PHILOSOPHIES OF

EDUCATION
PHILOSOPHY
 literally, the term "philosophy" means, "love of
wisdom.”
 in a broad sense, philosophy is an activity people
undertake when they seek to understand fundamental
truths about themselves, the world in which they live,
and their relationships to the world and to each other.
PHILOSOPHY
 The investigation of causes and laws
underlying reality
 Inquiry into the nature of things based on
logical reasoning rather than empirical
methods
A system of values by which one lives
 FIVE BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
Metaphysics Study of What's out there?
Existence

Study of How do I know

Epistemology
Knowledge about it?
Ethics Study of action What should I do?

Politics Study of force What actions are

permissible?

Study of art What can life be like?

Aesthetics
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
 A philosophy about education requires
systematic, critical thinking about
educational practice.
 A teacher’s educational philosophy
helps the educator interpret, find
meaning, and direct the daily work of
the classroom
PHILOSOPHY AND TEACHER
PROFESSIONALISM
 All
professions have philosophical
underpinnings.
 Educational philosophy is one
important aspect of teacher’s
professional knowledge.
YOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

1. There is no substitute for concrete

experience in learning.
2.

2. The focus of education should be the

ideas that are as relevant today as when
they were first conceived.
3.

3. Teachers must not force their

students to learn the subject matter if it
does not interest them.
YOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

4. Schools’ must develop students’

capacity to reason by stressing on the
humanities.

5. In the classroom, students must be

encouraged to interact with one another
to develop social virtues such as
cooperation and respect.
YOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

6. Students should read and analyze the

Great Books, the creative works of
history’s finest thinkers and writers.

7. Help students expand their

knowledge by helping them apply their
previous experiences in solving new
problems.
YOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

8. Our course of study should be

general, not specialized; liberal, not
vocational; humanistic, not technical.

9. There is no universal inborn human

nature. We are born and exist and then
we ourselves freely determine our
essence.
YOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

10. Human beings are shaped by their

environment.

11. Schools should stress on the

teaching of the basic skills.

12. Change of environment can change

a person.
YOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

13. Curriculum should emphasize on the

traditional disciplines such as math,
science, history, grammar, literature.

14. Something beautiful for one may not be

beautiful for you.

15. Schools should help individuals accept

themselves as unique and accept
responsibility for their thoughts, feelings
and actions.
YOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

16. A scientifically developed code is

preferred over one that is derived from
the history and culture of particular
groups.

17. For the learner to acquire the basic

skills, s/he must go through the rigor
and discipline of serious study.
YOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

18. The teacher and the school head

must prescribe what is most important
for the students to learn.

19. An individual is what s/he chooses

to become not dictated by his/her
environment.

20. A learner must be allowed to learn

at his/her own pace.
YOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

1, 3, 5, 7 progressivist
2, 4, 6, 8 perennialist
9, 15, 19, 20 existentialist
10, 12, 14, 16 behaviorist
11, 13, 17, 18 essentialist
TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS OF
PHILOSOPHY
Idealism

• Asserts that because the physical world is always changing, ideas

are the only reliable form of reality

Realism

• The features of the universe exist whether or not a human being is

there to perceive them.
TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS OF
PHILOSOPHY
Pragmatism

• Rejects the idea of absolute, unchanging truth, instead asserting

that truth is “what works”

Existentialism

• humanity isn’t part of an orderly universe; rather individuals

create their own realities.
CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHY

• Contemporary Philosophy focuses in epistemology, metaphysics, logic,

ethics, aesthetics, the philosophy of mind, the philosophy language,
political philosophy, the history of debates in these areas, and the
philosophical examination of the assumption methods and claims of
other areas of focus in the science and social science.

• The phrase contemporary philosophy is a piece of technical terminologies

in the philosophy that refers to a specific period in the history of Western
Philosophy.
BASIC PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION

•Perennialism
•Essentialism
•Behaviorism
•Progressivism
•Existentialism
•Postmodernism (Critical Theory)
 One should teach things that
PERENIALISM one deems to be of everlasting
importance to all people
everywhere

• An educational philosophy suggesting

that nature, including human nature, is
constant.

• Roots in both Idealism and Realism

• Rigorous intellectual curriculum for all

students, classic works
 One should teach things that
PERENIALISM one deems to be of everlasting
importance to all people
everywhere

• Why teach- Schools should develop the

students’ rational and moral powers.

• What to teach- heavy on humanities

and general education; less on technical
and vocational education.

• How to teach- teachers do not allow

students’ interests or experiences to
dictate what they teach; students
engaged in Socratic dialogues.
PERENNIALISM
• Are the perennialist teachers concerned with the students’ mastery of the
fundamental skills?

• Do the perennialist teachers see the wisdom of ancient, medieval and

modern times?

• Is the perennialist curriculum geared towards specialization?

• Do the perennialist teachers sacrifice subject matter for the sake of

students’ interest?
 Children should learn the
ESSENTIALIS traditional basic subjects and
these should be learned
M thoroughly and rigorously.

• An educational philosophy suggesting

that a critical core of knowledge and
skills exists that all people should
possess

• Roots in Idealism and Realism

• Back to basics movements

• Standards, testing, cultural literacy

• What is essential can change

 Children should learn the
ESSENTIALIS traditional basic subjects and
these should be learned
M thoroughly and rigorously.

• Why teach- to acquire basic knowledge,

skills and values; to transmit the
traditional moral values and knowledge.

• What to teach- to learn the fundamental

r’s; little emphasis is placed on students’
interest.

• How to teach- emphasize the mastery of

the subject matter; longer school day and
academic calendar.
ESSENTIALISM
• Do essentialist aim to teach students to reconstruct society?

• Is the model citizen of the essentialist the citizen who contributes to the re-
building of society?

• Do the essentialist teachers give up teaching the basics if the students are not
interested?

• Do the essentialist teachers frown on long academic calendar and core

requirements?
BEHAVIORISM
• Behaviorism is a theory of animal and
human learning that only focuses on
objectively observable behaviors and
discounts mental activities. Behavior
theorists define learning as nothing more
than the acquisition of new behavior.

• Used by teachers when they reward

(reinforce) or punish behaviors
BEHAVIORISM
• Why teach- concerned with modification
and shaping of students’ behavior;
provides a favorable environment.

• What to teach- teach students to respond

favorably to various stimuli.

• How to teach- provide appropriate

incentives to reinforce positive responses.
BEHAVIORISM
• Are the behaviorists concerned with the modification of students’ behavior?

• Do behaviorist teachers spend their time teaching their students on how to

respond favorably to various environmental stimuli?

• Do behaviorist teachers believe they have control over some variables that
affect learning?

• Do behaviorist teachers believe that students are a product of their

environment?
PROGRESSIVISM
• An educational philosophy emphasizing
curricula that focus on real-world problem
solving and individual development.

• Roots in Pragmatism

• Constructivism

• John Dewey
PROGRESSIVISM
• Why teach- to develop learners to become
an enlightened and intelligent citizens.

• What to teach- need base curriculum;

responds to students needs and relates to
students personal lives and experiences.

• How to teach- employ experiential

methods; they believe in learning by
doing.
PROGRESSIVISM
• Do the progressivist teachers look to education as a preparation for
adult life?

• Are the students’ interests and needs considered in a progressivist

curriculum?

• Does the progressivist curriculum focus mainly on facts and concepts?

• Do the progressivist teachers strive to simulate in the classroom life in

the outside world?
EXISTENSIALISM
• A educational philosophy built on a viewpoint in which school curriculum and
instruction should encourage deep personal reflection on one’s identity, commitments,
and choices.

• Focuses on the existence of the individual and individual responsibility.

• People are responsible for defining themselves through their choices.

• Education’s most important goal is to awaken human consciousness.

• Education should focus on both cognitive and affective dimensions

EXISTENSIALISM
• Why teach- to help students understand
and appreciate themselves; existence
precedes essence.

• What to teach- the curriculum gives

students a wide variety of options;
provide vicarious experiences..

• How to teach- learning is self-paced

and self-directed.
EXISTENSIALISM
• Is the existentialist teacher after students’ becoming specialists in order
to contribute to society?

• Is the existentialist concerned with the education of the whole person?

• Is the course of study imposed on students in the existentialist

classroom?

• Does the existentialist teacher make heavy use of the individualized

approach?
POST MODERNISM
• An educational philosophy contending that many of the institutions in
our society, including schools, are used by those in power to marginalize
those who lack power.

• Roots in Existentialism

• History / Classics examined for power issues,

struggles of marginalized groups.

• Criticized for using schools for political

purposes.
DEVELOPING YOUR PHILOSOPHY
IN EDUCATION
• Philosophy can guide practice and help you
explain and defend your educational goals.

• The process of developing a philosophy

begins with examining your own beliefs
about teaching, learning, and students.

• An analysis of educational philosophies can

assist teachers in forming their own personal,
and probably eclectic, personal philosophy.
Reflection Paper: Your own
philosophy of education
Develop your own philosophy of education based
on your own educational experiences, a critical
examination of your personal perceptions related to
teaching, and information learned in class about
educational philosophies
• Be sure to include
• Your perceptions of how education should be conducted
• How that relates to the educational philosophies learned in
class
• Personal examples to illustrate each philosophical element