Curriculum Philosophy
Session Two
PLANNING CURRICULUN FOR THE
FUTURE IS DIFFICULUT
• MANY THINGS EED TO BE CONSIDERED
• WHAT PHILOSOPHY
• WHAT APPROACH AND HOW DO YOU DECIDE
ON THE MATERIAL
Philosophy
• Many believe that
Curriculum is the
foundation of
education.
• A philosophy is the
foundation of a
curriculum, You need to
know what you believe
in before you can
formulate a curriculum
Philosophy
• Underneath almost everything we feel
strongly about, we have a philosophy
– Coaches- blitzing defenses, speed, power, a
system versus star talent,
– Relationships- there are certain beliefs people
have as a must in a partner, it varies from person
to person
– Building a curriculum is no different
Philosophy related to curriculum
• Philosophy is central to curriculum
• A philosophy of a particular school or district
influence the goals, content and organization
of its curriculum
• Philosophy provides a framework for
organizing schools and classrooms, it
establishes:
– What schools are for, processes to be used, and
activities that schools should emphasize
Philosophy related to curriculum
• People that are divided in philosophy can
rarely work together in close proximity for
long periods of time
• An ideal curriculum workers have a philosophy
that hopefully can be can be adjusted or
modified as new best practices and
information becomes available
Try and Determine Yours
• What parts of the following philosophies do
you feel matches your thinking?
There are Four Major Philosophies
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Idealism
Realism
Pragmatist
Existentialism
You saw a brief introduction of these, based
on their names, write some basic tenets that
you feel would apply to these philosophies
based on their title. (Do in a group, one
philosophy per group)
Idealism
• Plato is the father of Idealism
• Others include Froebel ( kindergarten), Ralph
Waldo Emerson, Theory Thoreau
• It is the search of truth and enduring values,
• Truth is more than physical senses, it is a
mental process
Idealism
• In education, this means
• Teachers should be teaching conceptual
matters
• Relating concepts to one another
• Most important subjects are the most
abstract-philosophy, theology, mathematics
then history and literature also language
• at the bottom is science- based only on
senses and facts, not on pure thought
Realism
• Created to Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas
• Realist view the world in terms of objects and
matter
• people come to know the world through their
senses and their reason
• Everything is derived from nature and is
subject to its laws
Realism
• In education
• They have similar beliefs as far as course
structure, believe in separate course for
everything, feel abstract courses at the top of
the educational food chain
• However, they also value the sciences
• The three Rs are a basic component
Pragmatist
• Pragmatist believe in change and relativism
• The truth is always changing, there is not
anyone single universal truth
• Believed in testing, looking for answers as
important
• Supported by William James, John Dewey
Pragmatist
• In education,
• Problem solving is important
• Teaching is more exploratory than
explanatory: method more important than
subject matter
Existentialist
• In existentialism, people constantly make
choices and through these define themselves
• We are what we choose and by our choices
we define ourselves
• Individualism is important
• Primarily developed from Europe
Existentialist
• In education, the existentialist stress personal
fulfillment- they believe the most important
knowledge is that of the human condition
• Schools should provide choices for students to
pursue their personal growth
• Schools curriculum should provided experiences
and subjects that lend themselves to individual
freedom and choice
– Ex. Arts, drama, literature music filmmaking,
– They illustrate emotions, feelings and insight
Existentialist
• Critics of existentialism, feel that it is
impossible to achieve the goals of
existentialist in school because schools are all
about socializing students to be similar, it is
about conformity and institutionalization
Activity
• In your groups look at each of the four
philosophies, what implication would hat have
when planning a curriculum
• What are some features you would see in
district that followed one of these
philosophies?
Educational Philosophies
• Out of these four major philosophies four
educational philosophies have grown out of
these. They are:
– Perennialsim
– Essentilsim
– Progressiveism
– Reconstrcutionism
Perennialism
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The oldest and most conservative philosophy
Derived from realism
Dominated much of American curriculum
In elementary school:
– pushes the three Rs
– Moral and religious training
• In secondary:
– Latin, Greek, grammar logic and geometry
Perennialism
• It stress traditional values
• It teaches knowledge that has been thought
for years
• The reason is, a person’s function in society is
the same today as it always was, why teach
them differently? The aim is as it always was
• The goal is to develop the rational person,
uncover universal truths by developing a
student's intellect and moral character
Perennialism
• The curriculum is subject centered
• It is logically organized and emphasizes
language, literature mathematics and science
• Stimulates discussion and student's rational
powers
• Lessons are taught using the Socratic method,
oral expression, and lecture
Perennialism
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The curriculum has little time for electives
Little time for vocational training
Character education is important
Some types of education still feel that this is
the most effective way to build a curriculum
and teach students- it is a rite if passage
• Law school, medical schools
Perennialism
• Permanent studies is an example of
Perennialism
• When students read and discuss great works
of the past in order to cultivate their intellect
• It is considered broad based and a means to
cultivate the mind
• Ex include reading, Plato, Aristotle,
Shakespeare
Perennialism
• The Paideia Proposal a book written by Adler,
proposed three types of learning to improve
the intellect
– Organizational knowledge to be taught by didactic
instruction
– Basic learning skills- taught through coaching and
presentation
– Acquisition of values- to be taught by the Socratic
method
Perennialism
• The Paideia Proposal does not present any
subject matter as an end in itself- you do not
learn algebra to become a mathematician, you
learn math to develop intellectual skills
• Advocates for a universal curriculum
• All students get the same subjects with high
quality teaching
Perennialism
• Allan Bloom feels that recent changes in our
curriculum that focus on “cultural relativism”,
quick fixes and “trivial pursuits” has degrade
American education
• He feels that we fail to develop critical
thinking skills
• He feels that a good old liberal Arts education
is the answer to this
Perennialism
• Supporters of Perennialism such as Charles
Murray, feel that the west Western world) and
America once were the best and brightest
and made significant contribution in all
academic areas
• He now feels we are no longer the best and
feels that part of the solution to become the
best again is a move toward the Perennial
curriculum
College curriculum have done this:
How are they different?
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Arts
Essentialism
• A traditional philosophy- started in 1930’s
became famous in 1950-60s ( after Sputnik)
• In elementary school focus on three Rs
• Secondary education is aimed at five subject
areas:
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English
Math
Science
World Language
History
Essentialism
• In Essentialism Secondary education devalues
subject areas such as :
• Home economics
• Music
• Art
• Physical education
• Art
They feel they are frivolous and a waste of money but
begrudgingly allow a few students to take them
Essentialism
• Essentialist value
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knowledge acquisition
Facts
Conceptual though
Problem solving
• Essentialist feel all students should follow the
same curriculum- its pace should be adjusted
according to the needs of the students
• Emphasis is placed on Science, math and new
technologies
Essentialism
• Essentialist feel that taking a student’s interest or
social issues into account is wasteful
• Teaching methods that rely on psychological
theories are also wasteful
• The teacher is a master of the course content and
subject matter and a model worth emulation
• The teacher is the authority, decides on the
curriculum and exhibits high standards- the
teacher needs to be respected.
Essentialism
• The Essentialist view is reflected in the “A
Nation at Risk Report” and the NCLB law in a
more moderate form (Not far enough for
essentialist)
Essentialism
• Much of what we see today aligns with the
essentialist philosophy
– Standards. Statewide testing, standards before
moving to another level ( in 13 states)
• Provide bonuses to school, teachers and
principals that achieve
• Teachers standards-With this push for
standards- came the push to have Teacher
standards
Essentialism
• Teachers standards-Many states added
competency testing for beginning teachers (
40 states)
• A heavy emphasis has been placed on reading
writing ( about two hours a day)
• Math ( about one hour a day
• Curriculum has become aligned with high
stakes tests and has reduced electives
Essentialism
• Although this push for standards seems basic,
in some areas experts can not agree on what
they should be
• Also essentialist feel that pure information is
not stressed enough- facts such as acid rain
and bay of Biscay, allows for greater
understanding because of background
knowledge and facilitates communication
Progressivism
• Is a contemporary curriculum philosophy
based on john Dewey’s beliefs.
• Focus is on schools nurturing cooperation,
self discipline
• Since needs change constantly, no need to
focus on a fixed body of knowledge
• Focuses on How to think and not what to
think
Progressivism
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Activities are key to instruction
Constructivist methods
Interdisciplinary
Teachers are the leader of groups facilitating
activities
• Students ad teachers plan activities together
• Teachers help students locate, evaluate analyze
and interpret the data ( from activities)
Progressivism
• Progressives reject rote learning, recitation
and textbook authority, corporal punishment
• The focus is on the learner and not the subject
• There were radical progressives groups on
either side- progressive extremist and lazierfaire- one side devalued knowledge and the
other devalued adult authority over children
Progressivism
• Relevant Curriculum- Although most followers
of the progressive philosophy have lost
prominence, the desire for relevant
curriculum survived
• Instruction should be associated from life
experiences, students should be motivated
and interested
Progressivism
• Other aspects:
– Individualization
– Extend curriculum beyond the school ( work
study programs- internships)
– Electives and mini-courses
– Courses that interest students- music through rap
Progressivism
The Humanistic perspective- this curriculum push
was a reaction to the hard-line repressive
curriculum that isolated students ( Perennialism
and existentialism)
Builds on Maslow’s work and looks at affective
outcomes rather than cognitive
The goal is to produce self actualized peopledevelop the whole person
Progressivism
The Humanistic perspectiveSome people feel this way now
They feel we overemphasize the cognitive, put lots
of pressure on students do away with
Humanist seek more meaningful relationships
between students and teachers
Progressivism
• Eventually many educational leaders that
believed in the Progressive philosophy called
for a radical school reform
• The felt that teachers disliked and distrusted
their students
• The considered schools highly discriminatory
– The felt schools sort children for different jobs and
perpetuated class differences
Progressivism
• Many of these educational theorist had
nothing good to say about how schools run
and how teachers operate
• Some of their comments include
– Elem schools are babysitting
– Successful students are strategist in a game to
beat the system
– Some called for eliminating schools
Reconstructionism
• This philosophy evolved out of disgruntled
progressiveist
• They felt that society was going to pot and
that education was the best way to achieve
social reform
• Developed originally in 1920’s
• The felt the progressiveist overemphasized
child-centered education and ignored social
needs of all classes
Reconstructionism
• Felt the students and teachers must improve
society
• Felt teachers and classrooms should NOT be
politically neutral felt that teachers and
students need to take a stand on issues
• Need to develop well reasoned students that
can communicate well
Reconstructionism
• Curriculum should be based on social issues
• School programs would include
– Examine society cultural heritage
– Examine controversial issues
– be committed to bringing about constructivist
social change
– Cultivate future oriented attitudes
– Enlist students and teachers to enhance
educational opportunities for all children.
Reconstructionism
• A branch of reconstructivism, was a group that
felt improving our social conditions was not
enough. The Internationalist, felt that schools
need to address issues on an international
scale
• Internationalist will speak of such things as
– The global village, global interdependence, the
shrinking world, greenhouse effect
Reconstructionism
• Internationalist feel school need to teach
students to understand various global systems
and would build the curriculum around them
• Such concepts as global:
– political, economic, physical resources, cultural
issues, and communication
– World problems such as Western imperialism,
Arab Nationalism and the growing economic
influence of China and India
Reconstructionism
• Reconceptualist view the technical approach
to curriculum as too narrow and feel it is not
sensitive enough to people’s feelings
• Our society today is marked bay a failure to
accommodate diversity and indifference to
people's needs
• They are socially sensitive and concerned with
broad problems of society
Reconstructionism
• Reconceptualist value communication skills ,
art poetry, dance , drama, literature,
psychology and ethics
• Feels that schools have oppressed that poor
and we need to design a curriculum to free
them
Reconstructionism
• The final branch of reconstructivism, is the
Equal Educational opportunity
• Their goals is to assure that children born in
any class have the same opportunity as
children in any other class
• Schools represent the means to achieve goals
• Currently this does not happen because
education is so closely tied to social class and
family background
Reconstructionism
• The Equal Educational opportunity followers
admit that upper ward mobility is possible in
the current system and would be less if it were
not for public schools
Reconstructionism
• The Equal Educational opportunity followers
believe in the following five factors relevant to
equal /unequal educational opportunities:
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Offering the same curriculum to all children
School’s racial composition
equality of teacher morale and teacher expectations
Cognitive an economic outcomes for students with
equal backgrounds and abilities
– Cognitive and economic outcomes for students with
unequal backgrounds and abilities
Reconstructionism
• The Equal Educational opportunity followers
believe in the following five factors relevant to
equal /unequal educational opportunities:
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Offering the same curriculum to all children
School’s racial composition
equality of teacher morale and teacher expectations
Cognitive an economic outcomes for students with
equal backgrounds and abilities
– Cognitive and economic outcomes for students with
unequal backgrounds and abilities
Activity
– Based on these four principles, what tenets do
you personally hold as valuable in your curriculum
Philosophy.