8 Philosophy of Education Every Teacher Should Be Aware Of

All of us want the best education, and our parents also want to get us admitted to the best schools, colleges, and universities. Getting into the top educational institutes helps in our overall development. The right education strengthens our mind muscles and broadens our horizons. However, have you imagined if any philosophies empower the roots of education? What is the philosophy of education? To know the answer to all these questions, continue reading.

The philosophy of education is a branch of philosophy that critically examines the nature of education and the problems associated with it. This philosophy also examines educational theories, the presuppositions present in them, and the arguments for and against them. In addition, the philosophy of education also draws inspiration from various other disciplines like sociology, psychology, and political philosophy.

Over the years, various teacher and student-centric philosophies have developed. However, all these philosophies aim to provide the best education to students. Let us discuss the philosophy of education in detail to get a better understanding.

What are the 8 philosophies in education?

The philosophy of education is divided into three categories: teacher-centric, student-centric, and society-centric. The basic idea of these philosophies is mentioned in the sections mentioned below.

Perennialism

It is a teacher-centered philosophy that believes in teaching great works. It focuses on the ideas of education that have lasted for centuries. The believers of the perennialism philosophy of education focus on making students read and analyze the work of history’s finest thinkers and writers. This educational philosophy considers knowledge as enduring and seeks everlasting truth.

Progressivism

It is a student-centric philosophy that believes in learning by experimentation. It believes that learning comes from finding answers to questions. If this philosophy of education is followed in the classroom, students are set free to develop their own beliefs. Moreover, it promotes the scientific method of teaching and encourages student interaction as a part of the learning process.

Reconstructionism

This philosophy of education is a student-centric approach that focuses on world matters. It gives special attention to world events, controversial issues, and world social progress.

Positivism

Also known as logical positivism, this philosophy of education is more about logical reasoning and laws of matter and motion. It is a teacher-centric philosophy that eliminates intuition, matters of the mind, essences, and inner causes.

Constructivism

It is an educational philosophy that focuses on students and emphasizes on hands-on learning. Moreover, it supports student collaboration and helps them actively participate in classroom activities. It believes that to provide true learning to students, they should be left to discover the lessons on their own through hands-on activities.

Behaviorism

It is a teacher-centered philosophy that closely follows the philosophy of realism. It focuses on good behavior and believes that change in the external environment will bring a positive change in an individual’s behavior.

Humanism

In this student-centric philosophy of education, educators and students work on enhancing individual development. It focuses on enhancing the positive aspect of one’s personality and rejects the idea of group-oriented education.

Essentialism

Also considered similar to perennialism, this educational philosophy focuses on the training and development of teachers. It believes that every teacher should have a common set of skills and knowledge to provide the best education to students.

Although these philosophies have different concepts, the aim is to provide the best learning environment to students. If schools follow these teaching philosophies, they can make their students learn better.

Indian Educational Philosophers

The role of educational philosophers cannot be ignored when discussing the philosophy of education and its impact on students’ life. Some famous Indian philosophers who molded the face of education in India are:

Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi wanted to uplift the education system in India, and to bring his dream into reality he established Kocharab Ashrams. He believed that education should be made free, compulsory, and universal. Moreover, he believed that to form an educational policy one needs intellect, labor, and passion.

Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore’s educational philosophy was based on the connection between man, nature, and education. He established Shantiniketan to help in the physical, mental, and spiritual development of learners.

Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda emphasized that societal changes can be witnessed by establishing a proper education system. He believed that true education should contribute to the nation and not be restricted by individual ambitions.

Sri Aurobindo

He believed in strengthening the five cores of an individual. These five principles included physical, vital, psychic, mental, and spiritual aspects.

These Indian educational philosophers emphasized the development of various aspects of one’s personality. They believed that focusing on every aspect of one’s personality will help an individual in their overall development.

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