Information Sheet

Philosophical Thoughts on Education

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, the students shall be able to;

 Identify the six philosophical thoughts on education,

 Discuss the six philosophical thoughts on education while highlighting its core
points, and
 Relate some philosophical thoughts on education in global educational school
issues.

Discussion

Observe the conversation below:

In a Grade 3 Science Class:

Teacher: What is the function of the mouth?
Student: To break the food into smaller pieces.
Teacher: Very Good! What about the stomach?
.
Student: To digest food.
Teacher: Very good! Perfect! And the small intestines?
Student: To absorb the food nutrients.

Isolated Facts and the Banking Method

Depicted in the question and answer corresponding in class are a common classroom
scenario. Most lessons are devoted to teacher asking low-level questions and students
answering with what they memorized the night before. Teacher deposited these facts a day
before and withdraws them the next day. This system does not make the learner reflect and
connect what he or she was taught in real life.

We have nothing against facts. But isolate facts makes no sense but become meaningful
when seen in relation to other facts. These facts when combined with other facts help the
learner see the connection to his or her life.

Example: to connect facts the teacher should ask more questions like: “What if the food is not
chewed in the mouth, what happens to food in the stomach and the stomach itself? What if the
stomach if it fails to digest food, what happens to the small intestines?

John Locke: The Empiricist Educator

For John Locke education is not acquisition of knowledge contained in the Great Books. It
is learners interacting with concrete experience, comparing and reflecting on the same
complete experience, comparing. The learner is an active not a passive agent of his/her own
learning.

From the social dimension, education is seeing citizens participate actively and intelligently
in establishing their government and in choosing who will govern them from among
themselves because they are convinced that no one person is destined to be ruler forever.

 Acquire knowledge about the world through the senses – learning by doing and by
interacting with the environment.
 Simple ideas become more complex through comparison, reflection and generalization –
the inductive method.
 Questioned the long traditional view that knowledge came exclusively from literary
sources, particularly the Greek and Latin classics.
 Opposed the “divine right o kings” theory which held that the monarch had the right to be
an unquestioned and absolute ruler over his subjects.
 Political order should be based upon a contract between the people and the government
 Aristocrats are the destined birth to be rulers. People were to establish their own
government and select their own political leaders from among themselves; civic education
is necessary
 People should be educated to govern themselves intelligently and responsibly (Orstein,
1984)

Herbert Spencer: Utilitarian Education

 He believed that people in an industrialized society needed a utilitarian education in order

to learn useful scientific skills and subjects.
 Learning should be a sensory experience where a student interacts within his/her
environment ; a slow, gradual, and inductive process.
 Children should be encouraged to explore and discover which would allow them to
acquire knowledge naturally.
 A student should only engage in those activities that would allow him/her to survive in
society.
 Industrialized society require vocational and professional education based on scientific
and practical (utilitarian) objectives rather than on the very general education goals
associated with humanistic and classical education.

Spencer’s Specialized Education vs. General Education

To survive in a complex society, Spencer favors specialized education over that of general
education. The experts who concentrate in a limited field is useful, but if he loses sight of
independence of things he becomes a man who now more and more about less and less. We
must be warned of the deadly peril of over specialism. Of course, we do not prefer the other
extreme, the superficial person who knows less and less about more and more.

Spencer’s Survival of the Fittest

He who is the fittest survives. Spencer’s concept of “survival of the fittest” means that human
development had one through an evolutionary series of stages from the simple to the complex
and from the uniform to the more specialized kind of activity.

John Dewey: Learning through Experience

Dewey does not disregard the accumulated wisdom of the past. These past ideas,
discoveries and inventions, our cultural heritage will be used as the material for dealing with
problems and so will be tested. If they are not totally accurate, they will still be part of a
reconstructed experience. This means that the ideal learner for Dewey is not just one who can
learn by doing (ex. Conduct an experiment but one who can connect accumulated wisdom of
past to the present).

Schools are for the People and by the People

Schools are democratic institutions where everyone regardless of age, ethnicity, social status is
welcome and is encouraged to participate in the democratic process of decision making.
Learners and stakeholders practice and experience democracy in schools.

 Emphasis on learning by doing –hands-on projects, experiential learning.

 Integration of entrepreneurship in to education.
 Strong emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking.
 Group work and development of social skills.
 Understanding and action as the goals of learning as opposed to rote knowledge.
 Collaborative and cooperative learning projects.
 Education for social responsibility and democracy.
 Highly personalized education accounting for each individual's personal goals.
 De-emphasis on textbooks in favor of varied learning resources.
 Emphasis on lifelong learning.
 Assessment by evaluation of child’s projects and productions.

George Counts: Building a New Social Order

 Education is not based on eternal truths but is relative to a particular society living at a
given time and place.
 By allying themselves with groups that want to change society, schools should cope with
social change that arise from technology.
 There is a cultural lag between material progress and social institutions and ethical values.
 Instruction should incorporate a content of a socially useful nature and a problem solving
methodology. Students are encouraged to work on problems that have social significance.
 Schools become instrument for social improvement rather than an agency for preserving
the status quo.
 Teachers should lead society rather than follow it. Teachers are agents of change.
 Teachers are called on to make important choices in the controversial areas of economics,
politics, and morality because if they failed to do so, others would make the decisions for
them.

Lag Between Material Progress and Ethical Values

Counts asserts that “there is a cultural lag between material progress and social
institutions and ethical values”. Material progress of human kind is very evident but moral
and ethical development seem to have lagged behind.

Theodore Brameld: Social Reconstructionism

Social reconstructionism is a philosophy that emphasizes the reformation of the society.

The social reconstructionist content that:

 There is a serious lag in cultural adaptation to the realities of a technological society.

Humankind has yet to reconstruct its values in order to catch up with the changes in the
technological order and organized education has a role to play in reducing the gap between
the values of the culture and technology.
 Education is design to awaken students’ consciousness about social problems and to
engage them actively in problem solving.
 Focuses on building a new society by letting the school examine and resolve the society’s
inconsistencies, controversies and conflicts.
 Education is not all privilege of the few but a right to be enjoyed by all.
 Education is a right that all citizens regardless of race and social status must enjoy.

Paulo Freire: Critical Pedagogy

 Systems must be changed to overcome oppression and improve human conditions.
 Rather than “teaching as banking”, in which the educator deposits information into
students’ heads, Freire saw teaching and learning as a process of inquiry in which the child
must invent and reinvent the world.
 Teachers must not see themselves as the sole possessors of knowledge and their students as
empty receptacles.
 A democratic relationship between the teacher and her students is necessary in order for
the conscientization to take place.
 Dialogue is the basis of critical and problem-posing pedagogy, as opposed to banking
education, where there is no discussion, only the imposition of the teachers’ ideas on the
students.

Self-Check

1. Which is NOT TRUE of social reconstructionists?

a. use of problem-solving b. study of the Great Books
c. school as an agent of change d. introduce a new society

2. Which teaching practice goes with “banking system” of education which was contrary to
Paulo Freire’s educational thought?
a. rote memorization b. project-based learning
c. problem-based learning d. community of inquiry

3. For which teaching will social reconstructionists be?

a. stress on isolationism
b. inequality and inequity as normal for an international society
c. building of an interdependent world that is international in scope
d. narrow concept of nationalism

4. Why is Spencer’s educational thought described as utilitarian?

a. he emphasized vocational and professional education based on scientific and practical.
b. he stressed on general education goals associated with humanistic and classical education.
c. he stressed the balance of specialized and general education in the curriculum.
d. he eliminated the vocational ad professional education component if the curriculum.

5. For which educational practice was John Dewey?

a. Problem-solving b. banking method
c. emphasis on the humanities d. teaching of the classics.

Activity Sheet

Form 4 groups in the class debate the following topics:

1. Should schools produce generalist or specialist?

2. Are you favor in Singaporean educational system from which whether a child finishes first
or last will no longer indicated in the primary and secondary recognitions?

The students will be graded with the following rubric:

 Criteria 4 3 2 1 Grade:
1. Organization & Completely Mostly clear Clear in Unclear and  
Clarity:  clear and and orderly some parts disorganized
Main arguments orderly in all parts but not throughout
and responses are presentation overall
outlined in a clear
and orderly way.
2. Use of Very strong Many good Some decent Few or no  
Argument:  and arguments arguments, real
Reasons are given persuasive given, with but some arguments
to support the arguments only minor significant given, or all
resolution given problems problems arguments
throughout given had
significant
problems
3. Use of cross- Excellent Good cross- Decent Poor cross-  
examination and cross-exam exam and cross-exam exam or
rebuttal:  and defense rebuttals, and/or rebuttals,
Identification of against with only rebuttals, failure to
weakness in Negative minor slip- but with point out
Negative team’s team’s ups some problems in
arguments and objections significant Negative
ability to defend problems team’s
itself against position or
attack.  failure to
defend itself
against
attack.
4. Presentation All style Most style Few style Very few  
Style:  features features features style features
Tone of voice, were used were used were used were used,
clarity of convincingl convincingly convincingl none of them
expression, y y convincingly
precision of
arguments all
contribute to
keeping
audience’s
attention and
persuading them
of the team’s case.
          TOTAL
SCORE:
 _____

Activity no. 2

Explain why each education philosopher was associated with these given words:

1. John Locke – the empiricist

2. Spencer – the utilitarianist

3. John Dewey – Experience

4. George Counts – Building a new social order

5. Theodore Brameld – the Social Reconstructionist

6. Paulo Freire – Critical Pedagogy vs. Banking Method

Information Sheet

Historical Foundation of Education

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, the students shall be able to;

 State the relationship of society and schools,

 Prove that schools transmit cultural values by stating facts from Philippine and
world history of education, and
 Explain the meaning of socialization as a function of schools.
Discussion

The beliefs and experiences of education today rest on the history of this field of
endeavor. By knowing what accomplishments of leaders in the past, today’s educators attempt
to build on their achievements.

Primitive Education

Life among primitive or tribal people was very simple compared with the complex life
that people have today. Their means of livelihood were hunting and gathering wild fruits and
vegetables. There was no reading or writing and information was transmitted through word of
mouth, songs, gestures, ceremonial, rites and the like. The aims of Education are for security
and survival, conformity and preservation and transmission of traditions.

In this education, it focuses on first, vocational. This includes learning the skills in
procuring necessities of life like hunting, constructing a hut, etc. and of protecting life from
dangers. Second, religion (animistic). Consisted in learning how to participate in ritualistic
practices to please or to appease the unseen spirits roaming around. It includes as how to
worship before the dwelling of an unseen spirit such as big tree, a big rock, a river, etc.

Greek Education

The Greeks are a mixture of the Aryan and Germanic people, two great races. But
because of the presence of natural barriers such as mountain and bodies of water, they lived in
tribal isolation and developed differences. They considered it as an honor to serve their
country in any capacity. There were many Greek city-state but two of them rose above all
others. These were Sparta and Athens.

Spartan Education

Sparta was in the south of Corinth in the southern section of the Peloponnesian
peninsula. Spartan education was based upon the laws of Lycurgus. It was the basis of Spartan
political, social and educational system. This turned Sparta into a totalitarian soldier state. This
system lasted for 700 years from the 9th to the 2nd century B.C. especially during the 5th
century.

In this education, it focuses on first, military. To make every citizen invincible in war,
possessing physical perfection and complete obedience to the state. Second, discipline. To
develop conformity and obedience, courage strength, cunning, endurance and patriotic
efficiency.

Athenian Education

Ancient Athens was the leading cultural center of the Greek world. Many of the most
gifted writers of Greece lived there. They wrote works of drama, history, lyric poetry and
philosophy that have influenced literature up to the present time. In many ways, the city was a
birthplace of Western civilization. Education was supervised by the State although education
was not compulsory. It was not clear, however, if the State maintained public schools. It
focuses on good citizenship, individual excellence and man-sided development.

Roman Education
 Italian peninsula was occupied by Italians, Etruscans, and Greeks who settled in Sicily
and the south. The Italian tribes were the Sabellians, the Umbrians and the Latins. Out of the
mixture of these peoples emerged the strong energetic Romans. These peoples also develop
city-states, and Latium, the city-states of Rome, became the most powerful. The romans judge
things by their usefulness.

This education focuses on first, utilitarian. Education was for practical purpose, to
produce men who would be active and efficient in daily life. Second, moral. To produce good
citizens who knew how to exercise their rights, fulfil their duties and obligations, and acquire
virtues such as piety, obedience, manliness, courage, bravery, industry, honesty, prudence, etc.
Third, military. To train to be good soldiers and conquerors in war. Fourth, Civic and political.
To train men to be participative and wise in politics. Fifth, religious. To train men to have
reverence for the gods.

Arabic Education

To cultivate religious commitment to Islamic beliefs; to develop expertise in

mathematics; medicine and scientific studies.

Arabic education cultivate religious commitment to Islamic beliefs and to develop

expertise in mathematics, medicine and science.

This education focuses on reading, writing, mathematics – Arabic numerals and

computations, religious literature and scientific study.

Medieval Period

School were concerned with the development of religious commitment, knowledge and
ritual to establish order.

Renaissance Period

Renaissance period was a fervent period of European cultural, artistic, political and
economic “rebirth” following the middle ages. Education was focused on the rediscovery of
classical philosophy, literature and art.

Reformation Period

The reformation period had ad for its educational goals the cultivation of a sense of
commitment to a particular religious denomination and general literacy.

In meeting their immediate, daily classroom challenges, the teachers understandably

tend to focus on the present. But, today’s classroom episodes soon become yesterday’s past.
Professional standards and teacher-education programs ask teacher to reflect on their
practices. Going from ancient to modern gives reflections and interpretation in today’s events
in the light of previous experience. Reflection, arising in the present, illuminated in the past,
can aid us to envision a better future for our students, our country, and, maybe, the world.

The History of the Philippine Education System

Pre-colonial Period
 The type of education is informal and unstructured.
 The home serves as their school
  The parents serves as their teachers
 Focused more on vocational than academics
 tribal tutors (for example, the babaylan)
 most communities, stories, songs, poetry, dances, medicinal practices and advice
regarding all sorts of community life issues were passed from generation to
generation mostly through oral tradition.
 Some communities utilized a writing system known as baybayin
 Alibata - composed of 17 symbols representing the letters of the alphabet.

Method of Education: “Tell Me” or “Show Me” or demonstration method; Alibata

(Baybayin )which is composed of 14 consonants and 3 vowels; Oral, practical and hands on
KNIP.

Education During the Spanish Era

 education was formal
 established schools from the primary level to the tertiary level of education.
 focused on the Christian Doctrines
 separate school for boys (colegios) and girls (beaterio)
 Ilustrados were accommodated in the schools
 missionary teachers (friars) replaced the tribal tutors
 Catholic doctrine schools that were set up initially became parochial schools which
taught reading and writing along with catechism.

Education Decree of 1863 - mandated the establishment of free primary schools in each town,
one for boys and one for girls, with the precise number of schools depending on the size of the
population.

There were 3 grades: entrada, acenso, and termino

The curriculum required the study of Christian doctrine, values and history as well as
reading and writing in Spanish, mathematics, agriculture, etiquette, singing, world geography,
and Spanish history. Girls were also taught sewing.

The Normal School, run by the Jesuits, was also established which gave men the
opportunity to study a three-year teacher education for the primary level. Normal schools for
women teachers were not established until 1875, in Nueva Caceres.

Method of teaching: catechetical instruction, use of corporal punishment, rote memorization,

instruction was in dialect

Spanish Contribution Roles:

 The friars controlled the educational system

 The missionaries took charge in teaching, controlling and maintaining the rules and
regulations
 Parochial schools were led by Dominicans and Jesuits
 Establishment of normal school for male teachers under the supervision of the
Jesuits
Education During the American Regime
 Course of study is prescribed uniform and centralized
 Formal structured and existence of an educational system
  1899 - more schools were opened, this time, with 24 English-language teachers and
4500 students

Act No. 74 - a highly centralized, experimental public school system was installed in 1901 by
the Philippine Commission . between 1901 and 1902 - Philippine Commission authorized the
Secretary of Public Instruction to bring more than 1,000 teachers from the United States, who
were called the Thomasites, to the Philippines . These teachers were scattered throughout the
islands establish barangay schools.

The same law established the Philippine Normal School (now the Philippine Normal
University) to train aspiring Filipino teachers. The high school system was supported by
provincial governments and included special educational institutions, schools of arts and
trades, an agricultural school, and commerce and marine institutes, which were established in
1902 by the Philippine Commission. Act No. 372 - authorised the opening of provincial high
schools.

Act No. 1870 initiated the opening of the University of the Philippines, now the country's
national university. (1908) attainment. Act No. 1381, also known as Gabaldon Law, was passed
in 1907, which provided a fund of a million pesos for construction of concrete school buildings
Filipinization policy of the government, the Reorganization Act of 1916 provided that all
department secretaries except the Secretary of Public Instruction must be a natural-born
Filipino.

The Japanese Occupation

Basic Principles of Japanese Education

 To stop depending on western countries like the U.S., and Great Britain. Promote
and enrich the Filipino culture.
 To recognize that the Philippines is a part of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity
Sphere so that the Philippines and Japan will have good relations.
 To be aware of materialism to raise the morality of the Filipinos
 To learn and adopt Nippongo and to stop using the English language.
 To spread elementary and vocational education.
 To develop love for work

The Present Education System in the Philippines 1946 to present

The Philippine Education System was patterned to the educational systems of SPAIN
and of the UNITED STATES after the Liberation of the Philippines in1946. Filipinos had
moved in various directions of its own. Elementary and high school is compulsory which is
administered by the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES Managed and regulated by the:

 Department of Education (DepEd)

 Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) DepEd is responsible
for the K–12 basic education; it exercises full and exclusive control over public schools
and nominal regulation over private schools, and it also enforces the national
curriculum that has been put in place since 2013.
 Former educational system (from 1945 until June 5,2011) SCHOOL GRADE OTHER
NAMES AGE Kindergarten was not compulsory Primary PRIMARY Grade 1 Intermediate 6-7
Grade 2 7-8 Grade 3 8-9 Grade 4 9-10 Grade 5 10-11 Grade 6 11-12 SECONDARY First Year
Freshmen 12-13 Second Year Sophomore 13-14 Third Year Junior 14-15 Fourth Year Senior 15-
16
Some Major Changes in the Educational System

 2010 - Senator Benigno Aquino III expressed his desire to implement the K–12 basic
education cycle to increase the number of years of compulsory education to thirteen
years (the K–6–4–2 basic education system).
 Kindergarten Education Act of 2012 - kindergarten compulsory
 Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. SY 2011–2012 DepEd - has already implemented
the K–12 Program it was still enacted into law to guarantee its continuity in the
succeeding years.
General Features of K to 12 Education Program

 Srengthening Early Childhood Education (Universal Kindergarten)

 Making the Curriculum Relevant to Learners (Contextualization and Enhancement)
 Ensuring Integrated and Seamless Learning (Spiral Progression)
 Building Proficiency through Language (Mother Tongue- Based Multilingual
Education)
 Gearing Up for the Future (Senior High School)
 Nurturing the Holistically Developed Filipino (College and Livelihood Readiness, 21st
Century Skills)

Pre-school (Ages 3 to 5 )

Students learn the alphabet, numbers, shapes, and colors through games, songs, and
dances in their Mother Tongue. • Pre-school education is optional before entering elementary
level since not everyone could afford it • Recent events and activities show a high need for
young children to undergo preschool education first before stepping into formal education

Primary Education (Age of 6 to 11)

It consists of compulsory six grades (Grades 1-6); Primary level (grades 1-3);
Intermediate level (grades 4-6)

Subjects taught: Mathematics, Science, Filipino, English, HEKASI (Heyograpiya, Kasaysayan

at Sibika)

Minor subjects: Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health • Computer Education and
HELE are the additional minor subjects for private schools

Secondary Education (Ages 12-17)

 Prerequisite of which is the completion of elementary education

 Four years of junior high school and two years of senior high school
 Junior high school is composed of grade 7 to grade 10
 Senior high school is from grade 11 to grade 12
Junior High School

Subjects are taught from the simplest concepts to more complicated concepts through
grade levels in spiral progression • Subjects are connected and integrated from Grades 7 to 10

Senior High School

Two years of specialized upper secondary education. Choice of career track will define
the content of the subjects a student will take in Grades 11 and 12 subjects fall under either the
Core Curriculum or specific.

Tracks Senior high school- CORE CURRICULUM

Learning Areas under the Core Curriculum and these are: Languages Mathematics Social
Sciences Literature Natural Science Philosophy Communication
Senior high school tracks

 TECHNICAL – VOCATIONAL – LIVELIHOOD

TVET (Technical Vocational Education & Training) NATIONAL CERTIFICATE student
can obtain Certificates of Competency (COC) or a National Certificate Level I (NC I) after
finishing grade 10
After finishing a Technical-Vocational Livelihood track in Grade 12, a student may
obtain a National Certificate Level II (NC II) :provided that he/she passes the competency-
based assessment of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
Technical - Vocational –Livelihood

 Arts and Design Track Arts and Design Track

Arts and Design Track Arts and Design Track will prepare student for the creative
industries in various creative and artistic fields such as but not limited to: music, dance,
creative writing and literature, visual arts, media arts, broadcast arts, film and cinema, applied
arts, architecture and design, theater, entertainment, etc.

 Sports Track Sports

Sports Track Sports track will prepare students with sports science, sports-related, physical
education- related, health- related, and movement-related courses which will let them explore
and specialize in fields like sports fundamental coaching, student-athlete development, sports
officiating and activity management, recreational and fitness or sports leadership.
Tertiary Education/ Higher Education
CHED is responsible in the formulation and implementation of policies, plans and
programs for the development and efficient operation of the higher education system in the
country. The delivery of higher education in the Philippines is provided by private and public
higher education institutions (HEIs)
Three Degree Stages of Higher Education

 Bachelor Degrees - minimum of 4 years in duration

 Master Degrees - typically span 2 years for full-time students, culminating with minor
thesis or comprehensive examination.
 PhD Degrees - Doctor of Philosophy, involve great deal of coursework, as well as
dissertation that may comprise from 1/5 - 1/3 of the final grade.
Self-Check

1. Education is a function of society. What does this imply?

I. Citizen are taught what society considered most important.

II. Society determines curriculum to be taught.

III. Those in education taught what they believed should be taught regardless of
society’s need.

a. I only b. I and II c. II and III d. III only

2. If education is a function of society then it has to be ________.

a. relevant b. complete c. for a selected few d. free

3. Complete the analogy. Athenian education: well-rounded development of individuals

Spartan education: _________________

a. military training b. religious formation

c. liberally educated d. wholistically development person

4. While the Japanese taught the Filipinos lobe for labor, the American taught Filipinos
_______________.

a. citizenship in a democratic country b. survival skills

c. love for country d. dignity for labor

5. Schools are tasked for socialization. Which is a CORRECT explanation of socialization?

a. Developing the young to become socialite

b. Learning the roles, statuses and values necessary for participation in society.

c. Developing speaking and relating skills.

d. Developing the socialite to remain forever young.

Activity Sheet

1. Why was the focus of education different for different groups of people in different places
and at a different period in world history? What does this point to regarding relationship of
schools and society?

2. Given the different characteristics of the different periods in Philippine History, what were
the goals of education /schools during the;

a. pre-colonial,

b. Spanish Period,

c. American Regime,
d. Japanese regime, and

e. post colonial period?

3. Was equal access to quality education met during the:

a. pre-colonial,

b. Spanish Period,

c. American Regime,

d. Japanese regime, and

e. post colonial period up to the present?

4. DepEd’s mission is “to protect and promote the right of every Filipino to quality, equitable,
cultured-based, and complete basic education.” Has the Philippine educational system from
pre-colonial to present given equal access to quality, culture-based and complete basic
education? Or was it a privilege of a few? Explain your answer.

Information Sheet

Social Science Theories and Their Implications to Education

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, the students shall be able to;

 Explain social science theories and their implications to education,

 Provide some school practices based on the functionalist theory, conflict theory,
and symbolic interaction theory, and
 Cite how schools at present are working on the realization of its purposes as
cited by the functionalists.

Discussion
 Sociologist today employ three primary theoretical perspectives: the functionalist
perspective, the conflict perspective, and the symbolic interactionist perspective. These
perspectives offer sociologist theoretical paradigms for explaining how society influences
people, and how people influence society. Each perspective uniquely conceptualize society,
social forces, and human behavior.

Three Social Theories

Structural-functional Theory

Herbert Spencer, views society as “a system of interconnected parts each with a unique
function. The parts have to work together for stability and balance of society.

 The functionalist theory is focused on social stability and solidarity.

 Society has different but interrelated components such as family, state, school, church,
mass media, economics.
 Failure of one social institution to do its part means disruption of stability in society.
 Focuses on how education serves the need of society through the development of skills
encouraging social cohesion.
 Schools should prepare students for participation in the institutions of society.
 Does not encourage people to take an active role in changing their social environment

Purposes of Schooling According to Functionalist

1. Intellectual purposes –acquisition of cognitive skills, inquiry skills.

2. Political purposes-educate future citizens; promote patriotism; promote assimilation of

immigrants; ensure order, public civility and conformity to laws.

3. Economic purposes-prepare students for later work roles; select and train the labor force
needed by society.

4. Social purposes-promote a sense of social and moral responsibility; serve as a site for the
solution or resolution of social problems; supplement the efforts of other institutions of
socialization such as the family and the church.

An examination of the present curricula in basic and in tertiary education shows that
these 4 functions are given attention to.

Conflict Theory

There are always two opposing sides in a conflict situation. People take sides between
maintaining the status quo and introducing change then arrive at an agreement.

Example: The factory workers want change –better working conditions, higher salaries. The
factory owners naturally are opposed to such. The resolution of the conflict , however leads to
a compromise, a change in the way the factory is managed where both workers and owners
are happy.

How Proponents of Conflict Theory Regard Education

According to the conflict theory, education is not truly a social benefit or opportunity as
seen by the functionalists. Rather, education is a powerful means of maintaining power
structures and creating a docile work force for capitalism. The purpose of education is to
maintain social inequality and preserve power of those who dominate society and teach those
in the working class to accept their position as a lower class worker of society. Conflict
theorists call this the “hidden curriculum”. The “hidden” curriculum socializes young people
into obedience and conformity for them to be developed as docile workers.

Functionalist degree strongly. They assert that if schools teach adherence, obedience to
rules, respect for persons including authorities, punctuality and honestly, civil right it is
because they are the very principles dear to a democratic way of life. It is not because they
want to make the workers remain docile, unquestioning and subservient forever while those in
power remain in power.

The Symbolic Interactionist Theory Perspective

Three tenets of symbolic interactionist theory are:

1. An individual’s action depends on meaning. We act based on the meaning we give to

symbols. Symbols can be actions, objects or words. If a student understands that teacher
believes in his/ her ability he/ she tries his/ her best prove that indeed he/ she is able. If a
teacher does otherwise, a student tends to behave in accordance with teacher’s perception.

2. Different people may give different meanings to the same thing. When teachers are strict,
some students see it as an expression of care. Others may rebel because they perceive teacher’s
behavior as limiting their moves and desires. A businessperson man look at a tree and start
estimating how much money he can get if he has the tree cut down for lumber. A philosopher
or a poet may look at it with the thought; “they also serve who only stand and wait” like John
Milton’s from his poem “On His Blindness”.

3. Meanings change as individuals interact with one another. A negative meaning that you
used to associate with hospital when you went to a hospital, which looked more as a hotel
than the usual hospital you know is changed. After you have thought well, your first
impression of teaching is boring is change to teaching is exciting.

Implication in Teaching

 Consider the symbols and details of everyday life, what these symbols mean, and how
people interact with each other.
 Conversation is an interaction of symbols between individuals who constantly interpret
the world around them. To ensure mutual understanding, the sender of the symbol and
the receiver of the symbol must give the same meaning to the symbol or run the risk of
misunderstanding.

Weakness of Symbolic Interactionism

 Neglects the macro level of social interpretation- the “big picture.” In other words,
symbolic interactionists may miss the larger issues of society by focusing too closely on
the “trees” or by restricting themselves to small or individual interactions.
 Symbolic interactionism traces its origins to Max Weber’s assertion that individuals act
according to their interpretation of the meaning of their world. However it was the
American philosopher George H. Mead (1863-1931) who introduced this perspective to
American sociology in the 1920s.
1. Cite how school at present are working on the realization of these 4 purposes as cited by the
functionalists.

2. Research on more school practices based on the functionalist theory, conflict theory and
symbolic interaction theory. Write them in a whole sheet of paper to be passed in class.

Which social science theory is referred to?

1. The overall health of society depends upon the healthy functioning of its institutions.

2. Meanings that individuals give symbols change over time.

3. Faulty communication can result from differences in the perception of the same events and
symbols.

4. Schools teach humanitarian attitude, altruism, democracy, civil rights, and other positive
aspects of society to preserve society and social order.
5. When one institution fails to function another institution ought to come in to perform the
function for the stability of society.

6. A new society comes as a result of the resolution of clash between the powers that be and
the workers.

7. two opposing sides are welcomed. This paves the way to change.

8. When one institution fails to perform its function, the other institutions showed come in for
the preservation of society.

9. One weakness of this theory is this is focused on small interactions.

10. Differences in meaning of symbols for both sender and receiver results to
misunderstanding.

Information Sheet

The Strengths and Weaknesses of the Filipino Character: A Socio-Cultural Issue

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, the students shall be able to;

 Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the Filipino character,

 Cite ways by which schools can counteract the weaknesses of the Filipino
character, and
 Emphasize how these Filipino characters affects our school system through
poster presentation.

Discussion:

Schools are there for society. Their relevance is proven by their ability to address socio-
cultural problems. What are these social issues that schools should help address? We have a
number of them but let’s focus on the weaknesses of the Filipino character. The strengths of
the Filipino character will also be cited for a balanced presentation. Besides, schools can
capitalize on the strength of the Filipino character to eliminate the weaknesses.

The weaknesses of the Filipino character as cited in the Report are as follows:

1. Extreme family centeredness

-Excessive concern for family means using one’s office and power to promote family interests
and thus factionalism patronage, political dynasties and protection of erring family members.

-It results in lack of concern for the common good, and acts as a block to national
consciousness.

2. Extreme personalism

-Takes things personally, cannot separate objective task from emotional involvement.

-Because of this the Filipino is uncomfortable with bureaucracy, with rules and regulations
and with standard procedures.

-He uses personal contacts, and gives preference to family and friends in hiring, services and
even voting.

-Leads to the graft and corruption evident in Philippine Society.

3. Lack of discipline

-A casual attitude toward time and space manifested in lack of precision and compulsiveness,
in poor time management and procrastination.

-Aversion to following procedures strictly results in lack of standardization and equality

control

-Impatience can result in shortcuts, palusot and nigas cogon.

 -Often results to inefficient work systems, the violation of rules and a casual work ethic
lacking follow through.

 4. Passivity and lack of initiative

-Waiting to be told what to do, reliance on others (leaders and government), complacence, lack
of sense of urgency.

-There is a high tolerance of inefficiency, poor service, and even violations of one’s right.

 -Too patient and matiisin, too easily resigned to his fate, the Filipino is easily oppressed and
exploited.

5. Colonial Mentality

-Lack of patriotism, or of an active awareness, appreciation and love of the Philippinesand an

actual preference for things foreign.

6. Kanya-kanya syndrome, talangka mentality

-Done by tsismis, intriga, unconstructive criticism, it is evident in the personal ambitionthat is
completely insensitive to the common good.

-Example: the lack of a sense of service among people in the government bureaucracy.

-This results in dampening of cooperative and community spirit, and in the trampling upon

other’s rights.

 7. Lack of self-analysis and self-reflection

-The tendency to be superficial and somewhat flighty.

-In the dace of serious personal and social problems, there is lack of analysis or reflection, and
instead satisfaction with superficial explanations and solutions.

8. Emphasis on porma rather than substance

-This lack of analysis and emphasis on form is reinforced by an educational system that is
more from than substance.

These weaknesses are rooted in many factors: home, social and economic environment;
culture and language; history; religion; educational system; mass media leadership and role
models Change is possible, however, and the following goals are proposed to develop in the
Filipinos: (1) a sense of patriotism and national pride; (2) a sense of the common goods; (3) a
sense of integrity and accountability, (4) the values and habits of disciplines and hard work; (5)
the values and habits of self-reflection and analysis; the internalization of spiritual values and
the emphasis on essence rather than on form. (Shahani, Leticia. (1988). A Moral recovery
Program: Building a People, Building a Nation.

The Filipino Character: Strength and Weaknesses

In 1998 Senator Leticia Shahani submitted to the Senate this Report titled “A Moral
Recovery Program: Building People, Building a Nation”. This report cites the strengths and
weaknesses of the Filipino character. The strength of the Filipino character are: 1)
pakikipagkawa-tao, 2) family orientation, 3) joy and humor, 4) flexibility, adaptability and
creativity, 5) hard work and industry, 6) faith and religiosity and 7) ability to survive.

The Filipino character also has weaknesses: 1) extreme family centeredness, 2) extreme
personalism, 3) lack of discipline, 4) passivity and lack of initiative, 5) colonial mentality, 6)
kanya-kanya syndrome, 7) lack of self-analysis and self-reflection, and 8) emphasis on porma
rather than substance.

There is so much good in the Filipino but so much needs to be change, too. Many of our
strength as a people are also source of our weaknesses. Shahani’s report (1998) explains that
family orientation out beyond the family to the larger community and the nation. In our
personalism, we are warm and caring but this leads to lack of objectivity. We are concerned
with people we know but unfair to people we don’t know. In our flexibility, we compromise
precision and discipline. We are a joyful people with a sense of humor but we cant take things
with humor all the time for serious problems need serious analysis. Our faith in God is our
source of strength but this make us dependent on forces outside us, do nothing that makes us
submissive to god’s will. We are good at pakikipagkapwa-tao and so we can easily empathize
but we can at the same time be envious of others. We can be hardworking and yet can be lazy
and passive in the workplace.
Value Education in School

Senator Shahani’s Report was given in 1988. But this findings as reported may still be
true today. The department of Education has as its vision to help develop… “Filipinos who
passionately love their country and whose values and competencies enable them to realize
their full potential and contribute meaningfully to building the nation.” It has as its core values
– maka-Diyos, maka-tao, makakalikasan and makabansa. This can be an uphill battle for
Philippine school to realize these considering the: 1) extreme family centeredness, 2) extreme
personalism, 3) lack of discipline, 4) passivity and lack of initiative, 5) colonial mentality, 6)
kanya-kanya syndrome, 7) lack of self-analysis and self-reflection, and 8) emphasis on porma
rather than substance.

So that it will not be “more form than substance” as described in Senator Shahani’s
Report, Philippine schools have to intensify values education in the curriculum. In fact, in
response to this Report, Values Education now Edukasyong Pagpapakatao in K to 12
Curriculum, was introduced as a separate subject in the basic education curriculum under the
Values Education Framework program of Dr. Lourdes Quisumbing, then Department of
Education Culture, and Sports Secretary in 1988-1990. The Values Education Framework was
conceptualized in 1987. In 2002, the basic education Curriculum (Grade 1-6, and First-Fourth
Year High School) integrated values in the major learning areas or subjects. Beginning with the
K to 12 Curriculum in 2013, Values Education was renamed Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (EsP)
for Grades 1-10. In the Senior High Curriculum (Grade 11-12), there is no course with the title,
Values Education or Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao but core courses such as Introduction to the
Philosophy of the Human Person and Personal Development, are in essence, Values Education
subjects themselves.

1. List the weaknesses of the Filipino character. Explain each in a sentence.

2. List the strengths of the Filipino then in a phrase or clause, explain when that strength
becomes a weakness.

Strength It becomes a weakness when

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

1. How can schools help fight the Filipino lack of analysis?

a. Do teaching-to-the test. b. Give out-of-context drills.

c. Make students solve problems. d. Let students write their observation.

2. When does the Filipino’s faith and religiosity become a weakness?

 a. when he does nothing to save himself and waits for God to save him.

b. When he totally submits himself to God’s will after having done all he could.

c. When he forgives his enemies and so appears weak.

d. When he prays everyday and every night.

3. what’s wrong with the Filipino sense of humor?

a. when he is always joyful b. when even serious things are not taken seriously

c. when he takes things lightly d. when his jokes are corny.

4. which Filipino weakness is proven in his penchant for diploma?

a. porma over substance or essence b. love for education

c. desire for upward mobility d. fatalism

5. what does teacher encourage when she looks at students’ questions in class as indicator of
attentiveness?

a. critical thinking b. love for study

c. passivity d. pakikisama

Through a poster presentation, emphasize how these Filipino characters affects our school
system.
The students will be graded with the following rubric:
5 4 3 2 1
Content Content is Content is Content is Content is Content is
Poster contains accurate and accurate but accurate but either inaccurate.
appropriate all required some required some questionable Information
items and information is information is required or is incomplete,
information presented in a missing information incomplete. inaccurate, or
(information is logical order. and/or not is missing Information not presented
appropriate to presented in a and/or not is not in a logical
assigned topic). logical order, presented in presented in order,
but is still a logical a logical making it
generally easy order, order, difficult to
to follow. making it making it follow.
difficult to difficult to
follow. follow.
Presentation Presentation is Presentation is Presentation Presentation Presentation
Poster is clean, neat, clean, mostly neat flows well. is has no flow.
neat, and well- and clean. Some tools unorganized Insufficient
creative. The organized and Information is are used to . Tools are information
information is presented in a organized in a show not used in a and lacking
well organized, creative way. logical manner acceptable relevant some of the
interesting, Presentation is and shows understandin manner. member’s
accurate, and colorful and some degree g. Lacking information.
reflects an creative. of creativity. Each some of the
understanding of Information is The overall member’s members’
the topic. interesting presentation is information information
and accurate. interesting. is represented / and or
and information
identified is not
with their identified
name.
Pictures,Clip Art Images, Images, Most images Images are No images or
and Artwork pictures, clip pictures, and and/or inappropriat artwork
Images, pictures, art and drawn clip art and artwork is are e and included.
clip art and artwork are drawn colorful and artwork
drawn artwork colorful, and artwork are appropriate. shows little,
are colorful and appropriate to mostly The layout if any,
appropriate to the topic. colorful and shows little creativity.
the assigned Layout appropriate. creativity The layout is
topic. The layout flows well, Layout may and/or is not messy,
flows well and shows show some organized disorganized
shows creativity. creativity, and degree of logically or or cluttered.
The overall is pleasing to creativity but cluttered.
result is pleasing the eye. is not
to the eye. organized
logically
and/or is
cluttered.
Mechanics No spelling, A few (2-3) No more than No more More than 7
Spelling, grammar, or errors in 5 spelling, than 7 spelling,
grammar, and punctuation spelling, grammar or spelling, grammar or
punctuation in errors in the grammar or punctuation grammar or punctuation
any text on the text. Text is in punctuation. errors. punctuation errors. Text is
poster is the student’s Most text is in Several errors.. Most copied or not
accurate. own words. student’s own instances of text is not included.
words. where the in authors’
text is not in own words
student’s and/or no
own words. text
included.
Overall The poster The poster
Presentation fulfills all fulfills all but
The poster requirements one of the
fulfills all of the requirements
requirements of assignment of the
the assignment and represents assignment
and shows the the student’s and shows
student’s full full potential. that the
potential. student put
forth an
honest effort
to complete
 the
assignment.

Information Sheet

The Why and How of School and Community Partnership

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, the students shall be able to;

 Explain what school and community partnership means,

 Explain the legal and sociological bases of school as well as community
partnership, and
 Cite examples of school-community partnerships.

Discussion

Partnerships implies two parties helping each other. Both parties benefit. This means
that if school – community partnership exists, both parties benefit from the relationship. Thus
in the following paragraphs we shall present what communities can do for schools and what
can do for communities.
What can the community do for schools?
1. Brigada Eskwela – This program engages all education stakeholders to contribute their time,
effort and resources in ensuring that public school facilitates are set in time for the forthcoming
school opening. It takes place more or less two weeks before classes begin in June. This school
maintenance program that has been institutionalized since 2009 when DepEd issued DepEd
order #100.
2. Curriculum Development – This can be mean use of community resources for learning,
example museum, elders of the community as key informants in research or resource persons
in the study of local history.
3. Work Experience Programs – Business establishments and offices in the community can
serve as training ground for learners. A concrete example is the Work immersion required of
Senior High School students. In this work immersion, students are given the opportunity to
work in relevant establishments or offices in the community to help devoted in them “the
competencies, work ethics, and values relevant to pursuing further education and /or joining
the world of work. Partner Offices for immersion provide Senior High School students with
opportunities: 1) to become familiar with the work place; 2) for employment simulations; and
3) to apply their competencies in areas of specialization / applied subjects in authentic work
environments (Enclosure to DepEd Order No. 30. 3. 2017).
In this school-community partnership, the school can fulfill what curriculum requires
and may improve on their curriculum based on community feedback, enables the students to
undergo hands on work experience, while the community establishments contribute to the
information of graduates who are more ready for life and more equipped for the world of
work. Business establishments and more equipped for the world of work. Business
establishments or any world of work in the community is the ultimate beneficiaries of these
graduates who have been more prepared through work immersion.
4. Remediation and enrichment classes – Parents and retired teachers may be involve in the
school Reading remediation and learning enrichment programs.
5. Youth Development Programs – The young may involve themselves in youth development
programs and develop their skills and talents, learn how to deal positively with peers and
adults and serve as resources in their communities.
6. Community Service - Examples of community service are students participating in tutorial
programs, community reforestation programs, clean up drive for a river, assisting in medical
mission; school head involve in planning local celebrations, teachers managing programs,
projects, activities; school band playing in fiesta parade.

What schools do for community in return?

Schools may allow the community to use school resources. Here are concrete examples
enumerated by the DepEd Primer on School Community Partnership:

 Classroom used by the community organizations for meetings

 School used as a polling place and venue for medical mission whch it may co-sponsor
with the Rural Health Unit.
 School used by the Rural Health unit for mothers’ class on child care
 School used as an evacuation center
 School facilities used for community assemblies
 School basketball court used for local celebrations and barangay sports league
 Schools conduct livelihood skills-training programs for parents and out of school
youths by using school resources
 Livelihood skills-training for parents and out of school youth by teachers themselves
Sociological Basis of School – Community Partnership
 The functionalist theory states that institutions must perform their respective functions
for the stability of society. Other institutions must come in if one institution fails to do its part
for the sake of society.
The school cannot do it all. “It takes a village to educate child”, so goes the African
proverb. It has to work in partnership with other institutions in the community such as the
church, government organizations and non-government organizations. With the breakdown of
families, schools face greater challenge in educating the young.
The rearing and the education of the child is the primary obligation of parents. The
school, the church and other social institutions come in to assist parents and families to fulfill
their irreplaceable obligation. The breakdown of marriages, the demand for both mother and
father to work to meet the demands of a rising cost of living resulting less or practically no
more time for parents to spend time with their children have, however, attacked the stability
of families and have adversely affected families in the performance of their irreplaceable duty
to educate children. Added to these is the increasing number of families composed of single
mothers struggling to raise a family. With the burden of earning lodged solely on the
shoulders of one parent, single parents struggle to earn enough to provide for their families.
Consequently, this responsibility leads to their having a limited amount of time to spend or
and with growing and developing children who, unfortunately become more likely single-
parent families themselves. The cycle goes on.
This is not to mention the negative effect of uncontrolled and unregulated use of the
technology on the young. While the use of technology has brought a lot of convenience its
uncontrolled and unregulated use by the tech-savvy kids, expose these kids to all sorts of
information not necessarily favorable for their development. So families, schools and other
social institutions need to work together to save youth.
Legal Bases for Parents and Community Involvement
It is no wonder why even our laws support school-community partnership. RA 9155,
Governance of Basic education
Self-Check
1. Which is true of a school and community partnership?
a. community helps school b. School is a recipient of assistance from community
c. Both school and community benefit d. Both school and community lose
2. Which program is a proof of a school and community partnership where every month of
May education stakeholders contribute their time, talent and treasure to ensure that school
affiliates are set in time for the school opening?
a. Parents and Teachers Association Assembly b. School Governing Council Annual Assembly
c. Brigada Eskwela d. Palarong Pambansa
3. Which statement is TRUE of school and community partnership?
a. Elders in the community can be the key information of a research in local history.
b. Parents can help school only in terms of school facilities.
c. donations from politicians are not accepted to prevent electioneering.
d. Only schools benefits from the partnership
4. “It takes a village to educate a child”. Which does this statement imply?
a. PTA is more than enough partnership.
b. Institutionalize school community partnership.
c. school can substitute for absentee parents.
d. children need more models
5. Adopt a school program allows private entities to assist which schools?
a. public elementary schools b. public secondary schools
c. public tertiary schools d. public schools in all levels

Activity Sheet
Post a picture showing how your school and your community help each other in
attaining progress.
Activity Sheet
1. Can schools take the place of families in the rearing of children? Why? Or Why not?

2. What sociological reality in the Philippines and in the world demand that schools partner
with the community (Church, mass media, business establishments, etc.) for the education of
children?

3. State the provisions of law that refer to school-community partnership.

4. Cite additional examples of school-community partnerships that benefit the young.

Information Sheet

The Teacher and the Community: Teacher’s Ethical and Professional Behavior

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, the students shall be able to;

 Elaborate on community’s expectations from the teachers and on teachers’

expectation from communities,
 Describe teachers ethical and professional behavior in the community by giving
concrete examples, and
 Provide insights about teachers ethical and professional issues.