Chapter 2 Philosophical Foundations and Theories of Education

Four Philosophical Stances Idealism Realism Existentialism Pragmatism

Idealism The most significant philosophy; The quality of life– the intangibles, the whispers; Material things are evils; The highest element of man is reason; Freedom is based on education; Creative growth; One’s intellectual and personal life.

An idealist teacher: stretches oneself through higher-level thinking; every pupil makes a different, he counts for something; knows the content, likes to teach, knows his students; school represents the community; demonstrates school spirit, good conduct, high moral standards, and fair play;

Realism Like idealism, one of the oldest; Focuses on scientific method and personal experience; Its crux is science-- empirical, objective, and experimental; Discovers the truth; Rules and regulations are essential; Men are created equal. Education is for all; Accountability; Precision in math and science encouraged; The influx of technology reflects realist philosophical view.

Existentialism One’s total self; Choice, absolute freedom, and total responsibility; Empowering students; Existentialists interested in affective side of man, his capacity to love, to appreciate, to respond emotionally to the world about him; Emphasizes humanities– art, music, and drama. The existential teacher is a free spirit who has no limitations in terms of dress and personal lifestyle; This teacher does as he or she chooses, in short, daring to be different at all times.

Pragmatism Ventures forth with the question about truth; Scientific and technological advances; Charles Pierce, an American mathematician, scientist, and philosopher, was a promoter of pragmatism in the 1800s and early 1900s; Teaching students survey techniques and equipment.

PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION AND THEIR CLASSROOM APPLICATIONS

IDEALISM The teacher Knows the content area that he/she teaches very well. Enjoys teaching and serving as a model for student. Believes each student has value and can make a valuable contribution to society.

Teaching strategies Encourage students to challenge themselves as learners. Encourage students to “seek the truth”. The student Is in school to seek the truth.

The curriculum is based on cultural heritage and wisdom. Classroom management Few discipline problems as teacher’s love of subject matter is transferred to students. Any problems with student behavior are handled by the teacher who discusses them with the students involved.

REALISM The teacher Relies on test score to place students. Readily adopts new technology. Teaching strategies Emphasize realistic novel such as The Color Purple. Stress precision and accuracy in math, science, social studies, and writing.

The student Is expected to focus on accuracy. The curriculum Emphasizes accountability. Stresses concept acquisition. Classroom management Classroom rules and resultant punishments are established at the beginning of the school year and posted in the classroom. Violators are punished according to the criteria established.

EXISTENTIALISM The teacher Emphasizes individual choice. Teaching strategies Stress individual freedom, empowerment of students to make choices about what and how they will learn. The student Is an individual who gains meaning from within.

The curriculum Stresses the arts and literature. Has little emphasis on math and science. Classroom management Emphasis on freedom to do as student pleases in the classroom.

PRAGMATISM The teacher Applies democratic methods. Classroom is a community of learners. Teaching strategies Encourage problem solving. Democratic procedures. The student Learns by engaging in activity first-hand.

Curriculum Emphasizes concrete experiences. Emphasis on the three Rs in elementary school. Classroom management Classroom rules are established by the class in democratic fashion.

THEORIES OF EDUCATION The various philosophies led to the development of theories of education: Experimentalism Progressivism Social Reconstructionism Perennialism Essentialism

Experimentalism Comes from pragmatic theory; Tests ideas through experimentation; Emphasizes experience and child-centered activities; Stresses final product; Promotes firsthand experience.

Progressivism Is based on the belief that all people are benevolent and that by using human intellect in combination with the scientific method, the world would be improved. William Heard Kilpatrick, a follower of Dewey, synthesized Dewey’s experimentalism with progressivism and developed a “project method”.

He suggested four different types of projects. The creative project: Ss design plan// Acting out a play. The enjoyment project: Cultivating aesthetic experiences. The problem project: Gender discrimination solved// Ss using intellect. The specific learning project: Acquisition of knowledge and skills// Swimming or playing golf.

Social Reconstructionism Has its roots in progressivism; Ss study their own culture, finding the major causes of problems (poverty or war) and resolving them; Teachers utilize problem solving and divergent thinking; Remedies for solutions to social problems are probed.

Perennialism Based on the philosophy of realism; A traditional and conservative view; Follows the beliefs of Aristotle; Insights into art, history, literature, math, and science can be passed from one generation to the next; A perennialist teacher is a reader and writer and Ss do the same; Goals of learning: Acquire organized knowledge, develop intellectual skills, and an enlarged understanding of ideas and values.

Essentialism Very traditional and conservative; In direct opposition to progressive education; Teacher should be well trained in his discipline; American Ss performed poorly in math and science; Lashed out at social promotions for Ss; In the 1970s, essentialist movement resurfaced as the back-to-basic movement; Ss should be trained in history, science, math, literature, language, art and other disciplines.

Now, essentialism is rigorous; There is a push for national standards for teachers and Ss; US is lagging behind other nations due to a lack of standards in the schools.

THEORIES OF EDUCATION AND THEIR CLASSROOM APPLICATIONS EXPERIMENTALISM The teacher Encourages students to test ideas Develops rapport with students Play is encouraged for both cooperation and competition

Teaching strategies Use hands-on activities Place emphasis on problem solving Include integrated instruction The student Is encouraged to question ideas The curriculum Stresses science Places emphasis on interrelatedness

Classroom management Dialogue is encouraged between student and teacher regarding student behavior

PROGRESSIVISM The teacher Assists rather guides learning Places emphasis on intrinsic rather than extrinsic rewards Is more sensitive to student needs than academic subject matter Follows lead of students as to what should be taught

Teaching strategies Incorporate projects planned, developed, and carried out by students Stress aesthetics of learning Stress cooperative learning The student Is self-directed in learning The curriculum Stresses skills attainment Places emphasis on the arts and the aesthetics of learning Classroom management Liberal classroom discipline with students given lots of freedom

Social Reconstructionism The teacher Is a liberal thinker; Challenges the established rules of the school district. Teaching strategies Encourage Ss to address and attempt to solve social problems; Stress experimentation and problem solving.

The Student The Curriculum Needs to study his or her own culture; Is encouraged to be divergent thinker. The Curriculum Is heavily multicultural; Places emphasis on social issues.

Perennialism The Teacher Teaching Strategies Emphasizes searching for the truth and realization; Places emphasis on the good, true, and beautiful; Is avid reader and writer. Teaching Strategies Stress the great works of literature, math, art, music; Didactic learning of concepts; Coaching of skills; Small group discussion using Socratic method.

The Student The Curriculum Classroom Management Is encouraged to organize, clarify, and connect thoughts to make accurate quantitative comparisons. The Curriculum Focuses on the classics in literature; Places emphasis on concept acquisition in math, science, and social studies. Classroom Management Students are expected to behave in a rational behavior.

Essentialism The Teacher Teaching Strategies Teaches Ss basic skills and knowledge. Strives to develop Ss’ higher thinking skills. Each subject is taught separately. No social promotions to higher grade level. Competency testing. Teaching Strategies Incorporate paper and pencil activities. Emphasize reading the classics and skill and drill work in math and other subject areas.

The Student The Curriculum Classroom Management Is encouraged to set high personal goals. The Curriculum Stresses reading, writing, math, science, and social sciences. Classroom Management Time on task is emphasized. Ss are expected to follow directions and behave properly.

Four Philosophical Terms Philosophy Love (philo) and wisdom (sophos) Metaphysics The study of the nature of reality, or what is real. Epistemology The theory of knowing and of knowledge. Axiology Is concerned with value. Divided into two areas: ethics and aesthetics.

Logic Addresses the rules of correct and valid thinking and considers the rules of inference that we use to frame propositions and arguments. Deductive logic: Reasoning moving from general to particular instances. Inductive logic: Reasoning moving from particular instances to generalizations. The End of Chapter 2, FE Semester 1, 2007-08