The Six Philosophies of Education
Essentialism
Why teach. This philosophy contends that teachers teach for learners to
acquire basic knowledge, skills and values. Teacher teaches “not to
radically reshape society and intellectual knowledge that students need to
become model citizens.
What to teach. Essentialist programs are academically rigorous. The
emphasis is on academic content for students to learn the basic skills or
the fundamental r’s – reading, ‘riting, ‘rithmetic, right conduct- as
these are essential to the acquisition of higher or more complex skills
needed in preparation for adult life. The essentialist curriculum includes
the “traditional disciplines such as math, natural science, history,
foreign language, and literature. Essentialists frown upon vocational
courses… or other courses with ‘watered down ‘academic content. The
teachers and the administrators decide what is most important for the
students to learn and place little emphasis on student interests,
particularly when they divert time and attention from the academic
curriculum.
How to teach. Essentialist teachers emphasize mastery of the subject
matter. They are expected to be intellectual and moral models of
their students. They are seen as “fountain” of information and as
“paragon of virtue”, if ever there is such a person. To gain mastery of the
basic skills, teachers have to observe “core requirements, longer school
day, a longer academic year…”
o With the mastery of the academic content as primary focus
teachers rely heavily on the use of prescribed textbooks, the
drill method and other methods that will enable them to cover as
much academic content as possible like the lecture method. There is
a heavy stress on memorization and discipline.
Progressivism
Why teach. Progressivist teachers teach to develop learners into
becoming enlightened and intelligent citizens of a democratic
society. This group of teachers teaches learners so they may live life fully
NOW not to prepare them for adult life.
What to teach. The progressivists identified with needed-based and
relevant curriculum. This is a curriculum that “responds to students’
needs and that relate to students’ personal lives and experiences.
Progressivists accept the impermanence of life and the
inevitability of change. For the progressivists, everything else changes.
Change is the only thing that does not change. Hence, progressivist
teachers are more concerned with teaching the learners the skill to cope
with change. Instead of occupying themselves with teaching facts or bits of
information that are true today but become obsolete tomorrow, they would
rather focus their teaching on the skills or process in gathering and
evaluating information and in problem solving.
o The subjects that are given emphasis in progressivist school are the
“natural and social sciences. Teachers expose students to many
new scientific, technological and social developments, reflecting the
progressivist notion that progress and change are fundamental. In
addition, students solve problems in the classroom similar to those
they will encounter outside of the schoolhouse.
How to teach. Progressivist teachers employ experiential methods. They
believe that one learns by doing. For John Dewey, the most popular
advocate of progressivism, book learning is no substitute for actual
experience. One experiential teaching method that progressivist teachers
heavily rely on is the problem-solving method. Other hands-on- minds-on-
hearts-on” teaching methodology that progressivist teachers use is field
trips during which students interact with nature or society. Teachers also
stimulate student’s trough thought-provoking games and puzzles.
Perennialism
Why teach. We are all rational animals. Schools should therefore develop
the students’ rational and moral powers. According to Aristotle, if we
neglect the students’ reasoning skills, we deprive them of the ability to use
their higher faculties to control their passions and appetites.
What to teach. The perennialist curriculum is a universal one on the view
that all human beings posses the same essential nature. It is heavy on the
humanities, on general education. It is not a specialist curriculum but
rather a general one. There is less emphasis on vocational and technical
education.
o Philosopher Mortimer Adler claims that the “Great Books of ancient
and medieval as well as modern times are a repository of knowledge
and wisdom, a tradition of culture which must initiate each
generation”. What the perennialist teachers teaches are lifted
from the Great Books.
How to Teach. The perennialist classrooms are “centered around
teachers”. The teachers do not allow the students’ interests or
experiences to substantially dictate what they teach. They apply whatever
creative techniques and other tried and true methods which are believed
to be the most conducive to disciplining the students’ minds. Students
engaged in Socratic dialogues, or mutual inquiry sessions to develop an
understanding of history’s most timeless concepts.”
Existentialism
Why teach. The main concern of existentialists is to help the students
understand and appreciate themselves as unique individuals who
accept complete responsibility for their thoughts, feelings and actions.
Since ‘existence precedes essence’, the existentialist teacher’s role is
to help students define their own essence by exposing them to various
paths they take in life and by creating an environment in which
they freely choose their own preferred way. Since feeling I not divorced
from reason in decision making, the existentialist demands the
education of the whole person, not just the mind.
What to teach. In an existentialist curriculum, students are given a wide
variety of options from which to choose. Students are afforded great
latitude in their choice of subject matter. The humanities are given
tremendous emphasis to provide students with vicarious experiences that
will help unleash their own creativity and self-expression. For example,
rather than emphasizing historical events, existentialists focus upon the
actions of historical individuals, each of whom provides possible models for
students’ own behavior. Moreover, vocational education is regarded more
as a means of teaching students about themselves and their potential than
of earning a livelihood.
How to teach. Existentialist methods focus on the individual. Learning
is self-paced, self-directed. It includes a great deal of individual contact
with the teacher, who relates to each student openly and honestly. To help
students know themselves and their place in society, teacher employs
values clarification strategy. In the use of such strategy, teachers remain
non-judgmental and take care not to impose their values on their students
since values are personal.
Behaviorism
Why teach. Behaviorists’ schools are concerned with the modification
and shaping of students’ behavior by providing for a favorable
environment, since they believe that they are product of their
environment. They are after students who exhibit desirable behavior in the
society.
What to teach. Because behaviorists look at people and animals as
complex combinations of matter that act only in response to internally or
externally generated physical stimuli, behaviorist teachers teach
students to respond favorably to various stimuli in the
environment.
How to teach. Behaviorist teachers ought to arrange environmental
conditions so that students can make the response to stimuli.
Physical variables like light, temperature, arrangement of furniture, size
and quantity of visual aids have to be controlled to get the desired
responses from the learners. Teachers ought to make the stimuli clear and
interesting to capture and hold the learners’ attention. They ought to
provide appropriate incentives to reinforce positive responses and
weakened or eliminate negative ones.
Constructivism
Why teach. Constructivists’ sees to deeply intrinsically
motivated and independent learners adequately
equipped with learning skills for them to be able to construct
knowledge and make meaning of them.
What to teach. The learners are taught how to learn. They are
taught learning processes and skills such as searching, critiquing and
evaluating information, relating these pieces of information,
reflecting on the same, making meaning out of them, drawing insights,
posing questions, researching and constructing new knowledge out of
these bits of information learned.
How to teach. In the constructivist classroom, the teacher provides
students with data or experiences that allow them to hypothesize,
predict, manipulate objects, pose questions, research, investigate,
imagine, and invent. The constructivist classroom is interactive. It
promotes dialogical exchange of ideas among learners and between
teacher and learners. The teacher’s role is to facilitate this process.
