FOR READING PURPOSES CREDIT TO MY PROFESSOR

1. 1
Philosophical Foundation of EducationPhilosophical Foundation of Education
UNIVERSITY OF ST. LASALLEUNIVERSITY OF ST. LASALLE
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2. 2
What is Philosophy?What is 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
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3. Five Branches of PhilosophyFive Branches of Philosophy
Metaphysics
Study of
Existence
What's out there?
Epistemology
Study of
Knowledge
How do I know
about it?
Ethics Study of Action What should I do?
Politics Study of Force
What actions are
permissible?
Aesthetics Study of Art
What can life be
like? 3r.ureta (2018)

4. Educational PhilosophyEducational 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
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5. 5
Philosophy and TeacherPhilosophy and Teacher
ProfessionalismProfessionalism
• All professions have philosophical
underpinnings.
• Educational philosophy is one
important aspect of teacher’s
professional knowledge.
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6. Your Educational PhilosophyYour Educational Philosophy
• 1. There is no substitute for concrete
experience in learning.
• 2. The focus of education should be the
ideas that are as relevant today as when
they were first conceived.
• 3. Teachers must not force their
students to learn the subject matter if it
does not interest them.
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7. Your Educational PhilosophyYour 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.
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8. Your Educational PhilosophyYour 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.
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9. Your Educational PhilosophyYour 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.
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10. Your Educational PhilosophyYour 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.
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11. Your Educational PhilosophyYour 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. 11r.ureta (2018)

12. Your Educational PhilosophyYour 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.
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13. Your Educational PhilosophyYour 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.
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14. Your Educational PhilosophyYour 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
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15. 15
Traditional Schools of PhilosophyTraditional Schools of Philosophy
Educational Philosophies have roots in these schoolsEducational Philosophies have roots in these schools
•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.
•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.
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16. 16
Basic Philosophies of EducationBasic Philosophies of Education
•Perennialism
•Essentialism
•Behaviorism
•Progressivism
•Existentialism
•Postmodernism (Critical Theory)
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17. 17
PerennialismPerennialism
• 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
one deems to be of everlasting
importance to all people
everywhere
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18. PerennialismPerennialism
• 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.
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19. 19
EssentialismEssentialism
• 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
traditional basic subjects and
these should be learned
thoroughly and rigorously.
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20. EssentialismEssentialism
• 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.
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21. BehaviorismBehaviorism
• 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
21
http://www.funderstanding.com/content/behaviorism
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22. BehaviorismBehaviorism
• 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.
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23. 23
ProgressivismProgressivism
• An educational philosophy emphasizing
curricula that focus on real-world problem
solving and individual development.
• Roots in Pragmatism
• Constructivism
• John Dewey
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opXKmwg8VQM
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24. ProgressivismProgressivism
• 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.
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25. 25
ExistentialismExistentialism
• 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 r.ureta (2018)

26. ExistentialistExistentialist
• 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.
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27. EssentialismEssentialism
• 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?27r.ureta (2018)

28. ProgressivismProgressivism
• Do the progressivist teachers look t
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?
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29. PerennialismPerennialism
• 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?
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30. ExistentialismExistentialism
• 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?
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31. BehaviorismBehaviorism
• 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? 31r.ureta (2018)

32. 32
PostmodernismPostmodernism (Critical Theory)(Critical Theory)
• 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
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33. 33
Developing Your PhilosophyDeveloping Your Philosophy
of Educationof 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.
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34. Reflection Paper: Your ownReflection Paper: Your own
philosophy of educationphilosophy 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
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