PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG VALENZUELA
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION - CTP
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Course: FS - 2
Student: PAUL MICHAEL BANIQUED
Participation and Teaching Assistantship
Professor: DR. RUBEN F. ESTILLERO Date: October 18, 2022
Philosophies of Education
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. In this chapter we will examine the study of philosophy, the major
branches of philosophy, and the major philosophical schools of thought in education. 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. In this article, we will discuss the 5 things that educators should
know about the philosophy of education.
What are the major branches of philosophy? The four main branches of philosophy 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.
What are the major schools of thought in philosophy? Idealism can be divided into three
categories: classical, religious, and modern. Classical idealism, the philosophy of the Greeks
Socrates and Plato, searches for an absolute truth. Religious idealism tries to reconcile God and
humanity. Modern idealism, stemming from the ideas of Descartes, links perception and
existence.
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 texts suggests 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.
What are the major philosophies of education? 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.
