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Behind a successful teacher is his/her philosophy of education - a set of beliefs about "what
and how" education and teaching should be. This determines whether or not he/she will enjoy and
succeed in his/her teaching career or leave for another profession.

Introduction
Teachers need to be guided by a sound philosophy in the practice of their profession. It is a
way of thinking about the meaning of life It is a statement that outlines their view on education and how
it is supposed to be delivered to the learners. Teachers plan lessons, interact with their students and
evaluate their performance according to their own personal view of teaching and learning. This
depends on how they take their role as teachers. This depends on their philosophy of education. Their
personality and values are reflected in their philosophy and set their behavior in the classroom. Their
philosophy of education guides them in reflecting on the meaning of what they are doing as teachers —
why they are teaching it and how they are teaching it. It is important that teachers and students
understand one another's philosophy to better understand their behavior in class which is crucial to a
healthy learning environment. At the end of this chapter, you are expected to develop your own
philosophy of education which will serve as your guiding light in your teaching career. If you take your
philosophy seriously it is assumed that you have achieved wisdom in the conduct of your profession.

This chapter introduces you to philosophies and theories of education. Reflect on each
philosophy/theory presented and select the elements which you including your own Philosophy.

What is philosophy?
Philosophy can be defined as a set of ideas that answer question about the nature of reality
and about the meaning of life. Some important questions that are commonly asked are: What is
knowledge? What is worth striving for? What is just, good, right or beautiful? These are philosophical
questions that maybe important in teachers' lives.

Philosophy originated ancient Greek word Phi o which means love and le which means
wisdom. Philosophy is therefore the love of wisdom.
Greek thinkers divided philosophy into three branches: metaphysics, epistemology, and
axiology.
1. Metaphysics addresses reality. It is divided into two categories:
a. Ontology examines issues related to nature, existence or being.
b. Cosmology is related with the nature and origin of the universe (the cosmos)
2. Epistemology is concerned with the nature of knowledge — how we come to know
about things, or how we acquire knowledge through our senses, intuition, observation
and logic, and use of scientific method.
3. Axiology and its corollaries relate to value.
a. Ethics relate to issues in morality and conduct
b. Aesthetics is concerned with beauty.

What is philosophy of education?

Philosophy of education is a set of related beliefs that influence what and how students an
taught. Teachers' philosophy of education guides their behavior or performance in the classroom. The
philosophy statement reflects their personality and values.
 Formulating your own philosophy may not be easy since you are just beginning, but her are
some questions you may consider in framing your philosophical statement.
 What content and skills should schools develop?
 How should schools teach the content of the curriculum?
 What are the roles of the students and teachers in the teaching learning process?
 How should learning be assessed?

Continue reading the chapter to get acquainted with various philosophies of education.

In education, metaphysics refers to the knowledge of most worth which is the curriculum. The
subjects in the curriculum contain or describe the knowledge which teachers should impart to the
learners. Epistemology is concerned with the methods of teaching or how teaching and learning are to
be delivered. Axiology relates to behavior, civility, appreciation, and expression.

Philosophical Roots of Education

Philosophies present generalized views of reality. Three major philosophies are presented in
this chapter to help you formulate your own philosophy. Compare the elements or features of each
philosophy and decide which element you would include in your philosophy of education.

Idealism
Idealism contends that reality lies in our consciousness or our intellect. Idealists believe that perfect
knowledge of the ideal resided outside humans as an Absolute or as God. They believe that the
spiritual essence or soul is the permanent element of human nature that gives them the power to think
and feel. They believe that the ideas that make-up reality have already existed in the mind of the
Absolute or God so that when we know something, it means we have reached our conscious
understanding of these ideas. Idealism envisions schools that are intellectual centers of teaching and
learning where teachers guide the students to realize their intellectual potential and appreciate the
finest and enduring achievements of culture.

Idealist Teachers:
a. Believe that the schools are the repositories of eternal truth which have organized the
hierarchical curriculum in education
b. Believe that on top of this hierarchy are the most important subjects that cultivate abstract
thinking — Philosophy, Theology, and Mathematics
c. Believe in the use of Socratic Method — asking probing questions to stimulate consciousness
of students in discovering knowledge
d. Believe that thinking and learning are the processes of bringing latent ideas to consciousness
and logic is encouraged in organizing their lessons.
e. Believe that teachers should lead exemplary lives and be models for students to imitate
f. Believe that the Internet can make the grate book accessible to all, but they insist that
technology should be the means rather than the end in transmitting knowledge
Reflect
As you prepare to develop your own philosophy of education, consider these questions:
1. What elements of idealism do you agree with?
2. Which of these elements would you incorporate into your own philosophy?

Realism
 Realism advocates that reality is outside of our minds. They are not internal to our minds as
idealists claim. Realists believe that the objects we perceive exist independently of the mind; that
whether or not we perceive these objects, they really exist in the world. Realists assert that the human
mind can know about the real world and that knowledge is a reliable guide to our behavior.

For the realists, the purpose of education is to teach students about the world in which they
live. That the most accurate and efficient way of learning is through the curriculum or organized and
classified subject-matter discipline.

Realist Teachers:
a. Believe that teachers should be equipped with a wide repertoire of methods in teaching to
achieve their goals
b. Believe that their primary responsibility is to bring students' ideas about the world into reality
c. Believe that deductive and inductive logic and the scientific method are reliable means to
discover knowledge
d. Believe that the inclusion of non-academic activities interfere with the school’s primary purpose
as a center of interdisciplined academic inquiry
e. Believe in the use of technology as an aid in learning; they recommend computer program to
be as “realistic” and effective as possible
Reflect
As you prepare to develop your own philosophy of education, consider these questions:
3. What elements of idealism do you agree with?
4. Which of these elements would you incorporate into your own philosophy?

Pragmatism
Pragmatism evaluates the truth and meaning of ideas according to physical consequences and
practical value. It emphasizes the need to test the validity of these ideas by acting on them. The best
way to validate ideas empirically is by using the scientific method. For pragmatists, if something works,
it is true.

John Dewey, a pragmatist, related education as preparation for life. He believed that the
function of education was to enhance human potential to be able to adapt to a constantly changing
world, Students should be trained to construct knowledge as they interact in the world. Pragmatists
believe that students should be encouraged to do researches and apply them to the solution of a
problem.

Pragmatist Teachers:
a. Believe that education is an experimental process - a method of solving problems that
challenges people as they interact with the world
b. Believe that children should learn how to make difficult decisions by considering the
consequences of their actions on others
c. Believe that education should focus in real-life problems to be prepared to live fully effectively
in society
d. Believe that students should learn the process of problem-solving rather than by being passive
learners as knowledge is being transmitted to them
e. Believe in collaborative learning where students share their interests and problems
f. Believe that interdisciplinary education is better than departmentalized curriculum education
g. Believe in taking risk in education to achieve their goal
h. Believe in values-clarification rather than blindly accepting inherited values
 i. Believe that communication technologies such as e-mail and internet provide opportunities to
share ideas, insights, and experiences

Reflect
As you prepare to develop your own philosophy of education, consider these questions:
5. What elements of idealism do you agree with?
6. Which of these elements would you incorporate into your own philosophy?

Other Philosophies and theories Related to Education

Educational theories are rooted from philosophies. They examine the roles and functions of
schools, curriculum, teaching, and learning. Five educational theories are presented on pages that
follow for you to analyze and consider in developing your own philosophy. Select elements or features
in these theories that you agree with and include in your own philosophy.

Perennialism
Perennialist assert the the purpose of education is to bring students in contact with the truth by
cultivating their intellect and sense of rationality or reasoning power. They contend that there are
principles that students need to learn like the universality of truth, the importance of rationality and the
power of aesthetics. They also propose the study of religion to encourage ethical behavior.

Perennialists urge that students read the Great Books — works by history's finest thinkers and
writers and develop their understanding of the concepts about human knowledge. They oppose the
inclusion of non-academic is in the curriculum because they defeat the primary purpose of the school
which is to develop students intellectually. They endorse subject-matter curriculum loaded with
cognitive subjects that develop rationality and morality.

Perennialist Teachers:
a. Believe that teachers are the intellectual mentors and models for their students
b. Believe that fundamental skills such as reading, writing, computation and research be
developed starting the elementary grades to prepare them for lifelong learning
c. Believe that subjects with human concern like history, literature, drama, and art should be
included in the secondary school curriculum
d. Believe that their role is to sharpen the students’ intellectual powers and enhance their moral
qualities
e. Believe that electronic version of Great Books and other classics maybe viewed by larger
audience but this could not be a substitute for reading the classics

Reflect
As you prepare to develop your own philosophy of education, are there elements of
Perennialism that you would like to include in your philosophy of education? What are these?

Essentialism
Essentialism is a teacher-centered philosophy that adheres to the belief that the basic skills of
literacy (reading and writing) and numeracy (arithmetic) be developed in schools. Subjects such as
history, mathematics, science, languages, and literature are essential subjects for secondary education.
They believe that these basic essential subject-matter need to be mastered to be able to function
effectively in society. These skills will prepare them to be competent and skilled individuals for the
competitive global village.

Essentialists argue that schools and teachers must be committed to their primary academic
function - to teach students with knowledge and skills that will prepare them to function effectively and
efficiently in a democratic society.

Essentialists favor a subject-matter curriculum which should be cumulative and sequentially

arranged, starting with low order thinking skills to more complex higher order level.

Essentialists do not favor innovative or process - learning approaches like constructivism,

which allows students to construct knowledge based on past knowledge/experiences. They adhere
more on teacher-directed instruction because they believe teachers are trained professionals who
should guide and direct the learning of students.

Essentialist Teachers:
a. Believe that teachers have authority to discipline students
b. Believe that teachers should have mastery of the knowledge and skills they teach
c. Believe in the use of deductive method of teaching
d. Believe that students should learn the “essentials”
e. Believe that only when the students have mastered the required competencies can they be
promoted to the higher level
f. Believe that the test scores are the basics for evaluating students’ progress
Reflect
As you prepare to develop your own philosophy of education, are there elements of
Essentialism that you would like to include in your philosophy of education? What are these?

Progressivism
Progressivists belong to a reform movement that opposed the traditional education. They were against:
1) authoritarian teachers, 2) book-based instruction, 3) rote memorization, and 4) authoritarian
classroom management. Progressivists contend that although knowledge come from varied sources,
the best way to team is by actively exploring/or by direct experiences. They believe that the school
should be a laboratory for experimentation. They organize schools around the concerns, curiosity and
real-world experiences of learners. They advocate using the project method and problem-solving which
promote democratic learning communities in the classroom.

Progressivist Teachers:
a. Believe that teachers should possess a repertoire of learning activities to be used in teaching-
learning process like problem-solving, field trips, creative artistic expression and projects
b. Believe that the child should be free to develop naturally
c. Believe that interest motivated by direct experience stimulates learning
d. Believe that the teacher is a facilitator of learning
e. Believe that there should be close cooperation between the home and the school
f. Believe that students' needs, interest, and readiness should be considered in the construction
of the curriculum
Reflect
As you prepare to develop your own philosophy of education, are there elements of
Essentialism that you would like to include in your philosophy of education? What are these?
Social Reconstructionism
This is theory rooted on progressivism. In fact, social reconstructionists were considered as the
more socially-oriented progressivists. They sought to make schools the center of larger social reforms.
They contended that schools need to investigate and work to solve social, political, and economic
problems and eventually create a new society.

Social reconstructionists believe that people are responsible for their social conditions. They
have the power to take control of their lives, improve their human conditions, and build a just and good
society.. Education, therefore, should prepare the students to meet the demands of society.

Social Reconstructionist Teachers:

a. Believe that the school is the ideal place to begin alleviating social problems
b. Believe in using project method and problem-solving method in teaching
c. Believe that researches an effective means in solving problems of society
d. Believe that the intellectual, emotional, and personal needs of the student should be
considered in the learning process
e. Believe that teachers must model democratic principles
Reflect
As you prepare to develop your own philosophy of education, are there
elements of Social Recons that you would like to include in your philosophy of
education? What are these?
Existentialism
Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the subjectivity of human experience. It is more
a process of philosophizing than it is a philosophy. Existentialism asserts that the purpose of education
is to help students find meaning and directions in their lives.

Existentialist author, Jean-Paul Sartre often quoted the phrase "Existence precedes essence,"
meaning, we owe our existence to nature but we define ourselves through our action. We create our
own essence by making our personal choices. When we are thrust into choice-making situations, we
are what we choose to be. We must take responsibility for our choices.

Existentialists maintain that we create our own definition and make our own essence by making
personal choices in our lives.

Existentialist Teachers:
a. Believe that the purpose of education is to awaken our consciousness about our freedom to
choose and to create our own self-awareness that contributes to our identity
b. Believe that students should be trained to philosophize, to question, and to participate in
dialogues about the meaning of life
c. Believe that self-expression, creativity, self-awareness, and self-responsibility should be
developed in the students
d. Believe that open classrooms maximize freedom of choice
e. Believe in self-directed instruction
f. Believe that students should decide what they want to learn and when to learn it

Reflect
As you prepare to develop your own philosophy of education, are there elements of
Existentialism that you would like to include in your philosophy of education? What are these?