Education and Schooling

1
Education and Schooling

• Week of Oct 27, 2008
• Asst. Professor G. Sharpe

2
Today at a Glance

• Attendance (Please sign in)
• Film- It Could Happen to You! And Discussion
• Developing your Philosophy of Education
• New Assignment Due Date
• Website of the Week (Rubric, Exemplars,
  Assignment Guideline)
• Whats Included in your Philosophy of Education?
• Transmission vs. Transformative Teaching
• Major Philosophies to Consider

3
It Could Happen to You!

• Film- 30 minutes
• Discussion Questions
• A. When does a teachers professional life end
  and his/her personal life begin?
• B. What are some of the hazards teachers face
  when they establish dual relationships, with
  their students?
• C. From the article and film, list and describe
  strategies teachers could use when establishing
  and maintaining professional boundaries with your
  students?

4
Assignment 2

• The assignment will be due on or before our last
  class in December
• It is important to fully understand the
  concepts/theories completely before writing the
  assignment
• You may want to consider the theories covered and
  marry them with your practicum in November
• Thoughts on this? Questions or Concerns?
• Remember- one page only please!

5
Website of the Week

• The website of the week is mine!
• Your Assessment Rubric is included in the course
  syllabus-please refer to it when completing your
  writing
• I have included, under Assignments and
  Philosophies of Education, on my web page
• 1. Previous Student Samples (Exemplars)
• 2. A Writing Guideline (Key words/phrases you may
  use when writing your Philosophy of Education)
• Model this type of structure when assigning work
  to your students
• Structure/Expectations-Revisit these regularly!

6
Developing Your Philosophy of Education
7
Beliefs About Teaching and Learning

• What is the teachers primary role in the
  classroom?
• Is he/she a subject-matter expert who efficiently
  imparts knowledge to students?
• Is the teacher a helpful adult who establishes a
  caring relationship with students and nurtures
  their growth as individuals?
• Is the teacher a skilled technician who can
  manage the learning of many students at once?
• Where do you see yourself? Is there a blending of
  the above?

8
Beliefs about Students

• Your beliefs about students will shape how you
  teach
• What you believe students are like are based on
  your life experiences
• Negative views of students may promote a
  relationship based on fear
• Questions such as how to structure your
  program/classroom, direction given to students,
  how you communicate are all important (Too
  structured, not enough?)

9
Beliefs About Knowledge

• How will you go about teaching?- Program
  Implementation
• Rote Teaching?
• Interactive Teaching? (student involvement and
  interaction?)
• A blending of the above when its called for?
• Knowledge of oneself and ones experiences in the
  world is different than strictly subject
  knowledge
• What kind of knowledge is most important?

10
Beliefs in What is Worth Knowing

• What should be taught?
• The Basic Skills of reading, writing and
  computation? (helps assist us in the work world)
• The Great Books?
• Having kids be able to reason, communicate
  effectively, and solve problems
• To learn how to learn?
• Developing the whole child to become a mature,
  well-integrated Individual?

11
Personal Philosophical Beliefs

• A Blend of beliefs?
• Do you feel strongly in a way a child should be
  viewed, the role of the teacher in the
  classroom/society, curriculum design and
  implementation, the role of the school in
  society, teacher education?
• Taking elements from each philosophy is perfectly
  acceptable

12
Transmission VS TransformativeStyles of Lesson
Delivery

• Transmission Style- Lessons are transmitted to
  the student (think radio transmissions)
• Teacher-Centred/focused
• The teacher is the fountain of knowledge, little
  or no student input involved in the ed. process
• Students are merely empty vessels
• Transformative Style- there is a give and take
  between teacher/student
• Child-Centred
• The teacher is viewed as a guide/facilitator of
  student learning
• Student interests/Input are valued
• Choices for children

13
Psychological Orientations that have Influenced
Teaching Philosophies

• Humanistic Psychology
• Behaviourism
• Constructivism

14
Humanistic Psychology/Humanism

• Emphasizes personal freedom, choice, awareness,
  and personal responsibility
• Individuals control their own destinies through
  the application of their intelligence and
  learning
• Curriculum and its implementation should reflect
  the needs/desires of the student body

15
Behaviourism

• Environmental factors inside the classroom, home
  etc. shape peoples behaviours
• Desired human behaviour can be the product of
  design rather than by accident
• Our behaviours are determined by the environment
  in which we find ourselves
• Our behaviours are shaped

16
Constructivism

• Learning is viewed as an active rather than a
  passive process in which learners construct
  understanding of the material they learn (hands
  on)
• Teachers do not merely transmit academic content
  to students
• There is interaction between students in the
  learning process (group work)
• The teacher facilitates or guides students in the
  learning process

17
The Six Major Philosophical Orientations of
Teaching

• 1.Perennialism
• 2.Essentialism
• 3.Progressivism
• 4.Existentialism
• 5.Social Reconstructionism
• 6. Behaviourism

18
Perennialism

• A philosophical orientation that emphasizes the
  ideas contained in the Great Books/Authors
  (Socrates, Plato etc.)
• Perennialists feel that the true purpose of
  education is the discovery of the universal,
  perennial truths in life
• Timeless books (The Republic) are used to
  discover the truths/meaning in life

19
Essentialism

• The core of common knowledge (the basic concepts
  in reading/writing, math etc.) should be
  transmitted to students in a systematic,
  disciplined manner
• Rigorous, teacher-centred, strict, inflexible
• Children are viewed as empty vessels being filled
  with knowledge from the teacher
• To learn the essentials and not to deviate from
  them
• Teacher-Centred

20
Progressivism

• Life is forever evolving/changing, not stagnant
• Life is evolving in a positive manner
• Students can be trusted to act in their own best
  interests
• Education should reflect the needs and interests
  of students
• Child-Centred

21
Existentialism

• Emphasizes an Individuals specific experiences
• Maintains that every Individual must determine
  his/her own meaning of life and existence
• To look within oneself for ones own answers
• Why do I exist? The answer is inside each and
  every one of us

22
Social Reconstructionism

• The belief that social problems that plague
  society can be solved by changing, or
  reconstructuring society
• Schools are at the heart of this change
• Curriculum plays a major part in changing society
• Problem Solving, how we interact with one another

23
Behaviorism

• There is no free will
• Behaviours are the result of outside forces that
  cause individuals to act in predictable ways
• There are strict laws that govern human behavior
• The role of the teacher is to identify behavioral
  goals and establish reinforcers (both and -) to
  achieve these goals
• Skinner/Pavlov/Watson/Bloom