Martes, Agosto 6, 2013

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHIES MINI RESEARCH



INTRODUCTION

          An educational philosophy refers to a comprehensive and consistent set of beliefs about the teaching-learning transaction. The purpose of an educational philosophy is to help "educators recognize the need to think clearly about what they are doing and to see what they are doing in the larger context of individual and social development" (Ozmon & Craver, 1981,. Thus, it is simply "to get people thinking about what they are doing". By doing this, educators can see the interaction among the various elements in the teaching-learning transaction such as the students, curriculum, administration, and goals. This can "provide a valuable base to help us think more clearly" about educational issues. Philosophy is abstract and consists of ideas. "Philosophy is interested in the general principles of any phenomena, object, process, or subject matter".

          Perennialism, Perennialists is the aim of education is to ensure that students acquire understandings about the great ideas of Western civilization. These ideas have the potential for solving problems in any era. The focus is to teach ideas that are everlasting, to seek enduring truths which are constant, not changing, as the natural and human worlds at their most essential level, do not change. Teaching these unchanging principles is critical. Humans are rational beings, and their minds need to be developed. Thus, cultivation of the intellect is the highest priority in a worthwhile education. The demanding curriculum focuses on attaining cultural literacy, stressing students' growth in enduring disciplines.

         Essentialism, Essentialists believe that there is a common core of knowledge that needs to be transmitted to students in a systematic, disciplined way. The emphasis in this conservative perspective is on intellectual and moral standards that schools should teach. The core of the curriculum is essential knowledge and skills and academic rigor. Although this educational philosophy is similar in some ways to Perennialism, Essentialists accept the idea that this core curriculum may change. Schooling should be practical, preparing students to become valuable members of society. It should focus on facts-the objective reality out there--and "the basics," training students to read, write, speak, and compute clearly and logically. Schools should not try to set or influence policies. Students should be taught hard work, respect for authority.  

        Progressivism, Progressivists believe that education should focus on the whole child, rather than on the content or the teacher. This educational philosophy stresses that students should test ideas by active experimentation. Learning is rooted in the questions of learners that arise through experiencing the world. It is active, not passive. The learner is a problem solver and thinker who make meaning through his or her individual experience in the physical and cultural context. Effective teachers provide experiences so that students can learn by doing. Curriculum content is derived from student interests and questions. The scientific method is used by progressivist educators so that students can study matter and events systematically and first hand. The emphasis is on process-how one comes to know.

    Reconstructionism/Critical Theory Social reconstructionism is a philosophy that emphasizes the addressing of social questions and a quest to create a better society and worldwide democracy. Reconstructionist educators focus on a curriculum that highlights social reform as the aim of education. Critical theorists, like social reconstructionists, believe that systems must be changed to overcome oppression and improve human conditions. Paulo Freire (1921-1997) was a Brazilian whose experiences living in poverty led him to champion education and literacy as the vehicle for social change. In his view, humans must learn to resist oppression and not become its victims, nor oppress others. To do so requires dialog and critical consciousness, the development of awareness to overcome domination and oppression. Rather than "teaching as banking," in which the educator deposits information into students' heads, Freire saw teaching and learning as a process of inquiry in which the child must invent and reinvent the world.

        For social reconstructionists and critical theorists, curriculum focuses on student experience and taking social action on real problems, such as violence, hunger, international terrorism, inflation, and inequality. Strategies for dealing with controversial issues (particularly in social studies and literature), inquiry, dialogue, and multiple perspectives are the focus. Community-based learning and bringing the world into the classroom are also strategies.

          Existentialism "Childhood is not adulthood; childhood is playing and no child ever gets enough play. The Summerhill theory is that when a child has played enough he will start to work and face difficulties, and I claim that this theory has been vindicated in our pupils' ability to do a good job even when it involves a lot of unpleasant work."

         Existentialism as an Educational Philosophy, just as its namesake sprang from a strong rejection of traditional philosophy; educational existentialism sprang from a strong rejection of the traditional, essentialist approach to education. Existentialism rejects the existence of any source of objective, authoritative truth about metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. Instead, individuals are responsible for determining for themselves what is "true" or "false," "right" or "wrong," "beautiful" or "ugly." For the existentialist, there exists no universal form of human nature; each of us has the free will to develop as we see fit. In the existentialist classroom, subject matter takes second place to helping the students understand and appreciate themselves as unique individuals who accept complete responsibility for their thoughts, feelings, and actions. The teacher's role is to help students define their own essence by exposing them to various paths they may take in life and creating an environment in which they may freely choose their own preferred way. Since feeling is not divorced from reason in decision making, the existentialist demands the education of the whole person, not just the mind. Although many existentialist educators provide some curricular structure, existentialism, more than other educational philosophies, affords students great latitude in their choice of subject matter. In an existentialist curriculum, students are given a wide variety of options from which to choose.

         To the extent that the staff, rather than the students, influences the curriculum, the humanities are commonly given tremendous emphasis. They are explored as a means of providing students with vicarious experiences that will help unleash their own creativity and self-expression. For example, rather than emphasizing historical events, existentialists focus upon the actions of historical individuals, each of whom provides possible models for the students' own behavior. In contrast to the humanities, math and the natural sciences may be de-emphasized, presumably because their subject matter would be considered "cold," "dry," "objective” and therefore less fruitful to self-awareness. Moreover, vocational education is regarded more as a means of teaching students about themselves and their potential than of earning a livelihood. In teaching art, existentialism encourages individual creativity and imagination more than copying and imitating established models.

          Existentialist methods focus on the individual. Learning is self-paced, self directed, and includes a great deal of individual contact with the teacher, who relates to each student openly and honestly.

RATIONALE

         This survey is all about philosophical education, conducting to be able to identify what philosophical education they usually adopt to the student in classroom management. Through this philosophical education we will know what are the most effective in terms of method or what the possibilities methods that fit to the student is.
 
         Many people are involved at various levels and in diverse settings in the education of adults. One of the characteristics of professional development activities among this diverse group of adult educators is an attempt to better understand the teaching-learning process. For teachers, this involves better understanding what we do in the classroom and why we do it. One way to accomplish this is for teachers to become aware of their educational philosophies because "true professionals know not only what they are to do, but also are aware of the principles and reasons for acting. Experience alone does not make a person a professional adult educator. The person must be also being able to reflect deeply upon the experience he or she has had".

          Educational philosophy can serve as the frame of reference for effectively analyzing this reflective thinking. Since "a philosophical orientation underlies most individual and institutional practices in adult education.”Developing a philosophical perspective on education is not a simple or easy task. It is, however, a necessary one if a person wants to become an effective professional educator".

          We gathered in this survey that progressivism is the highest percentage (5) five out of (10) ten that co-teacher is more progessivist.

Philosophy
Frequency
Cumulative Frequency
Percentage
Tally
f
Perennialism
II
2
2
20%
Essentialism
II
2
4
20%
Progressivism
IIIII
5
9
50%
Reconstructionalism
I
1
10
10%
Total

10

100%





       X=Σ (2,2,5,1)= 2.5
                   4

       The philosophy have the aim of education that assure every student understand every subject matter to be discuss of a teacher. The focus is to teach ideas that are everlasting, to seek enduring truths which are constant, not changing, as the natural and human worlds at their most essential level, do not change. As essentialists said it should focus on facts-the objective reality out there is "the basics," training students to read, write, speak, and compute clearly and logically. In progressivist is focusing to the learners that they consider learning is the key that they can ask a question through their experience that can learn by doing. Reconstructionist focus also to the student experiences taking any action to real world problem situation this incident the student can learn through experience. The existentialist also focuses to the individual. Because learning is self-paced and self directed through this the existentialism encourages the individual creativity and imagination.

         Educational Philosophy is very influential to us as our guide in teaching methods. Even though the time passed by the educational philosophies is still exiting in our education system. This is serving as our history of education that they share to us. This is all their aim of education that focuses to the student to be able them to learn. The educational belief of the philosopher is based in their observation that able them how the learner learn the subject matter. But there is also aim of education what will change through time period. It is because depends of the learner what strategies that we give to them to able them to learn.

         Every philosophy has their ideas in terms of education and every educational philosophy have a recipient. This philosophies emphasizing how to deal every student and what approaches we need to apply to the individuals. Learning is very important to the student developing their mind through subject matter until learning through their experience outside the real world. As a trainer to the trainees we must consider and follow our educational philosophy to the student to its individual to mold them as individual creatures. Through this philosophy we can see the insight what the possibilities of individual role are. Every student has individual aspect and perception of their life in term of education. For me we can gather more ideas in term of method and strategies showing were the student fits to the philosophies.

          The implication of the survey knowing the results the effective methods for classroom situation and showing different methods to know our students are especially in their different individuality. 

CONCLUSION

         Educational philosophies is very important as teaching profession is it our guide in teaching our student. This method is the application to the classroom situation in different aspect of a children’s. We must value every methods we have it is a lifelong process in teaching into the student.

          We must consider always that the student should be able to understand very well the subject matter. Any methods should be used is no longer matter the most important part is the learning passes through to the student. But this survey is the information that we gathered to the institution to be able to identify what possibilities method is more effective in terms of teaching profession and mostly use in the classroom management. Through this way we can witness to the student the progress of the individual acceleration.

          The implication to this every method we used is effective way in motivating the student to work hard in studying and learning the subject matter.

Research-Reaction-Reflection Paper

The educational historians believe that the primary aim of education is to perpetuate the existing power structure. Others believe that the aims of education change according to the context and needs of the time period.

Jean Piaget was a Swiss developmental psychologist known for his epistemological studies with children. His theory of cognitive development and epistemological view are together called "genetic epistemology". Piaget placed great importance on the education of children. As the Director of the International Bureau of Education, he declared in 1934 that "only education is capable of saving our societies from possible collapse, whether violent, or gradual." Piaget created the International Centre for Genetic Epistemology in Geneva in 1955 and directed it until 1980. According to Ernst von Glasersfeld, Jean Piaget is "the great pioneer of the constructivist theory of knowing."

     Jean Piaget described himself as an epistemologist, interested in the process of the qualitative development of knowledge. As he says in the introduction of his book "Genetic Epistemology" (ISBN 978-0-393-00596-7): "What the genetic epistemology proposes is discovering the roots of the different varieties of knowledge, since its elementary forms, following to the next levels, including also the scientific knowledge."

    Piaget said, “I engage my subjects in conversation patterned after psychiatric questioning, with the aim of discovering something about the reasoning underlying their right, but especially their wrong, answers.” Piaget investigated “natural” logic which addressed the nature of knowledge and the development of reasoning skills as they interacted with, and adapted to, the environment. Intelligence and knowledge develop as we mature and in reaction to the environment – knowledge is created by the activity of the learner.

      Idea largely based on Swiss Biologist Jean Piaget’s research on child development & learning
     Piaget’s theory states that children learn by creating “mental maps” or schemes
  These maps or schemes are added to and adapted as needed to help them understand their environment
    Structure becomes more complex as child develops

          Jerome Bruner has another important contributor to the inquiry method in education. His books The Process of Education and Toward a Theory of Instruction are landmarks in conceptualizing learning and curriculum development. He argued that any subject can be taught in some intellectually honest form to any child at any stage of development. 

           This notion was an underpinning for his concept of the spiral curriculum which posited the idea that a curriculum should revisit basic ideas, building on them until the student had grasped the full formal concept. He emphasized intuition as a neglected but essential feature of productive thinking. He felt that interest in the material being learned was the best stimulus for learning rather than external motivation such as grades. Bruner developed the concept of discovery learning which promoted learning as a process of constructing new ideas based on current or past knowledge. Students are encouraged to discover facts and relationships and continually build on what they already know.

           Like Piaget, Bruner believed in the invariant sequence of developmental stages, but not in their age dependency. Redefines “readiness for learning”.

            Lev Vygotsky is Russian psychologist & philosopher in 1930’s usually associated with Social Constructivism. Social Constructivism emphasized the effects of one’s environment (family, friends, culture & background) have on learning. Today, Co-Constructivism seems to prevail, incorporating Cognitive and Social aspects.

           The key to instruction effective in influencing cognitive development is that it “awakens and rouses to life functions which are in a stage of maturing, which lie in the zone of proximal development. If an adult uses leading questions and examples and demonstrates the solution to a problem, the child may be able to solve the problem. The child must have some means for crossing from what he or she does not know to what is new knowledge.

  •         A child’s readiness affects how well a task can promote cognitive development
    ·    Cognition and language are closely intertwined
    ·    Children actively construct knowledge
    ·    Social interaction supports cognitive development
    ·    Cognitive development involves relating new information to prior knowledge
    ·    Children think in qualitatively different ways at different ages

           In this philosophies of (3) three philosophers explain the stage of learning of a children from (0) zero age until they develop their individual personality. They observe the behavior of children if it is developing the readiness of cognitive development. As Piaget said “only education is capable of saving our societies from possible collapse, whether violent, or gradual." Yes because through education we can mold a better person that can take part other experiences that share to other people as what the philosopher do to us.

         Every philosopher has their own idea on what developing stage of the children before they reach out to adult like. This stage is our guide that they observe to the children. This method of philosophies is very applicable in teaching on how to deal the individual characteristics of the children to be able to get their attention span especially when they are in the stage of learning. The aim of education of the philosopher is not changing it is a continuous process to develop even if the time period or the year passed by is change but our educational philosophies is still remain and still the same. The power of education is unique we can pass to other people and it is also transferable learning.

          The implication of this research to be able to know what philosophy of education does teacher use in classroom situation. The teacher used different method that useful and meaningful to the student. And to be able to identify if the method if it is effective or not. Every method application there is a respond to the student.

Lunes, Agosto 5, 2013

 Proposed Solution or Alternative Constructive Action


This is the common malpractices of teacher. Usually, (1) teacher-student relationship, (2) Physical and mental abuse towards students like (e.g. telling students “moron”, (3) Accepting the payment just to pass the class, (4) corrupt, (5) Favoritism, (6) and Negligence of duty.
         
          In every bad action there is a solution. This following malpractices of teacher is showing they forget their role as teacher as the promises of obeying the duty as the Code of Ethics stated.

     Having relationship to teacher-student situation this is a sign of showing immorality to the both couple as much as possible both of them will not continue their relationship until either of the two will sacrifice to leave the institute or they will end it up for the best thing to do.

         In physical and mentally abuse to the students specially telling the bad words like “moron” and etc., it is a sign for not obeying the rules and not following the good images of a good teacher to be treated as mentor to the young ones through this situation it can cause discouraging to the student not to go to school anymore. Being a teacher we should encourage the students to go to school it’s because this is the stepping stone of their future in life what they plan to the next chapter of their life. We know we have a limitation in our patient to everyone but as a role of teacher we need to take a deep breath enable to control our temper and eagerness to someone that can cause of physical and mental abuse to the student.

     The next one is accepting the payment just to pass the class this is also a problem for malpractices that we consider it is because now a days this exists that can cause of disgrace to our profession as a teacher. A good teacher will not accepting anything to the parents or the student anything that can treated a gift or a payment just to pass the student. It will reflect to the teacher responsibilities how they perform their duty in terms of teaching why their student not able to pass the class. A teacher they rate their student individually through their performance in the classroom proper enable to identify who will be the highest and who is the poorest that need more attention in teaching the lesson so that the student will encourage to go to school every day it is because that their teacher will give more time to share and learn that needs more help to lift up their ability and interest in a subject matter.

         Favoritism and corrupt is not good practices that we continue it is bad doing or malpractices of a teacher it is because the student feel that there is something going on in the classroom. In this situation it should be equal and accurate of dissemination and no special attention that can cause of favoritism.

      Treating to the student should be in proper and good dealing to everyone. Teacher should not act like a corrupt asking too much contribution for not intended projects. The teacher must transparency especially involving money for contribution.

          In this implication all of these malpractices is a way of negligence of duty of a teacher that the most important they will not disobeying or disregarding their promises as their oath of their teaching as profession.
Reflection on Common Malpractices of Teachers


This is the common malpractices of teacher. Usually, (1) teacher-student relationship, (2) Physical and mental abuse towards students like (e.g. telling students “moron”, (3) Accepting the payment just to pass the class, (4) corrupt, (5) Favoritism, (6) and Negligence of duty.
                                              
          These are the example that we observe of the malpractices of teachers in our society and we cannot deny the fact that this is exist now a days. Behind these issues there is a big question “WHY”. Why is it happen? Or maybe it’s just happen. Or were only a human not prefect and commit mistakes? Is it fit to think like the way it is? How can we prevent those malpractices of teachers? There are a lot of questions that comes in our mind that need an answer.

          In this observation there is a tendency that will change our society molding as a role model of a teacher through this malpractices we destroy the images of a teacher. But sometimes we cannot control our temper to show the real feeling to the students specially when there is a student that will not pay attention to the classroom situation and showing the misbehavior, that teacher needs to  discipline but through the eagerness for not participating and feeling bad sometimes we commit physical and mentally abuse which is not good practices to show to everybody showing your attitudes toward the students. Accepting payment enable to pass, favoritism, corrupt and etc., these malpractices also have big issues specially if the student will not able to shine in the classroom but through giving and paying anything the favoritism will enter to situation that will cause a trouble to other students that are more deserving than  the other one or more. Teacher-student relationship is more happen to the higher level of education this malpractice also is not good it’s because it will destroy the morality of a teacher and not obeying the code of ethics, all of these are showing the negligence of duty of the teacher. In this situation we must change the bad practices to good practices. It is better that we apply to the student a good example of a good teacher, because being a good teacher is a model to all students not only inside the classroom but also outside the classroom.

          Teacher is a noble profession because without teacher we don’t have like (e.g. Engineer, Architects, Nurse, Lawyer and etc.) this is few examples of product of teacher that need to develop in our society.

          In this implication this malpractices of teacher is not good for being a role model to the student. And this malpractice should not be followed.
Co-Teacher Philosophy 


Teaching for me is an essential component of a successful individual and/or society as a whole. For, because of it, that we have standards to follow which makes our life organized. Hence, teaching or education should be open to everyone regardless of one’s culture, origin, color, etc.

I believe that education or the way it is delivered should adjust to the culture of its recipients, as well as in accord to their capacity. Thus, flexibility of educators should be practiced, to cater the needs of their diverse beneficiaries, also known as their “students.”

My implication of this the education delivery should not always follow the “standards” of a certain group of people only… flexibility is a must! Education should always be subject to ‘changes’, across times. The student is the most priority in terms of teaching method. I consider myself as progressivist and constructivism I let my student to experience everything through learning by doing. Through this situation the student can develop the individual differences to be able to recognize their individuality. And not only focusing in one culture it is open to the society and create worldwide democracy.


                                                        --Kimvirly Mar B. Flores--
Co-Teacher Philosophy


The educational philosophy that I feel reflects my view as a teacher would be progressivism. Progressivism favors the scientific method of teaching and learning, and allows for the beliefs of individuals, and stresses programs of student involvement that help them learn how to think. As teacher of the 21st century, we are more challenge on how to transpire learning among our students.  Thus, students should be given the opportunity to explore and discover ideas for themselves and the same time keep the functions and school in place. This is where the multiple intelligences theory of Howard Gardener will be useful. We as teachers must see to it that every individual learner will be given ample time to develop their potential and skills. Through given differentiated activities to our learners will soon be a springboard for them to learn the basics of education.

The philosophy of progressivism teaches us to use scientific method of teaching which includes learning by doing. Lets us give our students time to discover new things and learn from what they experience, but we need to become a facilitator of what they learn. Although, we are giving the freedom to discover and develop their skills and potentials but we need to guide them.

The implication of this the teachers do the best to bring about purposeful-teaching-learning process in our classroom. Philosophy of education teaches us varied teaching styles and strategies. These will be our guiding tool towards attaining quality basic education.



                                                                             --Junrey S. Natad--
Co-Teacher Philosophy


Philosophy helps teacher to reflect on key issues and concepts in education. It provides a foundation for a child to base the rest of his/her life on.

I believe that the overall importance of education is to provide the students with knowledge that they would perhaps not obtain elsewhere.

Since I was young, the idea of being a teacher in the right time is always on my mind. I do always play as a teacher when I was a child. I would always pretend to be their teacher, and my cousins and friends will be my students in which I will give them assignments and instructions. I have always learned toward the profession of education that it will offer much both personally and professionally, a learning experience is a creative experience both with knowledge provided by a teacher, books, manuals and other teaching materials and also with the students own inputs.


                                                                              --Charlyn G. Ang-og--