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What are the different teaching philosophies of education?

Discovering the different teaching philosophies can take time and effort for some. Some teachers would say, “Ah, even without the list of those teaching philosophies, I could do it the way I want based on my student’s needs and the available materials I only have.” It couldn’t be farther from the truth. Teachers should be grounded with these teaching philosophies because it will make them more effective and make their job easier and more fun.

Teachers have unique beliefs and values about teaching and learning. These beliefs and values shape your identity, goals, and practices as an educator. They also influence how you design your curriculum, interact with your students, assess their learning, and develop your professional skills.

But where do these beliefs and values come from? How do they relate to the broader field of education? Also, how can you articulate them clearly and confidently?

One way to answer these questions is to discover the different teaching philosophies. Teaching philosophies are sets of beliefs and values that guide how teachers teach. They are from various assumptions, principles, and theories about the nature and purpose of education, the role of the teacher and the learner, and the methods and strategies of teaching and learning.

By learning and discovering the different types of teaching philosophies, you can:

Consider your experiences and how they have shaped your beliefs as a teacher.
Compare and contrast your views with those of other educators
Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of different educational philosophies.
Communicate your teaching philosophy effectively to others
Improve your teaching practice by adopting or adapting ideas from different philosophies

I will introduce you to some of the most common teaching philosophies. Also, I will provide some examples of how to use them in the classroom. I classified most teaching philosophies into three categories: student-centered, teacher-centered, and society-centered doctrines, for an easy understanding of the different types.

Student-Centered Philosophies

Student-centered philosophies are teaching philosophies that focus on the needs, interests, abilities, and experiences of students. They emphasize the active involvement of the students in their learning process. Moreover, they encourage the development of critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and self-direction skills. Some types of student-centered philosophies are:

Progressivism (John Dewey (1859-1952)

It is a teaching philosophy that views education as a dynamic and interactive process that prepares students for life in a changing society. This philosophy advocates for experiential, project-based, cooperative, inquiry-based, and democratic education. Moreover, it values diversity, individuality, social justice, and global awareness.

An example of progressivism in action is a classroom where students work on real-world problems or projects that involve research, creativity, communication, and collaboration. For instance, students could design and implement a recycling campaign in their school or community or create a multimedia presentation on a social issue they care about.

Constructivism (Jean Piaget 1896-1980)

Next is constructivism. It is a teaching philosophy that views learning as constructing meaning from experiences. Furthermore, it emphasizes the role of prior knowledge, personal interpretation, social interaction, and reflection in learning. It also supports discovery learning, scaffolding, differentiation, authentic assessment, and metacognition.

An example of constructivism in action is a classroom where students engage in hands-on activities or experiments that challenge their existing ideas or assumptions and then discuss their findings or questions with their peers or teachers. Specifically, students could build models of bridges using different materials and test their strength and stability or conduct surveys or interviews on a topic of their choice and analyze the data.

Humanism (Abraham Maslow 1908-1970)

Then, humanism views education as enhancing human potential and well-being. It emphasizes the holistic development of the student’s cognitive, affective, social, and moral domains. Likewise, it fosters self-esteem, self-actualization, motivation, autonomy, empathy, and compassion.

For example, students are encouraged to pursue their interests and goals, express their feelings and opinions, and respect themselves and others. Students could create portfolios or journals that showcase their achievements and reflections or participate in peer tutoring or mentoring programs that foster mutual support and learning.

Teacher-Centered Philosophies

Teacher-centered philosophies are teaching philosophies that focus on the content, structure, and authority of the curriculum. They emphasize the transmission of knowledge from the teacher to the students. Similarly, they also promote the development of academic skills, discipline, rigor, and standards. Some types of teacher-centered philosophies are:

Perennialism (Mortimer Adler 1902-2001)

It is a teaching philosophy that views education as transmitting universal truths and values that transcend time and culture. Aside from that, it advocates for a classical liberal arts curriculum that includes logic, mathematics, literature, philosophy, history, science, art, and foreign languages. It also values logic, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis.

This shows in a classroom where students read and discuss classic texts or works of art that explore timeless themes or questions, such as justice, beauty, or freedom. For example, students could read and analyze Plato’s Republic or Shakespeare’s Hamlet or examine and critique Michelangelo’s David or Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

Essentialism (William Bagley (1874-1946)

Another is essentialism, which views education as instilling essential knowledge and skills necessary for personal and social success. Additionally, it advocates for a core curriculum that includes reading, writing, mathematics, science, social studies, and physical education. It also values memorization, drill, practice, and testing.

Students learn and practice the fundamental rules and procedures of each subject and are assessed by standardized tests or exams. For instance, students could learn and recite the multiplication tables or the parts of speech or take quizzes or tests on historical facts or scientific concepts.

Behaviorism (B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)

It is a teaching philosophy that views learning as changing observable behaviors through stimulus-response associations. Importantly, it emphasizes the role of reinforcement, punishment, feedback, and modeling in shaping behavior. It also supports direct instruction, behavioral objectives, behavior management, and behavioral assessment.

Specifically, students are rewarded or punished for their behaviors and taught by clear and structured instructions or demonstrations. For example, students could earn points, stickers, or chips for completing tasks or following rules, lose them for misbehaving or making mistakes, or watch and imitate the teacher’s steps or examples to perform a skill or solve a problem.

Society-Centered Philosophies

Society-centered philosophies are teaching philosophies that focus on the relationship between education and society. They emphasize the social relevance, responsibility, and impact of education. They also foster the development of civic skills, values, and attitudes. Some society-centered philosophies are as follows:

Social Reconstructionism (Paulo Freire 1921-1997)

It is a teaching philosophy that views education as transforming society for the better. Also, it advocates for a critical curriculum that exposes social problems, challenges dominant ideologies, and promotes social justice. It also values activism, advocacy, dialogue, and empowerment.

A model of social reconstructionism in action is a classroom where students explore and address issues such as racism, sexism, poverty, or environmental degradation and engage in social action or change projects. For instance, students could research and present the causes and effects of a social problem or organize and participate in a campaign or movement to raise awareness or advocate for change.

Multiculturalism (James Bank 1941-)

This teaching philosophy views education as celebrating and respecting cultural diversity. It advocates for a multicultural curriculum that includes diverse perspectives, experiences, and contributions of different cultural groups. In addition, it values pluralism, tolerance, inclusion, and equity.

It is where students learn about and appreciate the history, culture, values, and achievements of different ethnic, racial, religious, linguistic, or other groups and engage with people from different backgrounds and cultures.

For example, students could read and write about stories or poems from different cultures or celebrate and participate in cultural festivals or events.

Globalism (Nel Noddings 1929-)

Lastly is globalism. It is a teaching philosophy that views education as preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of a globalized world. Moreover, it advocates for a global curriculum that includes global issues, intercultural competencies, and foreign languages. It also values interdependence, cooperation, communication, and awareness.

Globalism in action is a classroom where students learn about and discuss global problems such as climate change, human rights, or poverty and develop skills and attitudes to work with people from different backgrounds. For example, students could watch and analyze documentaries or news reports on global issues or join or create online communities or projects with partners.

Conclusion

These are some of the most common teaching philosophies, but they are not the only ones. You may also encounter other philosophies, such as existentialism, romanticism, pragmatism, eclecticism, or postmodernism. Your teaching philosophy may also be a combination of different philosophies or that it changes over time.

Discovering the different teaching philosophies can be overwhelming sometimes, but it will significantly help you and your students. Remember to be aware of your teaching philosophy and how it influences your teaching practice. Learning about different approaches to education can help you to see the world through your students’ eyes and to understand their needs.

If you have any questions or comments on Discovering the Different Types of Teaching Philosophies, please leave them below. Also, you can check our YouTube videos for interview Q&A, job-related, inspirational, and motivational videos. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you at the next one!

References:

Banks, J. A. (2008). An introduction to multicultural education (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Noddings, N. (2005). Educating citizens for global awareness. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.