Philosophies of Education

	Main Concepts	Aim of Education	Role of Teachers	Methodology/ Strategy in Education
Contemporary Philosophy Reconstructionism	Redesign to prepare society for the future. It advocates that schools should take lead to reconstruct society in order to create a better world.	·  Education is based on the quest for better society · Education that enlivens student’s awareness of different societal problems	·   Lead the learners in designing programs for social, educational, practical and economic change. ·   Primary agent of social change. ·   Initiates lively discussion on controversial political and educational issues. ·	·   Community- based projects ·   Problem- solving oriented method ·   Case study that involve students for social responsibility. Inquiry approach Question-asking
Progressivism	·      Progressive education programs often include the use of community resources and encourage service- learning projects. ·      Stresses that students should test ideas by active experimentation Focuses on the child rather than the subject matter.	·   To provide democratic and social living.	·   To guide students ·   Adviser ·   Teachers are facilitators of learning who encourage students to use a wide variety of activities to learn.	·   Problem- solving method ·   Scientific Inquiry
Existentialism	·         Focused on the experience of an individual person, and the way he/she understands the world. ·         Emphasis on self discovery. ·         Learning by doing.	·      To help students understand and appreciate themselves as unique individuals who accept complete responsibility for their thoughts, feelings, and actions. ·      To educate the whole person, not just the mind, since feeling is not divorced from reason in decision making. ·      To help the learner become fully his authentic self.	·   To help students define their own essence by exposing them to various paths they take in life. ·   To create environment in which they freely choose their own preferred way. ·   To relate with each student openly and honestly. ·   Effective questioner ·   Mental disciplinarian ·   Good provider of experiences	·   Inquiry Approach ·   Question- Answer Method ·   Experimentation ·   Self- expressive activities ·   Problem- solving method
Original Philosophy Realism	·         Reality, knowledge and values exist independent of the human mind. ·         Education should be based on essential and practical knowledge that exist independent of the knower. ·         Education is the process of developing rational powers to their fullest so that the good life can be achieved	·      Preparing the child for a happy and successful life. ·      Preparing the child for a real life. ·      Emphasis on training of sense. ·      Equal importance to individuality and sociability. ·      Developing scientific attitude. ·      Developing vocational efficiency. ·      Acquainting a child with nature and social environment. ·      Emphasizing integration of cultural and vocational education.	·   The teacher is expected to have full knowledge of the content and needs of the children. ·   The teacher must be capable to present before the children in a clear and intelligible way by employing psychological and scientific methods. ·   A teacher should know whom to teach, why to teach, when to teach, how much to teach. ·   The teacher himself should also be engaged in some research work and experimentation and be able to inspire students to do the same.	·   Stress on scientific and problem solving method. ·   They use observation, demonstration, inductive method under scientific methods. ·   Deductive reasoning ·   Synthetic methods ·   Correlation methods
Idealism	·      Idealist believes that ideas are the only true reality. ·      Concerned primarily with the search for truth. ·      Emphasizes the importance of mind, soul and spirit. ·      Education is the process of developing rational powers to their fullest so that the good life can be achieved.	·      True education is concerned with ideas rather than matter. ·      The idealist wants to give students a broad understanding of the world in which they live. ·      To develop the individual spiritually, mentally and morally. ·      Self- realization ·      Character development ·      Search for true ideas	·   Chief source of information ·   Creator of educational environment	·   Lecture- discussion Method ·   Excursion ·   Question Method ·   Project Method
Pragmatism Experimentalism or Empiricism	·         Truth is what  works in the real world ·         Education should be action oriented ·         Education should be a preparation for life	·      Are emergent and subject to change from time to time 1.      Social Efficiency 2.      More and more education and continued growth. 3.      Adaptation to environment 4.      Harmonious development	·   Facilitator that encourages, offers suggestions, questions and helps plan and implement courses of study.	·   Teaching method should be varied and flexible ·   Project approach to teaching is desirable ·   Problem- solving method
Traditional/ Conservative Philosophy Essentialism	·         Focuses on intellectual discipline. ·         Education properly involves the learning of the basic skills, arts and sciences. ·         Sees the primary function of the school to be the preservation and transmission of the basic elements of human culture. ·         Emphasis on academics	·      To prepare students to be productive, contributing members of the society. ·      To teach the young, the essentials they need to live well in the modern world.	·   Help students keep their non- productive instincts in check, such as aggression and mindlessness. ·   Should embed traditional moral values and virtues. ·   As an expert ·   Impart essential knowledge ·   Direct focused tasks ·   Should serve as an intellectual and moral role model for the students.	·   Deductive Method ·   Recitation ·   Analysis and Synthesis ·   “Race and Social Heritage” over experiences
Perennialism	·         Started with religion ·         Focus on enduring themes and questions that span the ages. ·         Focus on concepts rather than facts ·         Teacher centered	·      Emphasis on learning for learning’s sake ·      To ensure that students acquire understanding about the great ideas of Western Civilization ·      These ideas have the potential for solving problems in any era	·   Teachers should allow learner to learn through reading the great books. ·   Teachers focus on the importance of reading. ·   Teachers instill to learners respect for authority, duty, consideration and practicality ·   Teachers act as the director and coach of intellect. ·   Teachers deliver clear lectures. ·   Teachers coaches critical thinking.	·   Socratic Method ·   Oral Exposition (lecture) ·   Explicit teaching of traditional values