching philosophy.
 Most teachers are somewhat eclectic in the
formulation of their teaching philosophies.
 What is your teaching philosophy?
• What does a philosophy of education contain
or include
 It includes your concept about:
 the human person,
 the learner in particular and
 the educated person.
What is true and good and therefore must be taught.
How a learner must be taught in order to come close to the
truth.
 Be certain to identify your type and elements.
 Explain how you (will) apply your philosophy in your
classroom.
As an English teacher, I believe in making connections.
Finding out about students’ lives outside the classroom is
so important to helping out how they learn best. This helps
build acceptance, comfort, and a safe environment for ideas
and thoughts. The fact that I learned everyone’s name in all
of my classes is simply due to my individual attention to the
vast majority of the students either before, during, or after
class. I also believe in getting involved. Teachers need to
know their students outside the classroom. Not only does
that create a better/deeper classroom community, but it
shows students that you care about them as humans, not just
statistics. They are people with interests, feelings, and lives
rather than minds which you have to fill with certain amount
of information in 180 days.
The goal of my teaching, and center of my teaching p
hilosophy, is active learning. One of my ultimate objec
tives in teaching is to facilitate learning by helping stu
dents to gain the necessary skills to take control of an
d become active participants in their own learning.
I truly believe that knowledge gained through active p
articipation is knowledge that will stay with an individu
al. Thus my approach to teaching reflects this philoso
phy and I have developed and use many techniques
that are designed to engage students in their own lea
rning.
Regardless of content, I also think that students
should leave their courses with skills that they will
use in their everyday lives. These basic skills include
problem solving and critical thinking, research and
writing proficiency, and effective communication
ability. I have designed all of my courses to include
components that impart these skills. All of my upper
division courses require research for papers and
presentation, and students must also participate in
group work. These are skills that students can
transfer into any career choice.
ACTIVITY 1

What is your philosophy in life?

As future teacher, develop your own philosophy of education