Educational Philosophy Presented by: Prof. Danielle Zimecki

What is philosophy? Literally means love of wisdom An activity Noting what philosophers do Examining, synthesizing, analyzing, speculating, prescribing, and evaluating A set of attitudes Self aware, comprehensiveness, flexibility, penetration Body of content Reality, truth, value

Metaphysics Deals with the nature of reality What is real? Example: Floor Solid, flat, smooth, color, wood or concrete, supports weight Physicist Chemist Categories: Cosmological Origin, nature, and development of the universe in an orderly system Theological Religious theory that has to do with concepts of and about God Anthropological Study of human beings Ontology What it means for anything to be

Epistemology Studies nature, sources, and validity of knowledge What is true? How do we know? Dependability of knowledge Can reality be known? Is truth relative or absolute? Is knowledge subjective or objective? Sources of knowledge – senses, revelation, authority, intuition, variety of resources Propriety of various methods of researching warrantable truth

Axiology What is of value? Rational individual and social life is dependent on values What society conceives of being good or preferable Ethics Moral values and conduct Are ethical standards and moral values absolute or relative? Do universal moral values exist? Does the end ever justify the means? Can morality be separated from religion? Who or what forms the basis of ethical authority? Aesthetics Principles governing the creation and appreciation of beauty and art Should art be imitative and reprehensive, or should it be the product of private creative imagination? Should the subject matter of artistic forms deal with the good in life only, or should it also include the ugly and grotesque? What is good art? Should art have a social function or message? Can there be art for art’s sake, or must it have a practical significance?

Idealism Idealism asserts that, since the world is constantly changing, ideas are the only reliable form of reality. Idealists William E. Hocking, Plato Idealism and education The learner Process of becoming more like the absolute self Strives for perfection The teacher Serve as a living example of what students can become

Realism Realism suggests that the features of the universe exist whether or not humans are there to perceive them. Realists – Aristotle, Francis Bacon, John Locke Realism and Education The Learner Functioning organism that can through sensory and experience, perceive the natural order of the world and thereby come into contact with reality Not free in their choices The Teacher To give accurate information to the student Teacher’s biases and personality muted

Neo-scholastism/ Thomism Intellectual movement that developed in the 1300’s Faith by reason Combination of realism and idealism Thomists – Thomas Aquinas, The teacher Mental disciplinarians that can develop reason, will power, and memory The student Rational being that is capable of acquiring Truth and knowledge

Pragmatism Pragmatism rejects the idea of absolute, unchanging truth, instead asserting that truth is “what works.” Pragmatists – Charles S. Pierce, William James, John Dewey Pragmatism and education The students Students have experiences Learn from their environment and react to their environment and consequences The teachers Seen as fellow learners Guides

Existentialism Existentialism suggests that humanity isn’t part of an orderly universe; instead, individuals create their own realities. Refusal to belong to any school of thought Dissatisfaction with traditional philosophy Existentialists – Walter Kaufmann, Soren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, John Paul Sartre, Albert Camus Existentialism and Education The teacher Willing to help students explore possible answers Concerned with the individual learner The learner I am a choosing agent. I am a free agent. I am a responsible agent.

Perennialism Perennialism suggests that nature, including human nature, is constant. Return to classics – mind, reason, Perennialists - Mortimer J. Adler, Robert M. Hutchins, St. John’s College Beliefs People are rational animals Knowledge is universally consistent The subject matter, not the child, should stand at the center of the educational endeavor. The great works are relevant today. The educational experience is preparation for life, rather than real-life situations

Essentialism Essentialism emphasizes a critical core of knowledge and skills that all students should learn. Combination of realism and idealism Revamping of the school Essentialists – Mortimer Smith, Arthur Bestor Beliefs The school’s first task is to teach basic knowledge. Learning is hard work and requires discipline. The teacher is the locus of classroom authority. Report from government in 1983 – “A Nation at Risk” Minimum standard for graduation Four years English Three years Math Three years Science Three years Social Studies 1 and ½ years Computer Science 2 years of Foreign Language for College Bound Students

Progressivism Progressivism focuses on real-world problem solving and individual development. Progressivists– John Dewey, Sigmund Freud, Jean-Jacques Rousseau Beliefs The process of education finds its genesis and purpose in the child. Pupils are active rather than passive. The teacher’s role is of advisor, guide, fellow traveler, rather than that of authoritarian and classroom director. The school is a microcosm of the larger society. Classroom activity should focus on problem solving rather than on artificial methods of teaching subject matter. The social atmosphere of the school should be cooperative and democratic.

Postmodernism Postmodernism contends that many of the institutions in our society, including schools, are used by those in power to marginalize those who lack power. Rejection of the modern view of things Postmodernists – Hume, Kant Education Very undeveloped

Developing Your Philosophy of 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.

Philosophies of Education in Urban Environments Because of the challenges involved in urban teaching, developing a coherent philosophy of education is even more important. Beliefs, both positive and negative, about urban learners can have profound influences on urban teachers and the way they teach.