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November 20, 2007

TEACHING IS A VOCATION A CALLING
Posted in Education, Guyana, Messages, Philosophy tagged Add new tag, arouse curiosity, Education, good teacher-pupil relationships, indivisible Humanity, Parent-Teacher Associaition, Randall Butisingh, Role of teacher, role of the Head Master, Teacher Randall, teacher-pupil relationships, Teaching is a vocation, Teachingis a vocation at 1:25 am by randallbutisingh

TEACHING IS A VOCATION- A CALLING

By: Teacher Randall- 1962 Teaching is more than a noble profession. It is a vocation, a calling.. The teacher is the most important person in any civilization, as on him depends the molding of the nation. There are not many born teachers, but there are those who love teaching, and there are those who enter it as an occupation. The chief qualification for a teacher is his or her love for children; from there can follow the training by good teachers and professors of techniques and principles. Good teacherpupil relationship is very important. A teacher must know that he or she is teaching, not only a subject, but a child. A teacher must know each child in his or her charge especially in his early years his temperament, his academic capability, his health, his bent, his home background and anything that may be hindering him from doing his best. This will equip teachers and help them to educate. Each child must taste success at the beginning by beginning with the simple to the complex, the concrete to the abstract, the known to the unknown and to develop at its own rate. This will give him confidence. A good teacher, by his/her methods will be able to motivate the pupil, awaken his interest, and arouse his curiosity. Teachers can make learning pleasant. They must exhibit energy, enthusiasm and cheerfulness, and never cease to learn themselves. A teacher who ceases to learn becomes irrelevant.

Here I wish to make a comment on the role of the Head teacher or Principal. He must at all times give valuable support to his teachers. He, himself, must be a good teacher and his relationship with his teachers and parents must be good at all times. He must be able to command respect and, with his influence, get his staff to work as a team and, together, rally the support of parents. A vibrant Parent-Teacher Association is a necessity as it will help in the childs interest, and also in the education of the parent. If an individual is well educated; if he is given the right information; if he is trained according to his bent; if he has a right sense of values, if he has learnt to think positively, to make good judgments, and if he is able to realize his uniqueness in the mosaic which is indivisible humanity he will be well on his way to make this world a better place for himself and others.

The joy of the Lord is my strength. Philosophy of Education Handout Text A PDF version handout is available to print (353 KB). Some information is on the PDF version that is not here. What is Philosophy? Why is Philosophy Important? Five Schools of Educational Philosophy Which Philosophies Are Compatible with Christianity? Sample Mission Statement Sample Vision Statement Sample Philosophy Statement Bibliography What is Philosophy? Philosophy in Greek means "love of wisdom." It is concerned with discovering what in life is true and valuable. There are five basic philosophical questions:

Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? How then shall I live?

A complete philosophical system, or world view, must be consistent, comprehensive, based on adequate evidence, and free from contradictions or absurdity. We need to think clearly, critically, correctly and comprehensively as we evaluate ideas and truth claims. Our educational philosophy must be firmly grounded in our general philosophy. A philosophy of education should address the following five questions:

What is the purpose of education? What is the role of the teacher and the child? What should be the standards and objectives? What methods should be used? How should progress be evaluated?

Why is Philosophy Important? Our plans miscarry because we have no aim. When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind. Seneca Ideas are powerful! They shape our reality. Each of us has a philosophy whether or not we're aware of it. It's foundational, the basis for all of our daily decisions. Long-term and short-term goals "fall out" of a philosophy. To discover what you truly value, examine how you actually spend time and money right now. Five Schools of Educational Philosophy Perennialism holds that the major purpose of education is to study timeless values and knowledge. Key words:
o o o o o o o o o o o

classical trivium Socratic dialog liberal education the arts character training Great Books Western Civilization formal logic rhetoric Latin

grammar

Sample writers and home school curriculums:

o o o o o o o o o o

Charlotte Mason Dorothy Sayers David Quine Cornerstone Curriculum Lamplighter How Great Thou Art Grammarworks Generations of Faith Covenant Home Curriculums Berean Bookshelf

Essentialism holds that the major purpose of education is to transmit culture and core knowledge to each new generation. Key words:
o o o o o o o o o o

basics accountability phonics three R's vocational education core knowledge drill and practice cultural literacy memorization test

Sample writers and home school curriculums:

o o o o o o o o o o

E. D. Hirsch (What Your First Grader Needs to Know, etc.) Inge Cannon Bob Jones Saxon Math Moving with Math Writing Road to Reading A Beka Sonlight Ring of Fire Rod & Staff

Progressivism holds that truth is relative. Since knowledge is

always changing, we should teach children how to think rather than what to think. This philosophy is based on evolution and John Dewey's pragmatism. It looks to the future rather than the past and generally assumes that people are good by nature and that new is better than old. Progressivism is a very popular philosophy in American public schools and universities. Key words:
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

socialization whole language invented spelling spark of divinity within thinking skills unlimited potential gradual unfolding all children succeed self-esteem self-actualization multiculturalism problem-solving learning by doing discovery learning

Unschooling seems to me to be the most progressive of the home school philosophies because it assumes that children will choose what is best for them and are capable of becoming fully educated without adult pressure. Although this is true for some children, it is not true for all. Many methods popularized by progressive thinkers, such as unit studies, are excellent and may be used within the context of other philosophies. Reconstructionism is an outgrowth of progressivism. It holds that the purpose for education is to establish new cultural patterns and to eliminate social evils. Karl Marx and Adolf Hitler held this view. Existentialism holds that life is a meaningless void. There are no objective standards or rules, no God, no purpose or plan. Individuals are completely free. Which Philosophies Are Compatible with Christianity? Both perennialism and essentialism, the traditional schools of philosophy, are compatible with Christianity. Reconstructionism and existentialism are not. Although many progressive methods are

excellent and may be used within a context of Christianity, the foundation of the progressive philosophy is upward evolution, secular humanism, and the natural goodness of human beings. Scriptures are given below which relate to the five basic questions of educational philosophy:

What is the purpose of education? o Choose eternal life: Proverbs 13:14 o Sanctification: Titus 2:10-15 o Equipping the saints for ministry: Ephesians 4:12-13 What is the role of the teacher? o Listen to the Lord's direction: Isaiah 48:17 o Hold fast to the Scriptures: Romans 15:4 o Heed the Spirit: John 14:26 o Depend on God's energy: Colossians 1:29 o Teach and admonish: Colossians 3:16 o Guard the good deposit: 2 Timothy 1:13-14 What is the role of the student? o Listen and obey: Proverbs 1:8-9 What should be the standards and objectives? o Becoming like Jesus: Luke 6:40 What methods should be used? Anything method which does not conflict with a philosophy may be used. The purpose of methods is to capture attention and motivate. o Teach in the context of daily life: Deuteronomy 11:18 o Soft, gentle, consistent: Deuteronomy 32:2 How should progress be evaluated? o Avoid comparing yourself with others: Galatians 6:4

Sample Mission Statement Our mission is to teach our children about God, His Word, and His world, so they come to Christ for salvation and develop into wise, mature, and well-educated Christians whose lives glorify God and make attractive the Gospel of Christ to unbelievers. Sample Vision Statement (Essentialist) Our vision for our children is that they will develop into wellrounded, academically sound, socially adept, solidly Christian adults who fear God and personally accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We want them to know right from wrong and choose what is right. We pray that they will aspire to personal integrity and wisdom, as well as display such virtues as humility, responsibility, constancy, gentleness, perseverance, justice self-discipline, resourcefulness and generosity in their everyday lives. We wish for them to enjoy

learning, have a strong work ethic, be confident of their ability to achieve and overcome obstacles, and have a good background of foundational knowledge and skills. We want them to graduate with a sense of life purpose as well as vocational and entrepeneurial skills. We wish for them to marry well, establish stable Christian homes, be good stewards of all God entrusts to them, and always maintain an eternal perspective. Sample Philosophy Statement (Essentialist) We believe that God is the source of all life and the Bible is His Holy Word, true and inerrant. We are created in God's image. Because of Adam's fall, we are born with a sinful nature. Jesus gave his life to make it possible for us to be reconciled to Him. The purpose of life is to accept or reject His free gift of Life, and if accepted, to glorify and enjoy Him and to live so unbelievers will seek a relationship with Him. Francis Schaeffer wrote, "The Christian life is to be a thing of truth and also a thing of beauty in the midst of a lost and despairing world." Life on earth is a beginning; we look forward to an eternity with Christ. We aspire to be in the world but not of it as salt and light. What is the purpose of education? The purpose of education is to make Christian individuals, transformed by the renewing of their minds after Him who created them. Education is the vehicle by which culture is transmitted from generation to generation. The end result is individuals who have the knowledge and skills to learn on their own. What is the role of each participant in our school? The Holy Spirit is our true teacher. We will start and end each day in prayer. Father and mother will set aside time at least weekly to plan and problem-solve as a team.

Role of the father: o Provide leadership and hold the vision. o Ensure a safe, secure, stable environment and provide necessary resources. o Love, discipline and protect each individual. o Encourage everyone to strive to reach their full potential. o Set and reinforce rules and standards. Role of the mother: o Plan for effective education.

Select materials and resources. Teach, guide, model, encourage, impart information. Evaluate. Role of the student: o Obey and have a positive, receptive attitude. o Be on time. o Pay attention and ask questions. o Have necessary supplies and materials. o Study and complete assigned work on time. o Behave and follow rules. Avoid distracting others.

o o o

What should be the standards and objectives?

Character. Christian character and a work ethic. Academics. o High objective standards in traditional subject areas. o Neat and correct work. o Low level skills learned to mastery. o Pursue areas of strength while reaching competency in all areas. o Instruction will proceed as rapidly as each child's readiness allows. o Connect new knowledge to what is already known. Arts. Exposure to a variety of arts, then pursue interests. Health. Exercise, nutrition, rest, cleanliness, good habits. Socialization. Service, church groups, ability to relate to people of all ages with a servant's heart. Preparation for adult responsibilities.

What methods should be used? We plan to expose children to a wide variety of learning experiences in an effort to discover their special areas of talent and interest. We will use a variety of methods based on the type of learning desired. We recognize that learning involves effort and self-discipline. Children must learn to focus and concentrate if they are to reach their potential. Selected textbooks will be used in the core areas of reading, spelling and math. We will use a phonics approach to teaching reading. Memorization and drill will be used to teach such things as facts, skills and Bible verses. Short daily memorization periods will be required of each child. In the content areas of Bible, social studies, science and health, we will use a unit approach, rotating units for variety and balance. We will begin units with an overview, then study particulars, and wrap up with a summary or project. Unit topics will be selected based on interest, and all of the children will be involved at their own level. The library will be an

important resource for unit studies. Textbooks in science, social studies, and health will be used as guides and resources to aid in the selection and study of units. How should progress be evaluated? We believe that every child should strive to reach high academic and behavioral standards. Because individuals differ in ability, some will be more successful than others at reaching the standards, but we believe that each child can succeed. We will reward progress, effort and humility. Children will be encouraged to set their own goals. "Failure" will be used as an opportunity to learn perseverance and to overcome discouragement and other obstacles in the pursuit of excellence. Most evaluation will be done informally by mother as she works closely with the children. Tests in the texts as well as teacher-made tests will be used to allow children to objectively demonstrate their learning. No letter grades will be given, but children will be rewarded for achieving objectives and goals. We will participate in standardized testing once a year as required by our state. Bibliography

Clark, Gordon H. A Christian Philosophy of Education (1946). The Trinity Foundation, P.O. Box 169, Jefferson, MD 21755. $9.95 includes shipping. Geisler, Norman L. & Paul D. Feinberg. Introduction to Philosophy, A Christian Perspective. Baker Book House, P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287. ISBN 08010-3818-9. $19.99. Kienel, Paul A., ed. Philosophy of Christian School Education. Association of Christian Schools International, P.O. Box 35097, Colorado Springs, CO 80935. 800-3670798. $18.95 plus shipping. Ozmon, Howard A. & Samuel M. Craver. Philosophical Foundations of Education. Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company, Columbus, OH 43216. ISBN 0-675-08049-5.

Return to top May he give you the desire of your heart, and make all your plans succeed. Psalm 20:4 Home | Help | About Susan | News | Books | Workshops | Resources | Ordering Info www.SusanCAnthony.com Instructional Resources Co., P.O. Box 111704, Anchorage, AK 99511-1704 All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2001. This page last revised 4/6/01.

THE FIVE KEY EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHIES There are many different forms of philosophy used in our education system today. It is not unusual too see more than one philosophy incorporated in a school or classroom setting. When incorporating the different educational philosophies in the classroom, one must consider the makeup of their classroom community. A good educator will always continue to expand their knowledge and adapt with the changing times. In the end this will help them create a more successful classroom.

ESSENTIALISM The essentialism approach to education has been noted throughout history. It started back in the days of the Greek Philosophers, and has continued throughout American history. In the 1930's William Bagley helped popularize this philosophy with his writings and lectures. As interest in space grew, so did the interest in the essentialism way of education. Even in today's society we see President Bush pushing this form of educational philosophy with his "No Child Left Behind Act." All throughout education history, society has tended to go back to questioning the "traditional" approach of going "Back to the Basics." Educators of the essentialism approach teach the basic skills of math, natural science, history, foreign language (ex. Latin & Greek), and literature. The teacher is responsible for installing moral values that will help the student on the road to becoming an ideal citizen. The students are taught factual information and are not offered any vocational training. The classroom setting is very rigid and disciplined. Students are rated academically by testing. Both the teacher and the administrators decide what is best for the student. This creates an atmosphere where students do not expand their minds creatively. Schools that use the essentialism philosophy encourage academic competition. This type of educational approach tends to create longer academic days, school years, and the need for challenging textbooks. Today we may find this approach used in private, parochial, and some small town rural schools. I believe we may see an increase of the essentialism approach as school systems comply with state mandated testing requirements. It is my opinion that essentialism combined with other approaches can create a stronger academic day.

PERENNIALISM The influence of Greek Philosophers Plato, and Aristotle still appear in education today. These two philosophers taught their students by influencing them to question the facts. In more recent time Mortimer Adler, and Robert Hutchins have been known to influence the perennial approach of education. Mortimer Adler helped design the "Great Book Program" in 1946. Robert Hutchins

supported this educational philosophy when he implemented the use of Adler's "Great Books" in his "Chicago Plan." They believed in teaching all students the same information and having the teacher initiate discussions to help the student question the validity of the topics.

In Perennialism the belief was that you taught "everlasting" information to the students. The main idea was to stimulate thought provoking discussions from different topics presented to the student. As in essentialism the teacher is the center of the instruction. The educator was responsible for teaching principals not facts. Their goal was to open the students mind to scientific reasoning, and that factual information may be proven false. A major difference between the two philosophies is in perinnialism the student input is important. Using this approach helps the individual thinker in each student blossom. Nowadays you can find this philosophical approach in boarding schools, and very elite private schools. Both charter schools, and magnet schools have been known to use curriculums based on this approach. Through perinnialism it was recognized rote recitation wasn't the only way to educate the students. It is my belief that this approach should be incorporated with other educational philosophies to be beneficial in our current school systems. However, with the new state mandated test requirements there may not be enough time in an academic day to include this approach. The philosopher in the students may never be released.

PROGRESSIVISM In the 1920's with the founding of the Laboratory School, John Dewey created the foundations of the progressive education movement. In this school both John Dewey and his wife taught children to learn by doing. He felt that learning facts wasn't the only way to educate. John Dewey realized that not every student could learn by the same approach. Perhaps, it is this reasoning that made him incorporate several different methods into educating students at his school. This is the first philosophical approach that takes into consideration the three learning types (auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners) of students. In a progressive approach classroom you will see thought provoking games, books, manipulative objects, experimentation and social interaction between the students. This approach also uses field trips outside of the classroom for educational purposes. Progressive philosophy isn't center around the main goal of educating students for adulthood. Instead this approach was meant to enrich the educational growth process. This educational philosophy can still be found in our public school systems today. It is not just limited to urban, suburbia or rural areas and can be used with all social economic classes. By using this approach our schools systems take into consideration the abilities of the whole student population. This approach is suitable for the diverse population of students that attend today's schools. In my opinion the reason for the popularity of this approach is that it incorporates the practice of various educational philosophies.

EXISTENTIALISM A.S. Neill is perhaps the most noted influence when it comes to the existentialism philosophy being applied in a school environment. Neill helped to promote existentialism with the creation of his Summerhill School. Jean Paul Sarte along with Soren Kierkegaard, and Friedrich Nietzche helped to strengthen the popularity of the existentialism movement. Each of these famous men contributed to the belief that it was "not just the mind that needed to be educated, but the whole person." An existentialism school didn't enforce formal education. Instead it nurtured the creativity, and individuality of the student. It was felt that in time a student would mature by themselves, and decide what direction was suitable to pursue. In an existentialist school children would be given a variety of subjects to choose from. Vocational courses were to teach the student about themselves, and not to prepare them for a future occupation. The student pursued the subject of their choice, learning method, and worked at their own pace. They received one-on-one guidance from their teacher. Existentialism was an independent study program rather than a traditional class. In today's society we would find this approached used to some degree with home schooling. However, in the late 1960's and 1970's some private and public schools experimented with this form of learning. I was a student in one of these independent study programs in ninth grade during the seventies. At the time I was too immature to handle making my own choices. This approach to education lacks structure in the academic day. It is my feeling that most children need some form of organization to achieve academically. as the founder of the behavioral movement. His belief was that any human being could be reprogrammed to acquire any skill. This theory was backed up by the experiments of both Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner. Pavlov trained dogs to respond to different stimuli. Skinner created a learning machine that would use operant conditioning to train students to learn. Through experimentation, these psychologists realized that they could both recondition and condition the responses of their subjects. According to behaviorism we can teach our students by reprogramming them. It is possible to change students' behavior by reconditioning them. This may be done by taking the negative stimuli away from the student. In time the student learns to control the behavior. The behaviorism approach also states that the student can be condition to learn or perform anything taught to them. This can be done by using rewards for an appropriate response. Both of these methods can be effective when used over a long period of time. In today's society behaviorism approaches can be found in all forms of education. It may be used to change negative behavior. The student may not earn a point for that day if they use an inappropriate manner. On the other hand a teacher may reward the class with stickers for doing a good job. In our present school systems this method is used quite often for behavioral modifications, and motivating children of special needs. Realistically, a teacher cannot totally

reprogram a student. This would be an idealistic world if we could reprogram the students to grow up to be perfect individuals.

KEY PHILOSOPHIES DISCOVERY SUMMARY It can be surprising to discover that you don't know yourself as well as you think. I had thought for sure that progressivism would be the winner, and essentialism would come in next. Instead it was almost a tie. I was really stunned to see behaviorism trailing not far behind. This has not changed my belief that an individual can't be totally reprogrammed. However, I do understand when behaviorism can be implemented. As I was doing my research it wasn't a surprise to discover that I already adhered to several philosophies. Contemplating on each philosophy opened my eyes to the benefits they all offered. The trick is to know when to apply what you learned from each educational philosophy in a real classroom situation.