This summarizes various classical and contemporary philosophies that are essential in understanding the framework of our educational structure today.

1. Presentation Transcript
1. Philosophy of Education
2. Major philosophies of Education Perennialism Progressivism Social
Reconstructionism Philosophies Essentialism Existentialism Fishbone organizer
3. Jigsaw and fishbone • Groups of tables will be assigned one of the philosophies on
the fishbone organizer. • Using the handout, the group will become the experts on the
assigned philosophy(jigsaw) • The group will be responsible to summarize the
philosophy on the flip chart paper and post their section of the fishbone onto the
bigger fishbone as well as explain it to the rest of the group
4. A continuum Student – Centered Focus on Self and Society Teacher –Centered
Focus on the subject Social Reconstructionism Perennialism Essentialism
Existentialism Progressivism
5. Presentations to group • When presenting the philosophy please explain it in terms
of the “continuum” and why it fits in that section of the continuum. • You will also
identify key philosophers identified with this philosophy.
6. Perennealism • views truth as a constant • education is to ensure that students
acquire knowledge of unchanging principles or great ideas • great ideas have the best
potential of solving the problems of any era • curriculum should stress students’
growth in arts and sciences • students should become “culturally literate” by studying
the best , most significant works that humans have created • aim to teach students to
become critical thinkers
7. Perennialism Major Researchers • * Robert Maynard Hutchins (1899-1977) • *
Mortimer Adler – organized the “great Books of the Western World” curriculum
8. Essentialism • believe that human culture has a core of common knowledge that
schools are obliged to transmit to students in a systematic, disciplined way • believe
that there is a body of essential knowledge and skills that all humans need to know •
schools should provide sound instruction that is aimed at preparing students to live life
and comply with society’s accepted standards and need for order.
9. Essentialism • * William C. Bagley ( 1874-1946)
10. Progressivism • education should be child centered • curriculum should be derived
from students’ interests • effective teaching takes into account the whole child •
learning is active, not passive • knowledge that is true in the present may not be true
in the future so students need to be taught problem solving strategies • the teacher is
a guide or resource to help students learn about what
11. Progressivism • John Dewey ( 1859-1952
12. Existentialism • focuses on the experiences of the individual • helps learners focus on
the meaning of their learning, their life, their truth • emphasizes creative choice, the
subjectivity of human experience, and concrete acts of human existence • schools
must allow students freedom of choice • freedom has rules and respect for the
freedom of others is essential • schools should allow students to ask their own
questions, conduct their own inquiries, and draw their own conclusions
13. Existentialism • * Jean Paul Sarte ( 1905-1980) • * Maxine Greene ( 1917 - )
14. Social Reconstructionism • school should take the lead in changing or
reconstructing society • reaction to the cold war climate and threat after WWII •

2. schools should both transmit knowledge about the existing social order but also seek
to reconstruct it as well • belief in bringing the community into the classroom • actively
seek to create a world wide democracy
15. Social Reconstructionism • * Theodore Brameld ( 1904-1987) • * George Counts (
1889-1974)
16. Psychological orientations • In addition to the five major philosophical orientations,
several psychological theories have formed the basis for teaching philosophies. •
Psychological theories are concerned with understanding the conditions that are
associated with effective learning • There are many psychological orientations that
have influenced teaching philosophies such as humanistic psychology, behavior ism,
and constructivism.
17. Humanistic Psychology • emphasizes freedom, choice, awareness, personal
responsibility • *goal of education is individual self-actualization • individuals control
their own destinies through the application of their intelligence and reasoning •
teachers should not force students to learn but should create a climate of trust and
respect that allows students to decide what and how they will learn • teachers become
learning facilitators
18. Behavioralism • based on the belief that desirable human behavior can be the
product of design, not accident • our behavior is determined by forces in our
environment that shape our behavior • learning conforms to a basic stimulus-
response model ( operant conditioning) • teachers can create learners who respond by
1. identifying the desired behavior s in concrete terms 2. establishing a procedure for
recording specific behavior s and counting their frequencies 3. for each behavior ,
identify an appropriate reinforcer 4. ensure that students receive the appropriate
reinforcer as soon as possible after displaying the desired behavior
19. Constructivism • focus on processes of learning rather than on learning behavior •
believe that students construct understanding of the material to be learned • support
student centered curriculum • focus on mental processes and strategies that students
use to hear • see learning as an active, meaning-making process • students are
continuously involved in making sense of the things that happen around them •
teachers must realize that students’ learning is influenced by prior knowledge,
experience, attitudes, and social; interactions
20. Seasonal partners • Take out a sheet of extra paper • On this sheet make a symbol
for every season of the year and leave room to write someone’s name under the
season (see next slide for model) • Your task is to fill this sheet with four different
partners who are not sitting at your table • These will be your seasonal partners. • You
will be asked to meet with your seasonal partners during further discussions
21. Seasonal partners Winter partner ______________________ Spring partner
____________________ Fall partner _________________ Summer partner
________________________
22. Personal beliefs Teaching and Learning Students Philosophy of Education Teaching
Behavior Knowledge What is worth knowing Philosophical areas
23. Personal beliefs • Please find your “winter partner” • With your “winter partner”
discuss your beliefs about teaching and learning. • Please find your “summer partner”
• With this partner please discuss your beliefs about what is worth knowing