THE PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION



The Philosophies and the Educational System and Classroom Today

The Philosophies and the Educational System and Classroom Today

Introduction

Teaching and learning are guided by a variety of beliefs and principles that direct the practice of administrators and faculty responsible for these educational activities. These beliefs and principles make up a philosophy of education that can be used to guide decision making and practice. These philosophies are widely discussed and debated, subsequently giving rise to several schools of thought regarding how institutions of learning should be structured and organized and what teaching and learning look like within these institutions.

Gingell & Winch (2004) mention six commonly debated philosophies include essentialism, behaviorism, perennialism, humanism, existentialism, progressivism, and social reconstructionism (Gingell & Winch, 2004). This list is neither exhaustive nor agreed upon that all schools of thought should, in fact, be included. Each school of thought does provide a unique perspective on educational practices and will, therefore, be treated as distinctive and legitimate.

Educational Philosophies and their Application

Essentialism is the most commonly applied philosophy in the American system of public education. Often referred to as the “back to the basics” approach, essentialism focuses on what some educators consider as the essential elements of academic knowledge and character development. Originating in the late 1800s, essentialism's rise in popularity paralleled America's influx of immigration in the late 1800s and around the turn of the century (Gingell & Winch, 2004). Losing favor briefly in the midtwentieth century with the adoption of more liberal educational philosophies, the essentialist movement was revived in the late 1950s and 1960s with the space race and the launching of Sputnik as a way to address students' needs for stronger math and science skills. This revival was again supported and promoted by the President's Commission on Excellence in Education through their 1983 report, A Nation at Risk (White, 2001).

Essentialist philosophy promotes cultural literacy, the traditional moral values, and the knowledge that students need to become productive American citizens. American virtues espoused by the philosophy of essentialism include respect for authority, perseverance, fidelity to duty, consideration for others, and practicality. Essentialism does not view schools as vehicles for societal change (White, 2001). It is important to note that essentialists believe that science and scientific experimentation provide insight into and understanding about the world. Essentialism therefore emphasizes natural sciences rather than nonscientific disciplines such as religion or philosophy. The nonscientific curriculum is often viewed as offering frills and has little, if any, place in the essentialist curriculum.

In the ongoing debate over nature versus nurture, nurture prevails from the perspective of a behaviorist. According to behaviorist philosophy, knowledge and understanding of reality are learned, and therefore the only true reality is that which can be observed and experienced. In addition, learning is the result of our actions and reactions to internal and/or external stimuli. Humans are simply the product of their environment.

Perennialists believe that certain ideas and truths are as relevant today as they were hundreds of years ago when these ideas were first discussed and ...