1. Philosophical Foundations

2. Socrates s “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

3. What is philosophy? s “philo”--love s “sophia”--wisdom s philosophy--love of wisdom

4. Philosophy can be defined as: s A set of beliefs or ideas about the nature and meaning of life that provide a personal attitude towards life and the universe.

5. How does philosophy affect people’s lives? s A person’s philosophy affects how he or she will behave and why.

6. Philosophical questions s Who or what am I? s What is basic human nature? s What is real and true about life and the world? s What is knowledge? s What is worth knowing or striving for? s What is just, good, right or beautiful?

7. What is the place of philosophy in education? s school choice s school administration s instructional methods s professional practice s curricula s preparation and scoring of tests s architecture of school buildings

8. What does philosophy have to do with teachers? s Philosophy influences daily education life in many ways. s Parents, teachers, principals and students make decisions and take action based on their philosophies.

9. What determines your educational philosophy? Beliefs about Teaching and Learning Beliefs about Students Beliefs about Knowledge Beliefs about What is Worth Knowing Philosophy of education Teaching Behavior Personal Beliefs in Philosophical Areas

10. Branches of Philosophy A. METAPHYSICS--deals with the study of reality i. Ontology--explores issues related to nature, existence, or being ii. Cosmology--concerned with the nature and origin of the cosmos or the universe.

11. Branches of Philosophy (cont.) · B. EPISTEMOLOGY--concerns with the nature of knowledge and how we come to know things:  Experience  Instinct  Intuition  Reason  Authority  Revelation

12. Branches of Philosophy (cont.) C. AXIOLOGY--seeks to ascertain what is of value. i. Ethics--explores issues of morality and conduct. ii. Aesthetics--concerned with beauty.

13. Philosophical positions (or theories) s Existentialism s Marxism s Behaviorism s Cognitivism s Pragmatism s Perennialism s Essentialism s Social Reconstructionism

14. Assignment—Personal Philosophy of Education ¶ Discuss your schooling experiences that have led to your beliefs about teaching and learning. · What are your beliefs about teaching learning? ¸ How do your beliefs about teaching and learning conform to the various philosophies that influence Western education? In other words, discuss the philosophies that fall within your beliefs about teaching and learning.