Topic: The Nature & Scope of Essentialism, Perennialism and

Existentialism

Intended Learning Outcome:

1. Identify the educational aims and character development of the
different educational philosophies
2. Describe the teacher’s and students’ roles in different
educational philosophies;
3. Appreciate and internalize the different educational philosophy;
4. Apply the knowledge learned in different life situations.

Rationale:

According to Winch, 2012, “Philosophy has to play in the

education of teachers, both at the beginning of and during their
careers.” The philosophy of education is reflected in your dealings with
students, colleagues, parents and administrators. Teachers’ attitude,
beliefs, teaching styles has an underlying philosophy. There are
numerous philosophy that influence the teaching profession some of
them are essentialism, existentialism and perennialism. It is very
important to know how philosophy and education are related to one
other to become an effective teacher. A teacher must understand
his/her own belief and underlying principle that he/she adheres.

EXISTENTIALISM

Existentialism philosophy emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation

of individual experience in a hostile and/or indifferent universe.

The main points in this philosophy are that we have free will,
responsibility, and the ability to make choices. Using these points, one
finds his or her self and the meaning of life.

Nature and Scope

 Focuses on the experiences of the individuals.

  Offers individual a way of thinking about the meaning of life

Educational Aim (Why Teach)

 Fostering Unique Qualities and Cultivating Individualities.

 To educate the whole person, not just the mind since feeling is
not divorced from reason and decision making.
 To help the learner become fully his authentic self.
 To train individual for significant and meaningful existence.
 The main concern of existentialists is “to help students
understand and appreciate themselves as unique individuals
who accept complete responsibility for their thoughts, feelings
and actions”.

Curricular Emphasis (What to Teach)

 “In an existentialist curriculum, students are given the wide

variety of options from which to choose”.
 The curriculum would avoid systematic knowledge or structured
disciplines, and the students would be free to select from many
available learning situations.
 Learning is self-faced or self –directed.
 Students are given a wide variety of options from which to
choose.
 Humanities are given emphasis to provide students with various
experiences that will help unleash their own creativity and self-
expression.
 Vocational education is seen more as a mean of teaching
students about themselves and their potential.

Teaching Methods (How to Teach)

Existentialist methods focus on the individual. Learning is self-

paced and self-directed. The teacher’s role is to help students
define their own essence by exposing them to various paths
they take in life. The existentialist demands the education of the
whole person, not just the mind.
  Focus is on the individual.
 Inquiry Approach
 Question and Answer Method
 In teaching history, existentialist focus on the actions of
historical individuals, who provide possible models for the
students’ own behavior rather than emphasizing historical
events.

Character Development

The existentialists have aimed at total development of

personality though education. Education should aim at the whole man.
It should aim at character formation and self-realization.

 Individual responsibility for decisions and preferences.

Roles of the Teachers

 A teacher that is an existentialist encourages his or her students

to be involved in group discussions and share about choices
they have made and how they have possibly impacted their
lives.
 To help students define their own essence by exposing them
various paths they take in life.
 The teacher should be active and welcome challenges to his
ideas from his learners.
 To help the individual identify and know himself/herself better.
 Good provider of experience. The teacher’s role is to help
students define their own essence by exposing them to various
paths they may take in life and creating an environment in which
they may freely choose their own preferred way.
 Effective questioner
 Mental disciplinarian

Roles of Students

 The student is free to form and pursue their own values

  The student should feel completely free for realizing his “self”.
 To freely choose what subject/s they want to study as long as
they are interested in it.
 To define their own essence or meaning of life.

Roles of School

 Create an atmosphere for active interaction

 Discuss different situations based by an individual