Key Idea Identification

“Your own personal philosophy toward life probably had a great deal to do with your decision to pursue teaching as a career. Quite often, the term “philosophy” conjures up images of an abstract field of study pursued by those at the highest levels of academia. In many respects, philosophy is abstract. But it is also concrete, and as such it is with each of us at all times. In this sense, philosophy is the system of beliefs about life which each of us act out daily. It is one of the most important pieces of intellectual equipment that each of us has”.

-Arthur Ellis, Philosophical Perspectives

For years I have thought of myself as a “realistic idealist”. My justification for this juvenile terminology was that I want to see the world as an idealist but there is a pragmatic and concrete side to me that just cannot commit to idealism fully. Saying I am “realistic” softens that idealistic nature in me. But as I read Ellis’ Philosophical Perspectives, the connotation I have held regarding idealism- morphed and can now see the value in both philosophies. I believe in Idealism, which focuses on values and truths- universal and never changing. And I see the value in Realism, which places its focus on nature, the use of reason and sensory experience (Ellis). I do not see these philosophies are absolute or separate entities- reason can exist with truth and belief with spirituality. Personal perspective morphs over time and philosophies can overlap. It is of utmost importance to explore these philosophies on a personal level and understand why we believe what we do, think how we think, and most importantly-how our philosophy will impact our teaching.

To be an affective teacher, we must understand the philosophies we bring with us into the classroom, for they will greatly impact our teaching. Studying Perennialism, Essentialism, Progressivism, Reconstructionism, and Existentialism- I found myself wanting to combine a few for the greater good of education. While all have their merits and arguably their limitations- I find myself most attracted to Progressivism and Reconstructionism. I reason I am drawn to these two theories of practice is that they allow for more creativity and individual learning, while still embracing community learning.

Progressivism is communal, the teacher is there is guide and learning is approached as life rather than a practice towards the game of life. This type of education engages the student because it aims to focus on and reflect the student’s experiences and life. This is a main goal of successful diversity teaching- teaching with the student’s lives and perspectives in mind.

Reconstruction education aims to educate students on the problems the world faces and “instruct them in the necessary skills to solve these problems” (Ellis). Reconstructionists teach a global consciousness, tearing down the individual-focused/separate country focused world we live in and creates a global consciousness.

These teaching philosophies have the world’s interests at heart- create conscious and caring individuals. But these philosophies cannot stand alone- they must be used together to create well-rounded students. And these philosophies, while ideal, cannot be used without reference to Perennialism and Essentialism, which focus on knowledge of the past, basic truths and the reading of great literature. Students must be educated on history, literature, and mathematics- all that has come before. Students need this foundation on which to build and they need to know what has come before them- after all- those who do not know the past are doomed to repeat it. We are educating for tomorrow, lets act accordingly.