Monday, March 13, 2017

Educational Philosophy

 Idealism is philosophical belief that every person contains knowledge to uncovering the hidden truths of the word that are unchanging and universal. In terms of education, idealists believe students have the ability within themselves to succeed. With an idealistic, teachers should set the example for student, and teach the “unchanging” aspects of life and society.

Realism, unlike idealism, focuses on using scientific discovery and sensation of the physical world as a way to determine universal laws of reality and universe. Realists believe that information is able to change through time, and occur through the representation of logic. In terms of education, realistic believe that a teacher should be all knowing of specific content, content should be understood through experimentation, and students should think critically and rationally about subjects.

Pragmatism is the belief that information of our universe is ever changing there are no sets of ideas or beliefs. Once something is understood, the universe and the learner are changed. In terms of education, school should be interdisciplinary and students are taught to question the state of things as they are now through problem solving and reflective thinking.

Existentialism is the belief that nothing we know is absolute and we as humans lead insignificant lives that will end. Knowledge is about choices, and choice is essential to this school of philosophy. Teachers should help students understand themselves and shouldn’t be measured with standardization and bureaucracy of education because it takes away from the individual quest of oneself.

As a future teacher, I think of myself more as a pragmatist and a realist not only because that makes sense to who I am as a person, but what my concentration of social studies requires. I believe that there needs to be some form of organization to education in order for students to receive a quality education. I like the notion that there are universal laws of reason that hold the universe together. However, I also agree with pragmatism in the sense that knowledge is ever changing. Teaching students to think critically of the world around them is one of my main goals as a teacher, and I think it will be most easily accomplished through problem solving and reflective thinking, two mechanisms used in pragmatism.

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