Six Contemporary Educational Philosophies

Philosophy Goal of Education Role of Students Role of Teachers Teaching Methods Curriculum EmphasisPerennialism Develop timeless virtues

(justice, temperance, Fortitude, and prudence); instill knowledge for the

sake of learning

Develop and use virtues in life’s decisions;

acquire knowledge

Instill virtues; know subject matter; teach subject matter to all

students

Teacher-centered; lecture

Subject matter and common core curriculum; emphasis on

arts and sciences

Essentialism Promote and instill cultural literacy in all students;

provide a common core of cultural knowledge

Acquire and use cultural knowledge; learn and

use thinking skills

Provide a common core cultural literacy

curriculum integrated with basic school subjects

Primarily subject- and teacher-centered

methods

A uniformed curriculum for all students emphasizing subject

matter and cultural knowledge

Progressivism Use student interests as a basis for understanding and ordering students’

experience

Participate in formulating the

purposes that are the basis for the student-centered curriculum

Act as facilitator for student learning;

determine student interests for developing

curriculum

Learning center; cooperative learning;

student-led and –initiated discussion

Student interests and needs; democracy; morality; social

development

Social Reconstructionism

Use education to help solve significant social

problems and, as a result, make democracy more efficient and effective

Identify social problems and use thinking skills

and knowledge to solve problems

Facilitate process of students identifying and

solving community-based problems

Facilitate cooperative learning and group

problem solving; encourage students to

use problem-solving skills

Integrated knowledge of and solution of social problems in

the regular curriculum

Humanism Emphasize self-actualization, help

students become self-actualized, and blend the

cognitive and the affective; help students assimilate

knowledge into their daily lives; stress human values

Develop healthy attitude toward self, others, and

learning experience; become self-actualized

Help students to become self-actualized and make

sense of learning; connect individuals to their

learning and help them apply curriculum to

themselves, the community, the nation,

and the world

Group processes; one-on-one teacher-student

interaction

Physical and emotional needs of students and development of

learning experience so that students can fulfill their needs

and resolve developmental crisis

ExistentialismCreate climate of freedom

and choice where individuals can choose and

be responsible for their decisions

Accept responsibility for choices and actions; learn to set personal

goals and achieve them by developing

independence, making decisions, and problem

solving

Create an environment for independent action and enable students to

make choices and accept responsibility for behavior

Analysis and discussion regarding students’

choicesSocial studies; humanities