Intro to Philosophies of Education
ENST 320

History

Hey-Day (1900-1930)

The Gary Plan

Why did it wane?

Definitions

Broad: a socio-political mov’t of early 1900’s focused on social reform through government policies

Narrow: an educational philosophy

At least three variations
->Child-Centered
->Social Efficiency
->Democratic

Examples of each in the movie

Main Tenets

Using the institution of school to improve society (justice, equality, diversity, etc.)

Emphasis on change

Holistic (mind, body, spirit)

Children are naturally inclined to learn

Classroom as a mini-democratic experiment (student voice and ownership of learning)

Progressivism's Seedy Underbelly

Factory model of education

Bells, industrial organization

Tracking

Bureaucracy

Vo-Tech

The drill?

Progressivism's Other Legacy

Place-Based Education

Service Learning

Outdoor Education

Labs

Problem and Project Based Learning

Experiential Education

Collaborative and Cooperative Learning

Student responsibility in schools

Philosophy of Education?

2nd Level Questions

“Algebra is not important to learn” Why?

Because you don’t need it in the real world

Are the only things worth knowing things that you use then?

No, it’s just that not everyone needs Algebra, maybe some other kind of math

Why shouldn’t everyone receive the same curriculum and course of instruction?

No, different people are interested in different things

Who decides what you are interested in? When?

What knowledge is of the most worth?

Knowing vs doing

What is intelligence?

What is schooling for?

Social, political, economic

Moral development?

What should be mandatory?

How should we educate for the good life?

Discipline

Service Learning

What philosophy are you? Which one challenges your values, beliefs, and worldview the most?

Different schools of thought in answering these questions

Progressivism

Essentialism

W. Bagley, E.D. Hirsch (recall from Rav)

“Conservative”--cultural literacy

Back to basics approach

Nationalistic, paternalistic

Core knowledge, intellectual capital

Perrenialism

R. Hutchins (recall from Ravitch)

“Conservative”-- profound and enduring

Great books curriculum

Against “technical” or instrumental knowledge

Using one’s minds well (socratic)

Existentialism

AS Neil, M. Greene

Individualism and freedom. Existence precedes essence

Humanities: meaning-making

Choice and free will

Learning-- intrinsic motivation

Critical Pedagogy

Social Reconstructivism

P. Freire, bell hooks,

Becoming conscious and aware of hidden power structures

Knowledge=Power -> Knowledge/Power

Liberating for both the oppressed and oppressor

Methods and Philosophies

Content (what) and Method (how) and Philosophy (why)

Methods: lecturing (direct instruction), group work, Socratic (q and a), discussion, journaling, projects, etc.

Any teacher can employ most any method within any philosophy

It's not a Cosmo Quiz!

You are unlikely to “be” one kind of philosophy only and in the extreme

You are also likely to have inclinations and assumptions you share with one philosophy over the others

Being aware of your assumptions allows you to remember the power of “the speech that moves the stone.”

“Ideas are more powerful than guns, we took away their guns, why should we let them have their ideas?” J. Stalin.

Values, Morals, Ethics, Oh My!

“…teaching is a value-laden enterprise, subject to pluralism of beliefs that is endemic to multicultural democracies such as the U.S.” ... “We are always outfitted with some particular lens… it should neither surprise or disturb us to recognize that values condition our understanding of ambiguous data” (Ferrero)

Anything goes?

Flat-earth curricula?

Tracking based upon genetic predispositions?

Intelligent design only Biology classes?

English not the first language taught?

A school were kids don’t have to learn how to read?