The document outlines various educational philosophies including perennialism, essentialism, existentialism, progressivism, and social reconstructionism. Each philosophy emphasizes different goals and methodologies in education, focusing on critical thinking, core knowledge, individual freedom, relevance to real-life experiences, and addressing social issues. It highlights how these philosophies shape educational practices, curriculum development, and the role of teachers in fostering student engagement and responsible citizenship.

1. P h i l o s o p h y
ontemporary

3. THEORIES
CONTEMPORARY
Perennialism
Essentialism
Existentialism
Progressivism
Social Reconstructionism

4. erennialism

5. • ECCLESIASTICAL PERENNIALISTS
• SECULAR PERENNIALISTS

6. Perennialism
Evergreen ideas
Universal Truths
Teacher-centered
Lasts for centuries
Intellectual + Moral
Qualities

7. Perennialism values knowledge that
transcends time. This is a
subject-centered philosophy. The
goal of a perennialist educator is to
teach students to think rationally
and develop minds that can think
critically. A perennialist classroom
aims to be a closely organized and
well-disciplined environment, which
develops in students a lifelong
quest for the truth.

9. Literature
History
Art
Philosophy

11. Perennialism in Education
Teachers who believe in Perennialism try to teach their students to
think critically and apply what they have learned in the real world.
Teachers often use methods like Socratic questioning, which
involves asking students probing questions that challenge their
assumptions and get them to think deeply about a topic. They
also encourage students to engage in discussions and debates,
which help them develop their communication skills and learn how
to defend their ideas.

13. The successful coach and
teacher within this
philosophy needs to:
• Be well versed in the
classics.
• Possess a good memory
• Be capable of the
highest forms of
reasoning (Webb, 2010).

14. The students are
supposed to learn the
“truth” as taught to them
by the teacher. Since truth
does not change,
students’ interests or
experiences are not
reflected in what is
taught in a Perennialist
classroom.

15. Perennialism and Aim of Education
• To develop power of thought,
internalize truths that are universal
and constant
• Ensure that students acquire
understanding about the great ideas
of Western civilization

16. ssentialism

17. Essentialism
Historical context
Basic Skills
Teacher-centered
Transmit progressively
difficult topics
Intellectual + Moral
Qualities
Practical

18. -One of the most influential
advocates of essentialism
-Believed that education was
not supposed to change
society but to preserve it.
William C. Barley

19. “Essentialists hope that when
students leave school, they will
possess not only basic skills and
an extensive body of knowledge,
but also disciplined, practical
minds, capable of applying
schoolhouse lessons in the real
world.”
William C. Barley

20. A report titled ,”A Nation at Risk” was
issued by the National Commission
on excellence in Education under the
Raegan administration in 1983.
James J. Harvey wrote, "the
educational foundations of our
society are presently being eroded
by a rising tide of mediocrity that
threatens our very future as a
Nation and a People..”

21. Blamed a lack of the
basic essentials in
education:
Math, reading, writing,
science, and technology.

23. The
Philosophy
stresses core
knowledge
in:

24. Tools include:
• Memorization
• Lecturing
• Repetition
• Practice
• Assessment

25. Essentialists accept the idea that
this core curriculum may change.
Schooling should be practical,
preparing students to become
valuable members of society. It
should focus on facts-the
objective reality out there--and
"the basics," training students to
read, write, speak, and compute
clearly and logically. Schools
should not try to set or influence
policies. Students should be
taught hard work, respect for
authority, and discipline.

26. The teachers impart knowledge
mainly through conducting
lectures which students are
expected to take notes.
The students are provided with
practice worksheets or hands-
on projects followed by the
assessment of the learning
material.

27. xistentialism

28. Existentialism
Liberated
Student’s freedom
Individual
Self-paced
Rejection of higher
power/destiny/ societal
standards

29. “existence
precedes
essence"

30. We have to create our own lives, own selves, own values.

31. Responsible

33. Existentialism in education is a
teaching and learning philosophy
that focuses on the student’s
freedom and agency to choose
their future. Existentialist
educators believe there is no god
or higher power guiding their
students. Thus, they encourage all
students to exercise personal
agency and create their own
meaning for life life.

35. Existentialist in Education
Existentialist methods focus on the
individual. Learning is self-paced, self
directed, and includes a great deal of
individual contact with the teacher,
who relates to each student openly
and honestly.

36. 1. Educators Should Help Students
Find Meaning For Their Lives
Students attend school to find out who they are
and what they want to do with their lives. The
role of the existential educator is to nurture a
child as they seek out ways of living that are
meaningful to them.

37. 2. We Should Not Force ‘Right’ Way
To Live Onto Students
Existentialists do not believe we all have
a predetermined essence. This means
teachers will not try to teach girls to act like
ladies and boys to act like men.

38. 3. Teachers Should Encourage Students
To Exercise Individual Choice
Activities in classrooms that encourage choice
are desirable. Teachers can encourage students to
make choices by:
• Project based learning
• Negotiation of rules
• Student led curriculum

39. 4. Students Need To Accept
Responsibility For Themselves Regardless
Of Their Circumstances
Many children will come to school with many
disadvantages and disabilities, including:
• Poverty;
• Physical disability;
• Mental disability;
• Social difficulties;
• And so on

40. 5. Educators Should Make Students
Aware Of The Infinite Choices They
Have In Their Lives
Situations in which students claim that they have
been hard done by or lack choice or opportunity are
teaching moments. Teachers should help children
brainstorm choices they have. They should also
encourage students to make decisions based on the
best available evidence.

41. rogressivism

42. Progressivism
Socially
relevant themes
Human’s experiences
Cooperative learning
Student-centered
Real world problem
Active Role

43. “positive changes
and
Problem-solving approach"

44. Progressivists believe that
individuality, progress, and change
are fundamental to one's education.
Believing that people learn best from
what they consider most relevant to
their lives, progressivists center their
curricula on the needs, experiences,
interests, and abilities of students.
Progressivist teachers try making
school interesting and useful by
planning lessons that provoke
curiosity. In a progressivist school,
students are actively learning.

45. “If we teach today’s
students as we taught
yesterday’s, we rob them
of tomorrow.”
John Dewey

46. Dewey (1963), who is often
referred to as the “father of
progressive education,” believed
that all aspects of study (i.e.,
arithmetic, history, geography,
etc.) need to be linked to
materials based on students
every- day life-experiences.
John Dewey

48. ocial
Reconstructionism

49. Social Reconstructionism
Address social
questions
Human’s experiences
Social Reform
Student experience
Better World
Worldwide democracy

50. Social reconstructionism is a
philosophy that emphasizes the
addressing of social questions and
a quest to create a better society
and worldwide democracy.
Reconstructionist educators focus
on a curriculum that highlights
social reform as the aim of
education.

51. He is the founder of social
reconstructionism, in reaction against
the realities of World War II. He
recognized the potential for either
human annihilation through
technology and human cruelty or the
capacity to create a beneficent society
using technology and human
compassion.
Theodore Brameld

52. He recognized that education
was the means of preparing
people for creating this new
social order.
George Counts

53. Rather than "teaching as banking," Freire
saw teaching and learning as a process of
inquiry in which the child must invent and
reinvent the world. For social
reconstructionists and critical theorists,
curriculum focuses on student experience
and taking social action on real problems,
such as violence, hunger, international
terrorism, inflation, and inequality.
Paulo Freire

55. The curriculum within the Social
Reconstructivist classroom
reflects “democratic ideals and
emphasizes civic education”
(Webb et. al., 2010). Based on
this emphasis, the curriculum
provides students with the
opportunity to engage in service
learning opportunities that
would provide them with first-
hand experiences to study
social problems and
controversial issues.

56. The curriculum in a Social
Reconstructivist classroom
emphasizes critical theory
and the development of
critical literacy or critical
thinking skills (Webb et. al.,
2010).

57. The nature of the curriculum within
the Social Reconstructivist
classroom, should:
• Inform students.
• Stir emotions within students.
• Shed light upon social inequities.
• Improve students abilities to
think critically.
• Charge students to take action.
(Reeves, 2013)

58. According to research by Revees (2013), the teachers role in the Social
Reconstructivist classroom includes:
• Creating a safe and democratic environment for their students so
that lessons and topics may be discussed, debated, and all students
voices will be heard.
• Presenting students with material that looks into social injustices
• Creating lessons to inform students but also evoke an emotional
response from students.
• Being fearless in presenting material to students.
• Setting up a democratic environment in the classroom.
• Inspiring students to be the change they wish to see in the world.
• Helping to shed light on social inequities.
• Providing students with knowledge the critical thinking skills to
process it in meaningful ways so they can make positive changes in
society.

59. Students are called upon to be
“change agents.” As such, they are
guided by their instructors to
explore issues of inequality in
society and figure out ways to
address them. People who do not
believe in this philosophy would say
that students can not really have
any significant impact on society.
However, “Social Reconstructionist
believe that students are the critical
element in bringing about social
change” .

60. These philosophies and ideologies of
education provide rules and principles which
lead decision-making regarding educational
practices and polices planning. It Guides the
curriculum planner on the basses of the
philosophical and ideological belief of the
society in the constructing of subject matter
keeping in view the future demands and
needs of the schools and help in the
promoting of human life through social change
in the behavior of the students