Classicist And Perennial Education Philosophies

As a student of education, I have been able to gather many ideas and opinions about practices and ideals I want to implement in my future classroom. My philosophies about education are still being formed and continually change with every class I visit and with every educator I encounter. My ideas, admittedly, come from random experiences and intangible texts, but as I gain more experience in the field through my courses, my philosophies about teaching will become more clearly defined. These few ideas I have now will undoubtedly be added upon as I enter student teaching and my professional career, nevertheless, they are concepts of which I hope to never lose sight.

The contemporary education raises a number of challenges in face of educators, which they have to overcome to make the education process effective. In this regard, Brighouse distinguishes the diversity of the contemporary society and learning environment and the lifetime learning as the major issues that educators should address in their work with students.

An educational philosophy is a personal statement of a teacher’s goals or belief. A teacher comes to the classroom with a distinctive set of principles and ideals that affect how a student learns and expand the child’s potential in his or her venture into knowledge. I believe that education should be active, and focus on the whole child, rather than just the content or the teacher. The three (3) principles I believe that work harmoniously with my educational philosophy are the teacher acting as a facilitator to foster critical thinking, allowing the child’s natural curiosity to steer his or her learning for personal development, and

Education serves as the foundation to a lifetime of learning. Since every child is unique, I believe that it is important for them to learn in an environment that is both secure and stimulating. By creating this type of atmosphere, the students will be able to realize their intelligence and use it constructively. As a future educator, it will be my goal to establish a classroom that is, 1) non-authoritarian, 2) student-centered, and 3) focused around student experience. These three elements are part of Progressivism, the educational philosophy I plan to incorporate in my classroom.

Any student, whether in elementary or college, learns better when the subject matter is thought-provoking and appealing. Traditional and old curriculum provides a baseline for students to meet and follow. Also, traditional curriculum is based of individualism and discourages exchanges between the student and teacher. Individual work teaches the child to develop internal critical thinking skills but it may bore the student. Teachers should continually interact with their students and challenge the student to think outside the box. Great teachers in today's system should help students develop a new way of thinking about history, math, english, and science and their education in general.

incorporate into my curriculum are those of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who believed that everyone posses in the depth of our being certain feelings and passions, and when these feelings are first shielded from polluted influences in our culture, and then liberated and allowed to control our conduct, may we posses true understanding and virtue. I also like those of Progressivism which is respect for individuality, relevant to the needs and interests of students. Along with these two theories I think educators need to include some perennialism which is a general, liberal, humanistic approach because we all need the basics and then build upon those to discover who we are and what we want to gain from education and life. I believe we have come to a point in our society where we have lost track of traditional American virtues and what our country was founded on. My wish as an educator would to be able to bring back some of the back to basics approach into the public school system. For teachers to really be effective we should choose the

Like a good business plan, every teacher should have a personal educational philosophy in place. Witcher, Sewall, Arnold, and Travers in Teaching, leading and learning: It’s all about philosophy (2001) say that a

Schools deliver a collective vision of education, so philosophies matter to support this vision. When we ask, “What kind of lifelong learner do we want our students to become?” it yields a different set of answers than asking, “What do we want our students to learn?” While both questions are important, have you ever heard a parent or teacher continue to celebrate a student's ability to spell or know their multiplication tables as they head off to college or to their first job? Not likely. Yes, balanced literacy and mathematical fluency are critical, but when asked what kind of adult do I want our students to be, I focus more on the dispositions of learning and the application of skills and concepts in meaningful ways. In our healthiest classrooms students see themselves as writers, mathematicians, design thinkers, artists, activists and scientists. This begins with our youngest learners, and their experience is critical; so how do we foster inquiry and healthy dispositions of learning?

The english language has been evolving and changing ever since it was created. Because of this, many classics are written in a form of english much different than ours. This can be more of a hindrance than helpful since many high school students are still trying to understand the language of this time. Many students struggle with comprehending and utilizing the english we use in modern times and introducing them to, and trying to make them understand an entirely different form of english could be very frustrating and confusing. This is especially true for those students whose first language is not english (Viewpoint, June 2010). Teachers will have to spend a large amount of time making sure everyone understands what they are reading, much less interpret it. This extra effort is eliminated by simply using contemporary works that are written in the current iteration of the english language (Viewpoint, June 2010). English is already a very complicated language and introducing new forms of it will only hinder teachers efforts to teach proper use of modern

There are five philosophies of education that make up my personal philosophy. I believe in certain aspects of every philosophy. Perennialism strives above all to develop our capacity to reason. The things of everlasting importance should be taught to people everywhere. I believe that there should be an authority figure to guide the students. The aspects of perennialism that I agree with are critical thinking, problem solving, coaching, discussion, prayer in the classroom, contemplation, and orderliness. I believe that the children should be led to use strategic thinking skills to solve problems. Moral development is included in the curriculum of perennialism. I believe children today need to be taught

Educational philosophies influence curriculum from the establishment of the American school systems. The five major philosophies that have influence American education are: 1) Idealism, 2) Essentialism, 3) Perennialism, 4) Progressivism, and 5) Experimentalism. Idealism, Essentialism, and Perennialism are all teacher-based philosophies putting the teacher at the core of the educational experience, with students being passive members of the classroom. In contrast, Progressivism and Experimentalism are student-centered philosophies that focus on the child and their contribution and participation in the formation of classroom experiences, using teachers as guides to help students in their educational development. Although the philosophies differ, many of them define curriculum as a encompassing unit of goals, methods, materials and assessment.

Aristotle once said, “The one exclusive sign of thorough knowledge is the power of teaching.” Teaching enables students to gain the intelligence needed to excel in life. I believe that a teacher’s philosophy of education is a crucial role in his or her approach to leading students on their educated path. A philosophy of education is the set of beliefs that every school and every teacher stand behind. The certain philosophy that one chooses provides the answers to many vital questions, such as the purpose of schooling, a teacher’s role, and what should be taught in the classroom.

The chance to draw parallels, between philosophers such as John Locke with educational writers such as Howard Gardner, is important in our ever-evolving educational landscape. This program allows educators the opportunity to consider multiple perspectives in education. Exposing teachers to a variety of high quality writings creates dynamic and dimensional professionals. This type of study reduces the likelihood that a static style of teaching will be perpetuated. It provides an alterative to

John Dewey, another educational philosopher believed “Education is a social process. Education is growth. Education is, not a preparation for life; education is life itself.” (Inc.) He felt that learning took place only when students had internalized what they had gained through experience and practiced it in their own lives. In a progressive classroom, the teacher designs experiences for students with the idea that through experience, students build knowledge and skills. A society of individuals conforming to studying flashcards may be good, but a society of literate individuals consciously aware of why and how the facts on the flashcards and in mass media can solve new problems is better.

After reviewing these teaching philosophies and educational theories, many of them reflect my own personal educational philosophy and my instructional practices and choice of classroom curriculum. The four that I found the most appealing are: Realism, Pragmatism, existentialism and progressivism. I find the combination of the three very complementary.