HUMANISM
In the ancient literature of Greece and Rome, humanity and the
things that interest and concerned humanity in this life were the focus or
central theme. At this period of revival, humanism was a philosophy that
rejected supernaturalism, regarded man as a natural object and asserted the
essential dignity and worth of man and his capacity to achieve self-realization
through the use of reason and scientific method.
It was characterized by the
revival of classical letters, an individualistic and critical spirit and
concerns. This movement started in Italy and later spread to other European
countries.
REALISM
Realism as opposed
to the realistic movement in the medieval period is defined as the type of
education in which natural phenomena and social institutions rather than
languages and literature are made the chief subjects of study.
It is also considered as an educational philosophy which
advocates that education should be concerned with the actualities of life and
prepare for its concrete duties. It presumably arose as a reaction opposing
humanism and religious formalism that held education captive for nearly three
centuries (1300’s to 1700’s).
DISCIPLINISM
This theory, also known as
formal discipline, was based on Aristotle’s “faculty” psychology which asserted
that the mind is made up of certain faculties such as memory, reason, will, judgement,
etc. and each of which needs special activities for its training and
development. This theory maintained that the power developed in any faculty by
the study of a school subject can be used equally well in other subjects or to
meet any other experience in life.
Adherents of this theory
maintained that Mathematics, because of the universality of its principles, and
linguistic because of the orderly arrangement of its parts, should be given
considerable emphasis for they were peculiarly well adapted to the training of
all the power of the mind like memory and reasoning.
Foremost of the advocates of
this philosophy was John Locke who believed that when the child is born his
mind can be compared to “tabula rasa” or a blank tablet, and whatever experiences
the child will acquire it will be imprinted into that tablet and he will carry
these experiences until he grows old.
RATIONALISM
Rationalism was the
educational philosophy prevalent in Europe in the latter part of the
seventeenth century. It took its roots during the period known as the “age of
reason” or “age of enlightenment”. This philosophy claimed that human reason
was the sole source of knowledge and the sole determine whether things or
actions were acceptable or not. Anything that did not conform to human
reasoning should be blatantly rejected.
Moreover, the rationalist upheld the right of a person expose
his own ideas and opinions, liberty of conscience and freedom of thought and
expression. This movement aimed at the development of individuals by means of
restraints based upon his reasons. By these man can his lot and can contribute
to the common good and welfare of his institutions and society.
NATURALISM
Naturalism is the educational philosophy which adamantly opposed
formalism.
This tenet advocated that
education should be in accordance with the nature of the child. Therefore, all
educational practices should be focused towards the natural development of all
the innate talents and abilities of the child.
This was based on the ideals
of Jean Jacques Rousseau who believed that man, by nature, is basically good
and the influences of the society are the things that drive man to do evil
acts. Rousseau wrote EMILE, a novel which is now considered as the Gospel of
the child’s educational freedom.
IDEALISM
This school of thought holds that knowledge is independent of
sense perception or experience. It lays stress on the mental idea, intrinsic or
spiritual value rather than physical fact or material value.
It also asserts that man as a
part of the universe is a purposive being and knows some truths by reasoning
logically in the relationship between values, and that true ideas exist
innately in the should of man. Idealism also claims that man’s knowledge is
based on his mental state and the mental stimulus perceived by man’s soul comes
from an infinite spirit which is God.
And God is the “summum bonum”
or the highest good to whom all absolute good, beauty and values are found.
In education, idealism argues that the individual’s freedom should
be emphasized and guaranteed. The idealist claim that education must provide
for the development of the mind of every pupil, and in order to realize this,
the school must concentrate on intellectual, moral, judgement, and aesthetic
development of the students.
This, they contend, can only be made possible through a subject matter-centered curriculum designed to provide students with the best ideas of human culture and civilization.
On the other hand, the idealist expect the teachers to be role
models of intellectual, moral, aesthetic and vocational excellence to their
students. They should teach by example.
PRAGMATISM
It is the doctrine that claims that the meaning of a
proposition or idea lies in its practical consequences. This can be attributed
to the teachings of ancient intellectual like Heraclitus of ancient Ephesus and
the Sophist. Yet pragmatism is education and in modern perspective is credited
to Professor John Dewey, Charles Pierce and William James, some of the most
famous American educators and philosophers. This philosophy is very much
related to experimentalism.
It is derived from the Greek “Pragma” meaning a thing done, a
fact that is practiced. This philosophy stresses that education is in vain or
furtile if it does not perform the social functions assigned to it, and unless
it is considered as a social institution itself.
The pragmatist claim that society cannot fulfill the
educational task without an institution designed for this purpose. And the
school must maintain intimate relation with society, if its role is to be
played well.
They also assert that the
school, main functions are (1). Being a specialized institution designed to
represent society to the child in simplified form; (2). Being selective in
qualitative, if not ethical manner as it represents society to the young, the
school is in a position to exercise value judgements in representing society;
(3). Being responsible in giving the child a balanced and genuinely
representative acquaintance with the society. (Butler, 1968)
The aim of education as far as the pragmatist are concerned is the total development of the child through experiencing or through self-activity or the “learning by doing” dictum postulated by John Dewey. They also suggest that to this end the curriculum must offer subjects that provide opportunities for various projects and activities that are relevant to the needs, abilities and interests as well as the socio- economic conditions of the learners.
They further believe that the
learner must be made the center of all educative processes – a concept based on
Dewey’s tenet that educational is life, education is growth, education is a
social process, and education is the construction of human experience.
PROGRESSIVISM
It is an equally new approach to the philosophy of education. Like pragmatism, it claims that the child’s growth and development as an individual depend on his experiences and self-activity. This philosophy emphasizes that educational concern must be on the child’s interest, desires and the learner’s freedom as an individual rather than the subject matter.
It asserts that learning is a dynamic or active process and a learner must learn what he lives and must accept and respond to his experiences based on the degree of his understanding of a particular situation.
Progressivism adheres to the ideas that thinking and reasoning should be emphasized, and that good and successful teaching utilizes the principle of self-activity, and stimulates thinking and reasoning. It also recognizes the fact that no two individuals are exactly alike the principle of individual differences.
Therefore, the activities and
experiences to be provided by the school should meet the needs and should be in
accordance with the abilities of every child.
Finally, it stresses group discussion and group activities as effective means of self-expression and development.
EXISTENTIALISM
It is a philosophical doctrine
which emphasizes the freedom of human beings to make choices in a world where
there are no absolute values outside man himself. This doctrine is primarily
attributed to Soren Kierkegaard, a 19th century Danish philosopher who
adamantly argued that human existence was marked off from all other kinds by
man’s power to choose.
The decisions that a man makes
will enable him to realize what kind of person he will be and will make him
distinct from other people. And if a person has developed and is aware of his
own identity he will be able to find meaning and purpose for his existence.
For these and other arguments, the existentialist have no
concrete concept to support the existence of God or any absolute value. They
believe that man is the molder of his own destiny. For them truth is never
absolute, but is always relative to each of individual who is the sole
determiner of the truth for himself, and every value is always dependent upon
the free choice of every man.
They further advocate that
existence is the basic value for every man and the significance of every value
lies upon the circumstances pertaining to man’s existence.
Education to the existentialist should enable man to make
choices for his life. It should be a means to open his very eyes to the naked
truth of his existence and be aware of his status quo and in so doing education
serves as a guiding spirit for him in making prudent decisions and wise
actions.
They believed that a classroom should be market of free ideas that would guarantee complete individual freedom. The student must be allowed to decide for himself and undertake activities which he believes are significant and beneficial to his life, whereas, the teacher should only act as a guide, a resource person or facilitator of learning and most not interfere in the decisions of the student. The teacher has “the right to teach his students how to think but not what to think.”
ESSENTIALISM
Essentialism is a philosophical theory that ascribes ultimate reality to essence embodied in a thing perceptible to the senses.
In education, it is a philosophy holding that certain basic
ideas and skills or disciplines essential to one’s culture are formulable and
should be taught to all alike by certain time-tested methods. The schools
should inculcate into the minds and hearts of the students the values that are
hailed and are considered important by society.
The educational institutions
as far as essentialism is concerned are the agencies for the propagation and
perpetuation of these long-cherished cultural traits and not an entity to
oppose such values.