Give your personal account or transformative response to major challenge

since spanis period to commonwealth, American period.

With the coming of Spain, the European system of education was introduced to
the archipelago. Primary schools, colleges and universities were established in our
country by the missionaries.

The principal aim of Spain in the Philippines during their regime was to make
the native Filipinos obedient and God-fearing Christians. For this reason, religion was
a compulsory subject at all levels from the primary schools to the universities.
The first schools were the parochial schools opened by the missionaries in their
parishes. In addition to religion, the native children in these schools were taught
reading, writing, arithmetic and some vocational and practical arts subjects.
Later on, colleges for boys and girls were opened by the missionaries. These
colleges were the equivalent of our high schools today. The subjects taught to the
students included history, Latin, geography, mathematics and philosophy.
[blockquote type=center]What the Philippines needs is a realistic educational
system adaptable to local conditions.[/blockquote]

There was no co-education during the Spanish times. Boys and girls studied in
separate schools.

University education was started in the Philippines during the early part of the
17th century. Originally, the colleges and universities were open only to the Spaniards
and those with Spanish blood (mestizos). It was only during the 19th century that
these universities began accepting native Filipinos.
It is interesting to note that for nearly 300 years, education in the Philippines
was the primary responsibility of the Catholic Church. The missionaries established the
schools, provided the teachers and facilities and decided what should be taught. It was
only in the last half of the 19th century that the government took an active part in
promoting education in the colony. In 1863, a royal decree called for the establishment
of a public school system in the colony.
Education under the Americans
The United States had a different approach dictated by what the Americans
considered to be their principal goal in coming to the Philippines to educate and to
train in the science of self-government.
Consequently, it was not surprising that the United States considered educating
the Filipinos as one of its top priorities in the Philippines. Even while US troops were
consolidating their foothold in Manila in 1898, schools were already opened in the city.
But unlike the Spaniards who neglected to propagate their language, the Americans
made it a point to teach English to the Filipinos. The American soldiers were the first
teachers of the Filipinos.
In January 1901, free primary education was provided and a school for Filipino
teachers was established. It called for the recruitment of trained teachers in America. It
abolished compulsory religious instruction.
 The Americans gave bright young Filipino students opportunity to take up higher
education in American colleges and universities. These Filipinos came to be known
as pensionados for their education in the United States was financed by the
government in the Philippines. Hundreds of Filipino pensionados were able to study in
the US until 1928. From the ranks of these pensionados came the future civic,
business and political leaders of our country.
Hungry for education, the Filipinos flocked to public and private schools in large
numbers.
Education under the Commonwealth
Education continued to receive from the Commonwealth government the same
attention that the Americans gave it. President Quezon created the National Council of
Education in 1936 as an advisory body on educational matters. The council made
important recommendations to further improve the educational system in the
Philippines. Most of these recommendations were accepted and carried out by the
government.
Under the Commonwealth, vocational and adult education were given
emphasis.
It was also during the Commonwealth regime that an organized effort to
develop a common national language was stared in compliance with the mandate of
the 1935 constitution.
To help counteract the American cultural influence among the Filipinos,
President Quezon greatly encouraged the revival of native culture as well as desirable
Filipino values.
And to help strengthen the moral fibers of the Filipinos and to foster love of
country especially among the youth, President Quezon issued his famous Code of
Ethics which was required to be taught in all schools.
In 1940, several changes were made in the Philippine educational system by
virtue of the Educational Act of 1940. Under this law, the elementary course was
reduced from 7 years to 6 years. The minimum age for admission to Grade I was
raised to 7. The school calendar was also changed so instead of the school year from
June to March, it was changed to July to April.

2. Name some philosophies and cite their philosophies where you believed
greater impacts as foundation of educ.
Two Different Philosophical Directions
Idealism and realism were fully expressed in the Greek era in the third century
B.C. and both are still present today in various educational philosophies. An idealist
believes the ultimate reality is found in ideas that are eternal, absolute and timeless and
are part of human consciousness. This belief places an emphasis on rationality, in which
the mind can generalize and make meaning in the world. A realist believes that reality is
found in the material world and can be interpreted only by man's senses and reason.
Reliance on scientific experimentation and common sense is fundamental.

Educational Idealism
 Idealistic viewpoints are found in subjects such as fine arts, classic humanities,
theology, philosophy, history and literature. These subjects emphasize intellectual
processes and acuity of the mind. They form a major part of liberal arts curricula, which
dwell on cultural concerns above those of a utilitarian nature. The implication in
education holds that students will tend to choose classes that appeal to their intellects.
Taken to an extreme, an idealist will not be attracted to sign up for a particular major
course just to find a job to earn a living or be interested in any ambitious undertaking to
acquire wealth and power.

Educational Realism
Realism has had a dominant effect in modern education. Its contribution to
science and technology is enormous and is important in economic competition between
the United States and countries of the world. Realists promote such subjects as
mathematics, science and logic in which knowledge gained is essential in the objectivity
of science. Any meaning in life is not permanent but becomes transient in the light of
new knowledge.

Contribution of Idealism to Education

Idealism has had great influence in education. Study in the arts reveals a bit of
ultimate reality and promotes the quality of life as no other area can. It draws attention
to truths that do not change; through religious study, idealism can bring a meaning to
existence on Earth that remains permanent. It addresses the reality of intangible things
that are experienced but cannot be seen, such as love, trust, hope and faith. Even
though they may not be equally represented, both idealistic and realistic philosophies
are generally recognized in school curricula.

Education and philosophy are closely inter-related. Philosophy is the

corner stone of the foundation of the education. Philosophy answers thousands
of questions in the field of education.
Pragmatism is recognized as the native philosophy of America.
Historically the Pragmatic approach can be traced to Protagoras, a sophist
Philosopher of ancient Greece who said Man is the measure of all things.
John Dewey (1859-1952) becomes its leading and most influential
exponent. He practised it in his laboratory school set up in Chicago in 1896.His
purpose was to train pupils in co-operation and mutually useful living.
The term Pragmatism is sometimes called Progressivism. Progress
implies Change. Change further implies novelty. So education cannot be
convenience of as acquired once for all. Life has become as complex as is
subject to rapid modifications that the child has to face new problems and
education should enable the child to learn new techniques and problematic
situations. Problem solving is at the core of all the education. The educative
process becomes empirical, experimental and piecemeal: in a word Pragmatism.
BASIC PRINCIPLES
Pragmatists believe that man is primarily a biological and sociological
organism. Past, for man is dead and go on. Tomorrow would come with its own
problems and with their own problems.
Human beings are essentially active. Here emphasis is on action and
learning by doing. Action is real and ideas are tools.
There are no absolute values of life. Values are flexible. They change
with time and circumstances.
Mind is dynamic process, which functions within a man. The human
mind is the product of change. The growth of personality is the product of action
and discovery. Development of personality is possible only in social context.
Truth is that which works in practical situations. It is workable.
Thought and knowledge emerges from search and enquiry.
Pragmatism makes activity; the basis of all teaching prefers self
activity in the context of co-operative activity.

AIM OF EDUCATION
According to the pragmatic view the function of education is to bring
about certain changes in the behaviour of the individual. These changes relate to
the physical, intellectual, and the moral development of the human beings. They
reflect the growth of the individual, as the process of education goes on and the
individual continues growing physically, mentally, and morally. Since this process
starts from birth and continues throughout life. Education is broadly conceived as
a life-long process.
Pragmatism rejects the idea of accepting eternal truths and
fixed principles. Truths are good and proved by human experience. In the
process of education values and truths are discovered at each stage and as the
individual goes on discovering them he goes on acquiring more and more self-
confidence and breadth of vision which is indicative of his growth and realization
of some objectives.
Educational aims are not at the end of process of education. They are
rather within the process and as the individual go on achieving some educational
objectives.
CURRICULUM
Pragmatism stresses experience based curriculum (activity based
curriculum).
It assigns due place to the interests of the child.
It gives integrated knowledge around a particular problem of life.
 It provides problem solving activities.
The pragmatists curriculum consists of totality of experiences that the
pupil receives through the manifold activities in the school, in the classroom
library, laboratory, and play ground.
It emphasizes subjects and studies like social studies, physical
training, hygiene, mathematics and science.
DISCIPLINE
In pragmatism, there is no place for rewards and punishments. It stresses
social discipline. Pragmatism believes that discipline comes through purposive
and cooperative activities. According to John Dewey, discipline is the proper use
of ones energy and power. It advocates self discipline.
PRAGMATISM AND THE EDUCATIVE PROCES
Activity is the central point in the whole educative process. In all creative
learning two agencies are evolved-the educator and educand. No real learning is
conceived without the co-operation between the two to achieve their common
purposes and goals. Co-operation of the two in pursuing an activity gives rise to
the process of education.
Action is the primordial; unless there is any action, there is no thinking.
Real education is not mere imparting of bookish information; real education
means pled up in many continues experience or activities. The basis of all
teaching is the activity of the child.
METHODS OF TEACHING
The whole emphasis of method of teaching in Pragmatism is on child,
not the book, or the teacher, or the subject
The dominant interest of the child is to do and to make.
The duty of the teacher to teach his pupils to do, rather than to know.
The method should be flexible and dynamic. It must be adaptable and
modifiable to suit the nature of the subject matter and the potentiality of the
students.
The pragmatists curriculum provides for creative and purposeful
activities in the teaching-learning process.
Pragmatism regards teacher as a helper, guide and philosopher.
Pragmatists suggests Project method, consisting of purposeful activity
carried out in a social environment, pupils learns by doing.
Learning by doing makes the pupil creative, confident and co-operative.
Methods like problem solving, play-way, experimental and laboratory
techniques which follows the principles of learning by doing.
IMPLICATIONS OF PRAGMATISM IN EDUCATION
 a) EDUCATION AS LIFE
Old and traditional education is lifeless. To them education is a
continuous re-organizing reconstructing, integrating the experience and activities
of race. They want to conserve the worthwhile culture of the past. Real
knowledge can be gained only be activity, experiments and real life experience.
Thus in order to develop the child fully that he should be provided opportunities
to participate more in activities and experiments so that he creates his own
values and lead better, richer and happiest life.
b) EDUCATION AS GROWTH
The child is to develop and life for the society, so his personality
can be best developed in social environment. If it were not for his contact with
other peoples he would never achieve a personality at all. The person who
interacts with others has the ability to examine ones needs in an objective way
and he has the capacity for reflection and intelligent action. They are
inconceivable without the give and take of the social environment.
Thus education will be useful if it brings about the growth and
development of the individual as well as the society which he lives. Each child is
born with inherent capacities, tendencies and aptitudes which are drawn out
through education.
c) EDUCATION AS A SOCIAL PROCESS
In the words of Dewey Education is the social continuity of life.
To pragmatist education is life itself and not preparation for life. Thus it wants to
clear to the educator that the four things are inseparable i.e. man and nature,
individual and society, mind and body, and thought and action. In the words of
Prof. V. R. Tenaja The pragmatists wish that the educator should have realisable
aims in order to meet the struggle of life in a rational way.
d) EDUCATION A CONTINUOUS RESTRUCTURING OF EXPERIENCE
Education is a process of development. Knowledge changes with
circumstances and it gained by continuous experiments and experiences leads to
one to another and so on and the area of knowledge is widened. The process of
reconstruction of experiences goes on and leads to adjustment and development
of the personality. For pragmatists educational process has no end beyond itself.
In addition to the individual it is continuous, reorganising, reconstructing and
integrating the experiences and the activities of the race.
e) EDUCATION THE RESPONSIBILITY OF STATE
Education is the birth right of each individual, so the state should
shoulder the responsibility. It is for the state to make the child capable and
confident to meet the problems and challenges of life successfully.
LIMITATIONS
It does not raise the question of ultimate reality behind things. According to
it whatever is apparent is real. There is no place for spirit or essence. Humanities
 and cultural activities find no place in the pragmatic scheme of education. It
ignores the past as well as the experience of the past. It lays emphasis on the
present and the future. It does not provide regular and systematic instructions. It
is less practicable in the Indian schools. The curriculum is haphazard. It is difficult
to include all the basic skills and knowledge required by the learner. It does not
give fixed ideals of education such as education does not help much.
CONCLUSION
Pragmatic philosophy is a practical philosophy, having no fixed or
absolute standards. Man always creates new value and education should help
him in doing so. Being a practical and utilitarian school of philosophy, pragmatism
has influenced education to the maximum extent.

Essentialism in Education

essentialism in education was a movement started by william c. bagleyas in the

1930's. it was initiated to protest against the downfall of the standards of the schools.
those in favor of the movement hold the view that due to the movement the students
benefitted from education standards necessary for a thriving future. these individuals
have the opinion that the purpose of attending a school is to enable students to
contribute meaningfully to the society. essentialists do not agree with other styles of
teaching. they also believe that the progressive way is not helping students. the view of
progressives is that education should be based on the interests of students through
practical activity. essentialists also hold the view that despite whether the students find a
subject interesting or not, they should be channeled towards it as it is essential for their
future.

Significant Education Implications of Existentialism are given below:

1. The most important aim in education is the becoming of a human
person as one who lives and makes decisions about what he will do and be.
Knowing is the sense of knowing oneself social relationship, and biological
development, are all part of this becoming. Human existence and the value
related to it is the primary factor in education.
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2. The school should provide an atmosphere where the individuals

develop in a healthy way. Children learn better when relieved from intense
competition, harsh discipline, and fear from failure. Thus, each child can grow to
understand his own needs and values and take charge of the experiences for
changing them.
In this way self-evaluation is the beginning and end of the learning
process: as learning proceeds, children are freely growing, fearless,
understanding individuals. In classrooms characterized by such an atmosphere
young people becomes active, trustworthy, and responsible. Encouragement and
acceptance by teachers, foster trustworthiness and sense of security.

3. Any subject in school (even extra activities like athletics, music, etc.)
can present existential situations for teaching, and the development of human
beings. However, some subjects reflect the meditative awareness of the essential
conditions than others. The two most prominent of these are literature and the
arts. This type of thinking, however, needs maturity on the part of the students.
4. The teacher is in a position to foster individual growth. He can facilitate
development of originality and creativity by providing a climate as well as basic
skills and tools which make exploration possible. School grades or rewards and
punishments do not foster growth.
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The aims of school tasks should be to nurture self-discipline and cultivate

self- evaluation. Mass teaching and mass testing are not advocated. Primary
emphasis must always be on the person as learner and not on the learning
programme. The schedule must be flexible and open, and the teacher must build
positive relationship between himself and his students.

Humanness prescribes the relationship between teacher and student. It

indicates the teachers role and his activities, the subject-matter to be studied,
and the way this subject-matter is to be approached by the students and the
reason for this approach. Humanness is opposed to programmes that depend on
mechanical teaching. The human self, relative to a dynamic world, thus forms the
key to educations.

5. The teacher is in the foreground and is the centre of attention. Whereas

in pragmatism, the teacher remains in the background, mostly as an observer or
guide, here he initiates the act of education though his person and influences the
lives of his students through his own life. His relationship with his students is not
permissive, but disciplined and often opposing. Student resistance is often
manifested during the process of instruction, but as resistance is natural and
necessary in order that the student may retain his own being. The teacher
welcomes challenges to his ideas from the students.
6. Democratic ideals should provide the school. Democracy must be the
soil in which the individual grows. It should be the democracy of unique
individuals who values differences and respect one another. Children and young
people come to value difference and change, and also to share in the mutual
respect for the value of work and the creativity of man. Self government, pupil
participation in planning, and the encouragement of a free atmosphere
characterize the school.
Moral judgments are made, not according to traditional standards, but
according to fitness of individuals. Teachers should avoid applying labels to
children (such as lazy, slow learner etc.) for individuals may indeed come to
think of themselves this way. Children need positive evaluation, not labels. Good
concepts issue in worthwhile behaviour.

7. Mechanization and impersonality should be counteracted in school. The

tendency in contemporary society, particularly in the west, is towards the
anonymity of collectivism. Information about individuals is recorded by data
processing, on computerized cards.
Students may be represented by cards, numbers, and symbols. Students
time tables and work programmes are computerized. Thus, the relationship
between the individual students and the school programme becomes an
impersonal one. Besides this the use of programmed instruction, teaching
machines and other equipment tend to decrease the personal contact between
teachers and pupils.

In the existentialist philosophy, this impersonality is a hazard to the

individual development and growth of the childs personality. Concern and
respect for the individual student should be a feature of the school. Education in
the contemporary, industrial and technological society may well be cleansed and
strengthened by emphasis on man for himself.

3. Elucidate further the four pillars of education.

 Learning to live together : People should learn to have values since this
will help us to live better among each other , living with peace with each other no
matter to what levels of society we belong to accepting each other as we are .
And as I think we all want to have a honest political system in our country. With
the concept of learning to live together is expected to overcome various conflicts
that happen in society as I said before learning to live our differences in many
cultures that we may have to deal and learn about them. Learning to be Have
social skills to enable individuals to develop the more we can mentally and
physically getting to be a complete person. Because knowing the weaknesses
and strengths to build us a whole person continuously. Learning to know Acquire
all tools we have around us learning everything we can in the world and provide
an appropriate and adequate foundation for future learning. Learning how to
learn, making sure how can we know and learn. Because of the opportunity to
work in specific areas that continue to develop with changes in science and
technology. Learning to do having imagination is very important also having
initiative. Is very important to achieve experience practicing the activity we like to
acquire all the knowledge we can. Actually the world is changing so it is
necessary for people to understand with each other. It is important for people not
only to understand with each other, but also to interchange ideas in a peaceful
way and live in harmony. Today is a lack of values that is not permitting human
beings to live peacefully and with joy, so is very important the instruction of the
four pillars of education in order to gain it.
The four pillars of education are important and necessary to acquire knowledge
and obtain values lost in society by the uncontrolled enlargement of the world. I
agree that the pillar Learning to live together is fundamental to gain values for
living in peace and in harmony, because it develops the understanding of others
and their history, traditions, religion etc. Basically on this pillar people learn to
tolerate people and to respect others doesnt matter their traditions, celebrations,
beliefs, and thoughts. But to get this pillar we need to go through the others three
pillars because they sustain the pillar of learning to live together.
In my opinion the base for all the pillars is the pillar Learning to know. This pillar
basically introduces all what people need to know in order to grow and live in this
world with so many changes and challenges. The other two pillars Learning to
do and Learning to be are also important for the search of peace and harmony
between all the people. The first that is related to work and the second one to the
accomplishment of goals are topics that actually are relevant for having people to
have success and to live peacefully.
In the role as teachers these for pillars are very important because it focus us to
teach our students how to behave with others and to tolerate others. Also the
way how goals can be achieve and to accomplish work as an individual an as a
group. I consider that some of these pillars are introduced first of all at home but
can be reinforced at school. So we have a great labor to accomplish with our
students wihch is not easy.