Voices Article

The following information comes from the article: The History and Philosophy of Education: Voices of Educational Pioneers by Madonna M. Murphy. Confucius’s Philosophy of Education was to provide all students with an education that would be both practical and moral, and teach them to solve the daily problems of governmental service and bring the best benefits to the people they served. Confucius expected his students to be motivated and active learners who would take the initiative in their learning.

Sappho believed in the education of the whole student and so she gave equal importance to all areas of education. Sappho saw the purpose of education as a finishing school to help these young aristocratic girls develop their social, physical, and emotional potential so as to prepare them for marriage and for taking their place as contributing members of high Greek society. Socrates believed that knowledge could not be transmitted from a teacher to the students, but that students had to discover the knowledge that was within them. Thus, the teacher’s role was to ask the right question so that the students would think about the issue and solve the problem themselves.

Quintilian’s philosophy presented the teachers role as that of an expert who had to take into consideration the developmental level and needs of the students and teach with methods which motivated and stimulated students to learn. In Augustine’s Philosophy, the teacher should take into consideration what his students already know and build on that. The teacher should teach like a father teaches a son, not striving to impart knowledge, but helping the student understand words, signs, and the concepts they represent.

Erasmus recognized the importance of parents teaching children virtues and learning began in early childhood, and preferred a curriculum with a broad general education in all areas worthy of being known. Comenius believed in universal education for all, no matter what their social background, religion, sex, or intellectual ability. He also believed the ultimate aim of education was the religious and moral formation of the child, and that parents are the primary educators.

Rousseau believed that education should be centered on who is taught, rather than what is taught. This was a radical shift where subject matter is no longer the basic element in the educational process, and the teacher is no longer the basic authority figure. I agreed with this philosophy because there is an emphasis on the students, rather than the teacher.

Discipline

Discipline has always been around in schools, but in the past there was an emphasis on physical pain. This type of discipline, also known as corporate punishment, is present in 21 U.S states. Students are given a choice between a paddle or detention, and many schools require a parent's consent before they can use a paddle on the student. The school in the video also required training for teachers to use the paddle. I don't think I could or would want to be responsible for punishing a student using physical pain. That is a parent's responsibility, not the teachers. Some other types of discipline are positive, assertive, and classical. Today the most typical type of discipline in using a “time-out” with detention, suspension, or expulsion. One way to use discipline in the classroom is body language, where teachers position themselves or use eye contact to gain students' attention. I feel this is one of the most effective ways to maintain attention and discipline in the classroom.

Promising Futures

Abstract

The Maine Commission on Secondary Education created the Promising Futures: A Call to Improve Learning for Maine Secondary Students in 1998 to change the direction of Maine high schools. Its core principles promote a safe, respectful, and caring environment; high universal expectations with a variety of learning opportunities; understanding and actions based on assessment data; teacher practice which values and builds upon the contributions and needs of each learner; equitable and democratic practices; and coherence among mission, goals, actions, and outcomes. There are fifteen core practices for learning and teaching, some of which include: every student is respected and valued by adults and by fellow students (1); every teacher tailors learning experiences to the learner’s needs, interests, and future goals (2); and every teacher has sufficient time and resources to learn, to plan, and to confer with individual students, colleagues, and families (11). The document also includes some current practices that high schools should start to phase out, especially those that oppose the core practices. To make these changes a success it will take the participation of educators, parents, students, policy makers and many others.

Reflection

The idea of Promising Futures schools has been needed in Maine high schools because it places an emphasis on learning rather than the scores on a test. One quote I really liked states: “A good teacher is one who makes it O.K. to make mistakes and makes us go back over things you don’t understand, correct it, and learn it…” (25). I agree with many of the core principles and practices mentioned in the document, but I think a lot of them should be expected. I would love to teach at a Promising futures school because it is nothing like a typical high school. Since being published in 1998, I’m surprised that more high schools have not adopted this philosophy.

The 8 Educational Theories

Abstract
The eight educational theories are Essentialism, Behaviorism, Perennialism, Positivism, Progressivism, Humanism, Constructivism, and Reconstructionism. Essentialism is a teacher-centered locus of control which reflects the belief that there is a basic core of knowledge and skills that an educated person must have. The curriculum focuses on subject matter that includes literature, history, foreign language, and religion. Essentialists generally agree about teaching the laws of nature, and the accompanying universal truths of the world. Behaviorism is a psychological and educational theory that holds that one’s behavior is determined by environment rather than heredity, and states that human behavior can be explained as responses to external stimuli. Behaviorists believe that the school environment should be organized and the curriculum based on behavioral objectives. Perennialism is an educational theory that focuses on enduring principles of knowledge; nature, human nature, and the underlying principles of existence are considered constant, undergoing little change. Positivism is a social theory that limits truth and knowledge to what is observable and measurable. It requires schools to develop content standards that represent the best understandings of experts, and students are encouraged to master these understandings and to develop their own skills of observation, classification, and logical analysis. Progressivism is a student-centered locus of control and emphasizes that ideas should be tested by experimentation and that learning is rooted in questions developed by the learner. This theory views the individual as an experiencing, thinking, exploring individual. Humanism is a theory that contends that humans are innately good, that they are born free, but become enslaved by institutions. It seeks ways to enhance the individual development of the students, unlike a group-oriented educational system. Teachers who follow humanistic theory emphasize instruction based on student interests, abilities, and needs. Constructivism is an educational theory that highlights hands-on, activity-based teaching and learning during which students develop their own frames of thought. Constructivist curriculum focuses on the personalized way a learner internalizes, shapes, or transforms information. Reconstructionism is an educational theory that calls on schools to teach people to control institutions and to be organized according to basic democratic ideals.

Reflection

The two educational theories that I feel reflect my views as a teachers would be progressivism and constructivism. Progressivism favors the scientific method of teaching and learning, allows for the beliefs of individuals, and stresses programs of student involvement that help them learn how to think. Constructivism emphasizes the hands-on, activity-based teaching and learning. I think students should be given the opportunity to explore and discover ideas for themselves, and at the same time keep the functions of school in place.

Educational Issue: Classroom Management

The presentation of classroom management covered lesson planning, staying organized, grading, class rules, and ways to set up the classroom. The group presented different lesson templates that teachers can use, and they are all organized in different ways for teachers can use the one that works best for them. Many schools provide an online grading system, rather than a grade book, with a variety of other things a teacher can use. They can add comments, set up a point system, average grades, e-mail parents, and use many other helpful tools. Where the online grading tools are fairly new, as a teacher I would still record grades in a grade book as well, but the online grading can do so much more for teachers. Classroom rules should be short and simple, established early on, and include a zero-tolerance policy so students can feel safe and comfortable. I think students should be involved in creating classroom rules to some degree because they will follow the rules more often if they had a say in what they are. There are many ways to set up a classroom, and I liked the activity where we could design our own classroom on the website. I will probably use a variety of set ups in my class, but I like how teachers are branching out from the rows facing the front of them room.

Chapters 33-38

After loosing the election, Erin found herself feeling alone and in debt. She began speaking out at conferences and events to pay for some bills, but Erin soon found herself traveling all over the country speaking to everyone from businessmen to teachers about her experiences with the Freedom Writers. She never had a script, but she always found a way to connect to the audience. Before one specific event, Erin and her old student Maria met Hank Aaron, and Erin quickly called her father to tell him. Unfortunately her dad died of a heart attack while she was on her way to speak to a group of teachers. In honor of her dad, Erin decided to honor her commitment to the teachers. While all of this was going on, the Freedom Writers movie was also in the works. After searching for awhile Erin finally found someone who would do the story justice and that is exactly what he did. The book ended at the movie premiere in Newport Beach, which is where Erin took her class to see Shindler’s List many years before.

I thought it was exciting that Erin was able to recover from the election by spreading the Freedom Writers story across the country. She touched many people’s lives from all different professions. It was unfortunate that Erin lost her father so young, but at least she was able to realize that she needed the Freedom Writers “family” just as much as they need her. Also, I’m glad that Erin and the Freedom Writers actually had a say in the making of the movie because you never now if a movie will do the book justice. I would have liked to have heard more about what the students were doing, and how Erin helped them succeed.

Four Philosophies of Education

Idealism dates back to ancient Greece and Plato and is considered one of the oldest philosophies. It focuses on the mind, where it is thought that nothing exists or is real except ideas in the minds of people or the mind of God. To the idealist, the purpose of schooling is to promote spiritual and intellectual development. Some methods of instruction for the idealist educator are lecture, discussion, and reflection. Realism dates back to ancient Greece and Aristotle and is also considered one of the oldest philosophies of Western culture. The realist believes the universe is exists whether human mind perceives it or not, and reality is external and can be verified. Realists use a variety of instructional methods including the use of deductive logic, observation, classification, and categorization. According to the realist, a teacher should emphasize and model reasoning, observation, and experimentation. Pragmatism or experimentalism focuses on experience. Those who believe in this philosophy regard reality as an event or process. Some preferred instructional methods for pragmatists are learning by doing, problem solving, experimentation, hands-on activities, and collaborative learning. The teacher should model the most authentic type of knowledge, especially experimental knowledge, and stress the application of the scientific method. Existentialism focuses on personal and subjective existence, where the world of existence, choice, and responsibility is primary. According to existentialists, the purpose of the school is to prepare students to take responsibility for the results of their actions. Some instructional methods include nondirective humanistic values education, and the role of the teacher is to become an example of authenticity for students.

I believe the philosophies that represent me the most are pragmatism and existentialism. I want students to dig deeper and get involved rather than just know or memorize information. I also want to look at the students as individuals, where they are responsible for making decisions. My teaching will probably reflect each philosophy at some points, but I want to bring learning to higher level.