Student-Centred Educational Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Student-Centred Educational Philosophy Essay Educational Philosophy 1. 1 Introduction There are five main philosophical schools of thought in education which are essentialism, perennialism, progressivism, existentialism and reconstructionism. However, here I have only chosen the philosophies which believe in student-centred approach. There are three philosophies that hold the similarity of being less authoritarian and placing the students as the centre in learning process. These three philosophies reject essentialism and do not agree with traditional mediums of teaching. They are recontructionism, progressivism, and existentialism 1. Reconstructionism Reconstructionism is an important contribution of Theodore Brameld in the world of educational philosophy. Brameld in his book, ‘Education as Power’, says â€Å"education has two major roles: to transmit culture and to modify culture. In reconstructionism, education is seen as a way to bring out positive changes in society. The educational purpose of reconstructionism is to create social reform in which education serves as a mean to make people view society with a critical eye. Learners should never settle for what is but have to do critical thinking and dream of what should be. This branch of philosophy strives for a constant and positive change for the betterment of the society. A famous reconstructivionist, Paulo Freire (1921-1997) sees teaching and learning as a process of inquiry in which the child must invent and reinvent the world. Theodore Brameld (1904-1987) and Paulo Freire (1921-1997) . Source: Google Image. The goal of reconstructionist learning is that the students themselves should conceive the good future. The students receive education as a preparation for their role in the future. Therefore, it is important for students to experience and taking social action on actual problems. Students should be willing to spend time in the community to learn its problems. Rote learning, memorization and direct-method are not preferable in recontructionism. Besides, reconstructionist students should possess a high sense of duty towards society. They are then are expected to be the leaders of reformation in society to form an observant, inquisitive, open-minded and highly capable society. As education should prepare students to become agents for change, reconstructionism philosophy believes that teachers must convince their students of the validity and urgency of the reconstructionist solution. However, teachers must do so with scrupulous scrutiny for democratic procedures. At the same time, learning process should enable the learners to be in control of their own fate and able to make social reform. 1. 2 Progressivism Source: Google Image Progressivism is the educational application of a philosophy called pragmatism. John Dewey refined pragmatism and applied to education, which later became known as progressivism. Progressivism believes that school should encourage cooperation, not competition. According to Dewey, democracy and freedom are far superior to the traditional political ideas. He viewed progressive schools as a working model of democracy. In curriculum, progressivism also holds the same view as reconstructinism which the selection of subject content depends on the skills that will be needed in future society. This is because knowledge taught must help people to adapt to change. Progressivists believe that individuality, progress, and change are fundamental. In Progressivism, education is not to prepare students to live; it should be life itself. Learning should focus on understanding and action, not rote knowledge. Thus, it is believed that problem solving is the most effective way. As similar to reconstructinisim philosophy, progressivism prefers varied learning resources and it also views the best way to learn is through direct experience with the environment. As this philosophy puts more concern on students, teacher is seen as an advisor, not a director. The progressive teacher aids students in learning by helping students formulate meaningful questions and devise strategies to answer them. The answers are discovered from real world experience instead of mere reading or theories. 1. 3 Existentialism Among the three philosophies, existentialism has the highest degree of importance on the learners. Soren Kierkegaard is considered to have been the first existentialist philosopher though he himself did not use the term. He proposed that each individual is solely responsible for giving meaning to life. It is Jean Paul Sartres that formulates the term existentialism. Existentialists argued that traditional approaches to philosophy do not adequately respect the uniqueness of each individual. This philosophy is against the views of any existence of authoritative truth about metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. In existentialism, it is strongly believed that every individual is responsible to decide what is true or false† and right or wrong, Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855). Source: Google Image. The educational goal of existentialism is education should challenge people to create personal meanings of their own design which means that the others’ interpretations should not be imposed on them. Learning activities will be organized around students requests. Although existentialist educators provide some curricular structure, students have great latitude in their choice of subject matter. In an existentialist curriculum, students are given a wide variety of options. The curriculum often emphasizes the humanities as to provide students with experiences that will in developing creativity and self-expression. However, there is no rigidness of curriculum. As Learners should have a voice in deciding how the school operates, school is not the institution for transmitting the core culture, but as a experimental lab for students to realize their individuality before improving the society at a larger extend. Education should emphasize field trips and experiential learning as ways to help the youth explore the world and seek their own meaning. The role of teachers is to expose students to many ways and life options in helping them defining their own essence. Besides, teachers facilitate students by creating a stress free classroom with positive atmosphere. Existentialism centres vast concern on students with high respect to their personal perspectives and freedom more than any other educational philosophy. 2. 0 Teaching Approach 2. 1 Introduction In teaching English as a second language (ESL) classroom, there are a variety of teaching methods and approaches. Over the years, many different teaching approaches have been developed to match students’ need. Here is student-centred method that concerns more on students during educational process. Therefore, this approach acknowledges and agrees with the three philosophies mentioned earlier. 2. 2 Communicative approach. Communicative approach is a famous and recent approach in ESL learning. In fact, many ESL books seem to claim that they are based on this approach. The communicative approach is believed to have taken place in language learning in the 1970s. The pressure was put on educators when there was a rise in the number of people wanting to learn foreign language for personal reasons. Many of the teachers realized the importance of switching their traditional teaching method towards a better method that prefers application of language in an active learning environment. In ESL class, communicative approach believes that learning of language is most successful when learners are involved in real communication as they can develop natural strategies in language acquisition. As a result, there will be more emphasis on skills than systems. The syllabus is based on functional development not structural development. In communicative approach, teachers will not do drilling or repetition method but focus on constructing real life situations in classroom. This agrees with reconstructionism philosophy that is to bring the world inside the classroom. Therefore, teachers will vary the use of authentic materials. Communicative approach believes that teachers will have to maximize the opportunities for learners to communicate. Students are encouraged to interact with one another, doing given tasks in pairs on in groups. This is in unison with progressivism understanding that school should encourage cooperation, not competition. Teachers are only there to monitor and facilitate them without interference and give feedbacks after they have done. This is also in par with progressivism philosophy that is teachers are rather advisors, not directors. As students learn through trial and error process, teachers of communicative approach should always tolerate mistakes. It is important for teachers of communicative approach to apply tactfulness and creativity in teaching. . 3 Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) is not a new approach in ESL methodology but a medium which helps English teachers to be more affective and engaging with students. Since the 1960s, computers have been used for language teaching. CALL is a tool that combines many advantages such as enabling students to have experiential learning, motivation, achievement, authentic materials for studyin g, wider interaction, individualization pace, greater source of information, and global understanding. There are three main stages for CALL. As CALL can be successfully applied not only for grammar practice but also for communicative activities, communicative CALL has been established in 1970 with the spread of communicative approach. For reconstructionists, bringing real life problems or issues to students is important in learning process. CALL helps in facilitating the students to be involved in the actual situation. Decision making, asking for advice, agreeing and disagreeing, and compromising with friends are some tasks that need authentic settings. Internet especially social media such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Skype and blogs connects the students with people of all around the world. Thus, students who are second language users of English can even communicate with native speakers and polish communicative skill in English. Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) provides an effective learning environment. The advancement of speech and language technologies has opened new perspectives on CALL. Students can practice in an interactive manner using multi-media content. CALL inherently supports students’ autonomy, which places the students firmly in control so that they can decide their own goal and pace in self-learning. Therefore, students have the freedom in learning and this agrees with existentialism philosophy that students should create their own personal meanings through education. Source: Google Image It has been described in reconstructionism philosophy that teachers must be familiar with the constant change. Students of 21st century are knowledgeable in the use of computer and web learning. Y-generation is equipped with modern gadgets and most of the students are even more advance in technology than their teachers. Thus, teachers of modern approach should update themselves with recent developments of technology. By using Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) as a tool in teaching, teachers can help students become more involved in the task and monitor students’ progress with the help of computer. 4. 0 Personal Educational Philosophy 4. 1 Introduction My very own educational philosophy is my answers about why, what and how I will be teaching, and about the nature of learning and teaching. It is my personal set of principles that guides my professional actions now and surely later in life when I become a teacher. As I read and learn educational philosophies of the Western scholars, I realize the importance of having my own school of thought. My life experiences, values, environment and interactions are the aspects that will continuously shape my personal philosophy in education. 4. 2 Influence of educational philosophies Educational philosophy that attracts me the most is progressivism. To a certain extent, I also agree with reconstructionism and existentialism. As we can notice, these philosophies centre on students during teaching and learning process. When I was a school student, I had always love teachers who acknowledge students’ opinions and attend to their students’ questions with patience and compassion. This kind of teachers receives back the love, trust and respect that they put on students. I believe that educators who are authoritative and using traditional approach are boring and fail to develop intimate relationship with their students. This will then affect the sharing of knowledge between the teachers and their students. Other than that, progressivism is in accordance with my own view of life. I believe that life is a continuous educational process. As I explained earlier, progressivist believes education is not to prepare students to live; it should be life itself. We can never stop learning as we pick up new things every single day, be it useful ones or not. Learning process is not limited to the syllabus or fixed curriculum at school, but a thorough process covering almost everything we do for betterment of self. Coincidently, we improve our society and our nation at large. This agrees with reconstructionism which aims for social reformation for more positive change. 4. 3 Defining Education in own words Education is an eternal process in bringing out the best in ourselves and others, be it formally or informally which results in positive development of every individual in terms of thinking and action. Learning and teaching are two inter-dependent mechanisms that make up education. Learning is self-seeking enlightenment and progression which take place with the help of guidance while teaching is sharing of ideas and insights to grow new and more powerful wisdom. Education is never to build competition with other people around but within oneself. It is also a tool to free human beings from hatred and sufferings. Education is also the reasoning of the past and a way of fulfilling future dreams and hopes. Elaboration: My personal meaning of education implicitly tells my philosophy of education. It shows how I perceive education which acts as a baseline on my actions. It is clear that I view the purpose of education as a lasting way to be better in life. It is never limited to what I learn formally but covers everything that I do that helps in self-betterment. I believe learning is self-seeking progression which means nobody has the power to force someone to learn unless that person is willing to seek knowledge. I also believe teaching is sharing which means it is a two way process. Other than that, from the above philosophy, I suggest that education is not to create competition with others but within oneself which means we have to aim to be better than yesterday, not to be better than other people. I also view education as a hope to bring peace and happiness in this world as it widens our perspective. Lastly, I see education as a present gift that helps in accepting the past wholeheartedly and building the strength of tomorrow. 4. 4 Methods My personal educational philosophy is in accordance with communicative approach that has been explained earlier. As a future ESL (English as a second language) teacher, teaching language means to share and apply the knowledge of English with others. It is important to motivate my students to communicate efficiently in English by building a strong rapport with them and being a good role model to the students. I will create a pressure-free class so that students feel comfortable to speak and voice out opinions. Learning language is not just a matter of knowing grammatical structure but also as a medium to share about cultures and develop values. I would like to set an enjoyable and active learning environment for the students in classroom. This can be done by doing a handful of games and activities but imparting the knowledge altogether. Some activities that I can do for the students are role-playing, debating, guessing games, quizzes with rewards and many others. A lot of the time, I will let the students do their task in pairs of groups so that they can interact and share ideas with one another. As language is inseparable with the real world, I will encourage the students to use the language outside the class and school compound. The use CALL (Computer-assisted Language Learning) is also vital. Therefore, my students will be encouraged to communicate in virtual world such as blog and Facebook. I can venture into my students’ thoughts more personally and make it easier for me to facilitate them in their progress. At the end of the day, the main objective which to improve the students’ level of English can be achieved successfully. At the same time, the students have also flourished their minds with positive thinking and developed learning skills to be use throughout life. They are then become the future generation whom is excellent and competent both locally and internationally. 4. 4 Conclusion There is no general agreement on what human beings ought to learn in order to have the best in life. There will also be continuous debate whether education should focus on cognitive development or character development first. I have also aware that there are different needs and styles given by different group of students. Thus, I may have to vary and adapt my methods when encountering my student at different level. The tendency to stick to merely one philosophy among all other philosophies discussed may bring flaws. Thus, a variety of teaching methods and adapting my philosophy over time are highly required.

William James Essay -- philosophy of pragmatism

William James was a philosopher and psychologist but was most well known in the field of Psychology for developing the philosophy of pragmatism, or the Functionalist theory: "Theory of mental life and behavior that is concerned with how an organism uses its perceptual abilities to function in its environment." He was also the first Psychologist to be born in America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  William James was born on January 11, 1842 in New York City. His father, Henry James Sr. was a Swednborgian theologian, and one of his brothers was the great novelist Henry James. Throughout his youth, William attended private schools in the United States and Europe. He later attended the Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard University and then Harvard Medical School, where he received his degree in 1869 in the field of Physiology. The way that William got into the field of Psychology was that he got his degree in physiology and also enjoyed studying philosophy in his spare time, in psychology, he found, linked the two together. Before finishing his medical studies, he went on an exploring expedition in Brazil with the Swiss-American naturalist Louis Agassiz and also studied psychology in Germany. During this time, William retired due to illness but that didn’t stop his from excelling in the field. Three years later, in 1872, at the age of thirty, William become an instructor in physiology at Harvard University. In 1875, William started teaching Psychology at Harvard and after 1880 he was teaching both cl...

Female Education Essay

Napoleon once said â€Å"Give me an educated mother and I will give you an educated nation. † This statement is enough to prove the importance of female education. Allah has created both man and woman equally. They are like the two sides of a coin. One is incomplete without the other. So, education cannot be the only possession of a single class or sex. Rather, it should be imparted equally to both men and women. Our religion has also made education compulsory for all. In the past, our women folk were confined within the four walls of home. Parents did not allow them to receive education and to participate in any outside work. Early marriage, religious misinterpretation and the narrowness of our outlook were mainly responsible for this. Parents thought it waste of time and money to educate their girls. They did not understand that if girl children were educated they could be as competent as male children. As our women folk constitute almost half of our total population, no real development is possible keeping them uneducated. On the other hand, an educated mother plays a very important role in making and shaping the character of her children. She knows well how to bring up her children, to educate them and to make them worthy. In domestic life, she can also extend her helping hand to her husband. So, there is no alternative to female education. It is a matter of great delight that women have started to come out of their cocoons. Being educated, they are joining a wide range of professions. They have been able to prove their abilities. So, the disadvantages of early marriage and religious misinterpretation must be removed. Our outlook about women must be changed. More schools and colleges for girls should be set up to spread female education. Recently the scenario of female education has started to change. Many socio-economic factors are responsible for this change. All possible facilities of female education have been extended. Education for girls up to degree level has been made free with a monthly stipend. This encourages them to continue their education. We should remember that only educated women can change the picture of our society. So, all of us should come forward to spread female education. The overall state of female education in Bangladesh is not yet satisfactory. In the past, women were in the boundary of their houses. They usually spent their time doing their household chores. They were deprived of education. But the situation has been changed now. Now-a-days, they are admitting into schools, colleges and universities. The rate of literacy in our country is about 60% whereas female literacy is about 40%. Female education is necessary for getting an educated nation. Because, an educated mother can give an educated nation. There are many advantages of female education. A child will never remain illiterate if his/her mother is educated. An educated woman can play various roles in the family. She can impart himself in different business and jobs. As a result, she can contribute to the family income. However, government should do something more to educate the female. â€Å"No need girl’s education, they are born only for taking care of their families†- this idea was stereotype in the early past of Bangladesh. The birth of a boy child was a blessing for the parents and a girl child was like a curse. It is a surprising matter that a girl child also comes like a boy child from mother’s womb and father’s blood but still that child is unexpected to her parents. In reality, a father and mother can never hate their children. Actually, the society made the rule to neglect the girl children. As Bangladesh is considers as a Muslim country, most of its population are Muslim. The Bangladeshi people thought that their religion had ordered them to keep their women and female children inside the house and keep them in safe. As a result, the parents always wanted a male child to earn for the family and protect their old age. From a theological research, it has found that the beliefs which were followed by our ancestors were based on wrong concepts. The holy books actually suggested keeping women in safe, not to confine them into four walls where they do not have any liberty. These books also suggested that a woman can even participate in the warfare if she is able to protect herself. Very slowly but the people started to change their mentality when they were becoming educated and started realizing that it was useless to achieve success without women as a mother is the first teacher of a child. If a mother is illiterate there is much possibility that the child will be uneducated. To cure this problem, Begum Rokeya, the pioneer of giving the light of education to the Muslim Bengali girls. This social movement of educating girls was very slow and at that time people were against of this blessed work. She kept patience and opened a girls’ school. She made people to understand about the benefit of the girl’s education by giving the religious points. Though it took time to convince people, it worked. People understood the necessity of the girls’ education and started sending their daughters into the school. This idea was so effective because a nation can have more achievements if the entire nation works together for success, not the half of the nation. The government also realized that this is an innovative idea and so the†¦ It is the height of selfishness for men, who fully appreciate in their own case the great advantage of a good education, to deny these advantages to women. There is no valid argument by which the exclusion of the female sex from the privilege of education can be defended. It is argued that women have their domestic duties to perform and that, if they were educated, they would bury themselves in their books and have little time for atten ding to the management of their households. Of course, it is possible for women as it is for men to neglect work in order to spare more time for reading sensational novels. But women are no more liable to this temptation than men and most women would be able to do their household work the entire better for being able to refresh their minds in the intervals of leisure with a little reading. Nay, education would even help them in the performance of the narrowest sphere of womanly duty. For education involves knowledge of the means by which health may be preserved and enable a mother to consult such modern books as will tell her how to rear up her children into healthy men and women and skillfully nurse them and her husband, when disease attacks her household. Without education she will not be averse to listen, with fatal results, to the advice of superstitious quacks that pretend to work wonder by charms and magic. But, according to higher conception of women’s sphere, women ought to be something more than a household drudge. She ought to be able not merely to nurse her husband in sickness but also to be his companion in health. For this part of her wifely duty, education is necessary, for there cannot be congenial companionship between an educated husband and an uneducated wife who can converse with her husband on no higher subject than cookery and servant’s wages. Also, one of a mother’s highest duties is the education of her children at the time when their mind is not amenable to instruction. A child’s whole future life, to a large extent, depends on the teaching it receives in early childhood and it is needless to say that this first foundation of education cannot be well laid by an ignorant mother. On all these grounds female education is a vital necessity. Gender inequality in education is extreme. Girls are less likely to access school, to remain in school or to achieve in education. Education helps men and women claim their rights and realise their potential in the economic, political and social arenas. It is also the single most powerful way to lift people out of poverty. Education plays a particularly important role as a foundation for girls’ development towards adult life. It should be an intrinsic part of any strategy to address the gender-based discrimination against women and girls that remains prevalent in many societies. The following links will further explain the necessity of girls’/women’s education. Education is a right Cultural changes Better health and awareness Poverty reduction Education is a right Everybody has the right to education, which has been recognised since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. The right to free and compulsory primary education, without discrimination and of good quality, has been reaffirmed in all major international human rights conventions. Many of these same instruments encourage, but do not guarantee, post-primary education. These rights have been further elaborated to address issues like quality and equity, moving forward the issue of what the right to education means, and exploring how it can be achieved. As a minimum: states must ensure that basic education is available, accessible, acceptable and adaptable for all. (4A scheme) The right of girls to education is one of the most critical of all rights – because education plays an important role in enabling girls and women to secure other rights. Cultural changes Cultural and traditional values stand between girls and their prospects for education. The achievement of girls’ right to education can address some of societies’ deeply rooted inequalities, which condemn millions of girls to a life without quality education – and, therefore, also all too often to a life of missed opportunities. Improving educational opportunities for girls and women helps them to develop skills that allow them to make decisions and influence community change in key areas. One reason for denying girls and women their right to an education is rarely articulated by those in charge: that is their fear of the power that girls will have through education. There is still some resistance to the idea that girls and women can be trusted with education. Education is also seen in some societies as a fear of change and now with globalization, the fear becomes even greater- fear to lose the cultural identity, fear of moving towards the unknown or the unwanted, fear of dissolving in the many others. Better health Basic education provides girls and women with an understanding of basic health, nutrition and family planning, giving them choices and the power to decide over their own lives and bodies. Women’s education leads directly to better reproductive health, improved family health, economic growth, for the family and for society, as well as lower rates of child mortality and malnutrition. It is also key in the fight against the spread of HIV & AIDS. Poverty reduction Educating girls and women is an important step in overcoming poverty. Inequality and poverty are not inevitable. â€Å"The focus on poverty reduction enables the right to education to be a powerful tool in making a change in the lives of girls and women. Poverty has been universally affirmed as a key obstacle to the enjoyment of human rights, and it has a visible gender profile. The main reason for this is the fact that poverty results from violations of human rights, including the right to education, which disproportionately affect girls and women. Various grounds of discrimination combine, trapping girls in a vicious downward circle of denied rights. Denial of the right to education leads to exclusion from the labour market and marginalisation into the informal sector or unpaid work. This perpetuates and increases women’s poverty. †

The Mass Culture Critique and Perezhilton.Com - 1904 Words

The past two years has seen the media landscape undergo significant developments. New technology, such as the Internet, has fuelled the emergence of new media forms and schisms within the media industry. Mario Armando Lavandeira’s Hollywood celebrity gossip website, PerezHilton.com, exploits a new brand of journalism – blogging. There are innumerable media theories which could be used to analyse such a specific example of the media. This essay will explore Mass Culture Critique and its critical relation to PerezHilton.com by investigating mass communication concepts such as hegemony, aesthetic levels, economic motivation, and passive consumers. Mass society theory emerged in the late nineteenth century when the invention of the†¦show more content†¦The Independent (2007) reports that Lavandeira has never been motivated by money, he just wants as many people as possible to read the website. Lavandeira has admitted his desire to become a celebrity himself, and along with others in the media industry, he seeks respect and esteem, especially from A-list celebrities. There are, however, concerns about his gargantuan popularity. PerezHilton.com is reported to attract between two to eight million viewers per day, raising questions to whether this mass blog will eventually â€Å"sell-out† to desperately eager advertising companies. â€Å"The mass media are dominated – or too much influenced – by advertisers.† It is true that Lavandeira relies on advertising and sponsorship to maintain his site as it defrays numerous copyright infringement lawsuits; however, he continues to write his blogs without altering the content or making it subservient to the site’s advertising. Due to his infamous popularity, advertisers need PerezHilton.com as much as it needs them. If anything, Lavandeira uses the blog to advertise himself and his perspective of particular celebrities. â€Å"The mass media do not provide an adequate forum for minority views – the dissident and unorthodox.† Conversely, mass media, and the Internet inShow MoreRelatedThe Mass Culture Critique And Perezhilton.Com Essay1851 Words   |  8 PagesArmando Lavandeira’s Hollywood celebrity gossip website, PerezHilton.com, exploits a new brand of journalism – blogging. There are innumerable media theories which could be used to analyse such a specific example of the media. This essay will explore Mass Culture Critique and its critical relation to PerezHilton.com by investigating mass communication concepts such as hegemony, aesthetic levels, economic motivation, and passive consumers. Mass society theory emerged in the late nineteenth centuryRead MoreImportance of Blogs and Online Journalism1853 Words   |  8 Pagesbelieved that the future of journalism will be digital and include a greater number of independent journalists (Gasher, Skinner, Lorimer, 2012). While it is believed that this will lead to more journalistic independence, the movement also has its critiques. It is thought, for example, that journalists will struggle to keep up with the high speeds of new media, confining them to their desks and preventing story development (Gasher, Skinner, Lorimer, 2012). This instantaneous movement of informationRead MoreHow the ‘Culture Industry’ had Profound Social Impacts in Society2017 Words   |  9 Pagesphilosophers developed the ‘Culture Industry Theory’ in the 1940s, in light of the disturbed society they had seen during this time. They witnessed how Nazi Fascism used mass media such as films, radio and newspapers to brainwash millions into partaking in this ideology. Similarly they saw the rise of Capitalism in America, which also used mass media such as Hollywood films and advertising to disseminate the masses into the capitalist Ideology. This essay will evaluate how the ‘culture industry’ had profoundRead MoreGp Essay Mainpoints24643 Words   |  99 PagesEthics b. Government and scientist role in science c. Rely too much on technology? d. Nuclear technology e. Genetic modification f. Right tech for wrong reasons 3. Arts/Culture a. Arts have a future in Singapore? b. Why pursue Arts? c. Arts and technology d. Uniquely Singapore: Culture 4. Environment a. Developed vs. Developing b. Should environment be saved at all costs c. Are we doing enough to save the environment? d. Main reasons for environmental problems