Basic Philosophies in Education

A philosophy of education is a statement that identifies and clarifies the beliefs,

values and understandings of an individual or group with respect to education. Defined in
this sense, it may be thought of as a more-or-less organized body of knowledge and opinion
on education, both as it is conceptualized and as it is practiced. A philosophy of this sort is
critical in defining and directing the purposes, objectives and focus of a school. It should
also serve to inspire and direct educational planning, programs and processes in any given
setting. It may influence what subjects or topics are taught, how they are taught, and
perhaps more importantly, the supporting beliefs and values that are taught, both
implicitly and explicitly, within and around the core curriculum.

An educational philosophy is a personal statement of a teacher's guiding principles

about "big picture" education-related issues, such as how student learning and potential
are most effectively maximized, as well as the role of educators in the classroom, school,
community, and society. Each teacher comes to the classroom with a unique set of
principles and ideals that affects student performance. A statement of educational
philosophy sums up these tenets for self-reflection, professional growth, and sometimes
sharing with the larger school community.

The word philosophy is derived from two Greek words. The first word, philo, means
“love.” The second, sophy, means “wisdom.” Literally, then, philosophy means “love of
wisdom” (Power, 1982). Each individual has an attitude toward life, children, politics,
learning, and previous personal experiences that informs and shapes their set of beliefs.
Although you may not be conscious of it, this set of beliefs, or personal philosophy, informs
how you live, work, and interact with others. What you believe is directly reflected in both
your teaching and learning processes. This article explores the various philosophical views
influence the teaching profession.
 It is important to understand how philosophy and education are interrelated. In
order to become the most effective teacher you can be, you must understand your own
beliefs, while at the same time empathizing with others. You will have a chance to examine
how these schools of thought can help you define your personal educational philosophy.
Developing your own educational philosophy is a key part of your journey to becoming a
teacher.

The philosophy has four main branches which are metaphysics, epistemology,
axiology, and logic. Metaphysics considers questions about the physical universe and the
nature of ultimate reality. Epistemology examines how people come to learn what they
know. Axiology is the study of fundamental principles or values. Logic pursues the
organization of the reasoning process. Logic can be divided into two main components:
deductive reasoning, which takes general principles and relates them to a specific case; and
inductive reasoning, which builds up an argument based on specific examples.

Realism, the school of thought founded by Aristotle, believes that the world of
matter is separate from human perceptions. Modern realist thought has led to the “blank
slate” notion of human capabilities. Pragmatism believes that we should select the ideas,
actions, and consequences with the most desirable outcome, as well as learning from
previous experiences to achieve desirable consequences. John Dewey’s Experimentalism
brought the scientific method of inductive reasoning to the educational sphere.

Postmodernism and existentialism focus on intricate readings of texts and social

and political conventions, examining existing structures for flaws. Essentially, they focus
heavily on the present, and on understanding life as we know it. Jacques Derrida’s
deconstruction methods of reading text suggest that universal rationality is not found in
objective reality, but in the text. Michel Foucault, another postmodern philosopher,
examined the relationship between truth and power.
 The major philosophies of education can be broken down into three main types:
teacher-centered philosophies, student-centered philosophies, and society-centered
philosophies. These include Essentialism, Perennialism, Progressivism, Social
Reconstructionism, Existentialism, Behaviorism, Constructivism, Conservatism, and
Humanism. Essentialism and Perennialism are the two types of teacher-centered
philosophies of education. Essentialism is currently the leading style of public education in
the United States. It is the teaching of basic skills that have been proven over time to be
needed in society. Perennialism focuses on the teaching of great works. There are three
types of student-centered philosophies of education. Progressivism focuses on developing
the student’s moral compass. Humanism is about fostering each student to his or her fullest
potential. Constructivism focuses on using education to shape a student’s world view.
There are two types of socially-centered philosophies of education. Reconstructionism is
the perspective that education is the means to solve social problems. Behaviorism focuses
on cultivating behaviors that are beneficial to society.