reflection paper on philosophy of education

DON MARIANO MARCOS MEMORIAL STATE UNIVERSITYSouth La Union Campus

COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIESAgoo, La Union

MICHAEL STEPHEN R GRACIAS APRIL 23, 2016

PHILOSOPHY AND OTHER FOUNDATIONAL PERSPECTIVE IN EDUCATION

Philo 301/307

A. WORLD ROOTS OF EDUCATION#3. How did the ideas of leading educators contribute to modern education?

The following are leading educators and their contribution in education:

CONFUCIANISM Confucianism ethics shaped Chinese culture for centuries, creating a value system of enduring

importance.SOCRATES

Socratic dialogue as a teaching method; teacher as a role modelPLATO

Use of schools for sorting students according to intellectual abilities; education tied to civic (political) purposes.

ARISTOTLE Emphasis on liberally educated, well-rounded person; importance of reason.

ISOCRATES Use of knowledge in public affairs and in political leadership; teacher education has both content

and practice dimensions.QUINTILIAN

Role of motivation in learning; recognition of individual differences.HILDEGARD OF BINGEN

Teacher as mentor and guide to the individual’s spiritual, natural, and moral development.AQUINAS

Teacher as moral agent; education related to universal theological goals; synthesis of the theological and philosophical; basis of philosophy used in Roman Catholic schools.

ERASMUS Role of secondary and higher education in literary and social criticism; emphasis on critical

thinking.LUTHER

Emphasis on universal literacy; schools to stress religious values, vocational skills, knowledge; close relationship of religion, schooling, and the state.

All leading educators who made theorists in education serve as the blueprint of the other educators not only to simplify but also to polish and improve the educational system. For instance, our educational system in the Philippines it changes every year because it must adopt to change in order for us to cope up to change and also to become educated individual who possesses the holistic aspect of education.

“Education is not about teaching people what they do not know.It means teaching them to behave as they should… It is a painful, continued

process to be accomplished with kindness, by preceptand by praise, and above all, by example.”

-John Ruskins-





Philo 301/307

2. PHILOSOPHICAL ROOTS OF EDUCATION

A. What are the subdivisions of philosophy, how are they defined, and what are my belief about them?

Metaphysics

the theory of the ultimate nature of reality. It asks the question: what is real? Another word for metaphysical "theory" might be metaphysical "belief," since one's metaphysics, or fundamental worldview, is basically an assumption - it cannot be proven. It is simply a belief held by a person as being the best explanation of what reality is and what it means, in that person's view.

As a teacher, we must teach students the subject matter which emphasizes the culture’s great and enduring ideas in order for the students to see the real connections of what we are teaching tem in their lives. For example: "Always tell the truth" or (put negatively) "Never tell a lie." Since truth is the knowledge of ideal reality and a lie is a distortion of that reality, truth must always be told and lying can never be justified.

Epistemology

the theory of truth or knowledge. It asks the question: what is true, and how do we come to know that truth?

In the teaching and learning process, we must know how to give step by step methods of instruction so that students could cope up in the knowledge we want to impart to them. Giving instructions which are based on methods of teaching and learning will encourage students to construct their own view of reality through reason.

Axiology

the theory of value or worth. It asks the question: what is good and bad? Axiology is made up of two sub-parts: ethics, which is the theory of the goodness or badness of human behavior, and aesthetics, which is the theory of the goodness or badness of visual appearance or audible sound (expressed in terms of beauty or ugliness).

Teachers—like parents and society in general— convey their values to the learers by rewarding and reinforcing behavior that corresponds to their conceptions of what is right, good, and beautiful.

LogicIt is concerned with correct and valid thinking and examines the rules of inference that we use to frame our propositions and arguments.

This determines how we organize and structure courses, lessons and units in order for the students to understand and reason out what they believe into.


COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES Agoo, La Union



Philo 301/307

3. PIONEERS IN EDUCATION

F. What contributions from the pioneers are useful to you in developing your own philosophy of education?

Comenius 1592–1670 - apply lessons to students’ practical lives.- a mentor.

Rousseau 1712–1778- human beings, in their life cycles, go through necessary stages of development

Pestalozzi 1746–1827 - Teachers should begin with the learner’s immediate environment before dealing with what is

distant and remote- develop instruction to encourage both cognitive and affective learning.

Herbart 1776–1841 - Preparation, Presentation, Association, Generalization, and Application

Dewey 1859–1952 - The scientific method is the most effective process we have to solve problems. By using the

scientific method to solve problems, children learn how to think reflectively and to direct their experiences in ways that lead to personal and social growth

-- Piaget 1896–1980 - Encourage children to explore and experiment. - Individualize instruction so that children can learn at their own level of readiness. - Design the classroom as a learning center stocked with concrete materials that children can touch,

manipulate, and use.

These proponents and their contributions are useful not only for their influence but also these are the stepping stone in making my philosophy. As an educator, we must teach our students practical skills which they could use for survival. We must also consider students’ individual differences so that we could tap on things where they are good at and develop them to their potential. We exist in order to inspire potential learners.





Philo 301/307

2. How did Western democratic ideas contribute to public schooling in your country?

“One should teach things that one deems to be of everlasting importance to all people everywhere”

Filipinos have a deep regard for education, which they view as a primary avenue for upward social and economic mobility. From the onset of United States colonial rule, with its heavy emphasis on mass public education, Filipinos internalized the American ideal of a democratic society in which individuals could get ahead through attainment of a good education. Middle-class parents make tremendous sacrifices in order to provide secondary and higher education for their children.

During the Ancient periods, culture was passed on and preserved for generation, tribal people were able to adjust and adapt to political and social life, liberal education was integrated in the curriculum, The complimentary development of the person become vital for his cultural development and social transformation of the State and the concept of education ladder was introduce.

In Medieval Conception of Education, Equality before God was expounded in Education; Society became revolutionized through a system of morality with fuller recognition of the integrity of the human personality, and the individual formed bondage to authorities and connections of the church.

Education became person-oriented in approach during the Modern Conceptions of Education. Education became an agency for citizenship involvement for national development and progress, more sciences were included in the curriculum, to determine the suitability and effectiveness of the curriculum materials, systematic and objective analysis was done, learners were trained to make intelligent choices by finding all available facts and the reasoning power to solve life problems.

In education in general, the Americans only continued to nourish the thriving system of education that the Spaniards planted into the Philippine soil. They only intensified the establishment of public schools in the whole country with English as a medium of instruction. And while the Spaniards punished the Filipinos to bludgeon them to learn Spanish and embrace their religion, the Americans collected one centavo coin to punish those who fail to use English when they speak. They impose the strict use of English. Furthermore, they only introduced and emphasized concepts of freedom and democracy which the Filipinos then were longing for. But back then, American democracy was taught but only by theory, not by practice.

Influence of Ten Leading Educators on American EducationBy Ediger, MarlowRead previewI will list the names of influential educators and then say briefly the actual classroom influence these leaders have had on teaching. These educators will not be listed in any specific order of importance, but they are the leaders, I believe, in educational development in the United States.Plato (428-348) was an early advocate of homogeneous groping of students. In his book The Republic, Plato advocated a system of education whereby future adults would be divided into three categories. Workers or artisans would drop out of educational endeavors first due to their limited abilities and achievement. They then provided the goods and services needed by others in Plato's ideal Republic. More important than the workers or the artisans were the warriors or military personnel who were guardians of the state. Warriors had much more ability than did the workers. Warriors were the next to drop out of a demanding school curriculum. At the apex of achievement were the rulers or governmental officials in the ideal state. These leaders stayed on in formal schooling much longer than the artisans or the warriors. US schools have had a long history of homogeneous grouping of students in school. Presently, writers of educational literature are emphasizing heterogeneous grouping of learners, such as cooperative learning whereby mixed achievement levels of learners work together in a committee to secure needed content in an ongoing lesson or unit. In present educational literature, the concept of homogeneous grouping is almost a vulgar or a bad word. Selected schools of today have homogeneous grouping of pupils in classrooms. I would say that nearly all of elementary teachers have about three homogeneous reading groups in teaching reading in a classroom. Perhaps 25% of teachers group homogeneously in arithmetic also.I believe too that Plato had much influence in stressing academic or abstract content as being very salient. Rulers in his ideal state were to be philosophers and be able to contemplate The Forms in heaven. The Forms represented ultimate reality in that perfection existed here. The world that people live in, such as the here and the now, is an imperfect copy of The Forms. The abstract was much more salient to Plato as compared to the concrete. Many educators today believe that labels of students is unwarranted. Thus the slower learner can learn sophisticated academic knowledge presented to the more talented and gifted in a heterogeneously grouped set of students. The slower learner will need more time as compared to their learners in attaining relevant objectives. The academic curriculum today carries much more prestige as compared to the activity centered curriculum which uses concrete materials heavily in teaching pupils. Any form of vocational or career education has lesser values as compared to achieving in the academic areas.Main streaming or full inclusion of students into the regular classroom is the order of the day. This increases heterogeneity of pupils in the classroom. I believe teachers will continue attempts to group students homogeneously as much as possible in attempting to provide more so for individual differences among learners in the classroom. …



MICHAEL STEPHEN R GRACIAS MAY 7, 2016


Philo 301/307

GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION OF PUBLIC EDUCATION#1. How does government influence education?

Governments around the world are introducing a range of strategies focused at improving the financing and delivery of education services, and emphasis on improving quality as well as increasing quantity. The decentralization (including its forms) of educational decision making is one such strategy. Advocates of this strategy maintain that decentralizing decision making encourages demand for a higher quality of education and ensures that schools reflect local priorities and values. By giving a voice and decision-making power to local stakeholders who know more about the local education systems than do central policy makers, decentralization can improve educational outcomes and increase satisfaction. One way to decentralize decision-making power in education is known popularly as school-based management (SBM). It emphasizes the individual school represented by any combination of principals, teachers, parents, students, and other members of the school community as the main decision-making authority, and holds that this shift in the formulating of decisions would lead to improvement in the delivery of education.

Another important consideration under the context of decentralization is the distribution of MOOE to schools in the form of cash advance (drill-down policy). Such distribution of MOOE in cash directly to the schools allows a certain level of control over responding to the actual needs of the schools. However, some divisions and even schools may be reluctant about this scheme at present because of the accompanying responsibility concerning accountability and liquidation processes.

Basic education in our country has suffered a major performance setback in recent years. The country’s chances of fulfilling its commitment to EFA and relevant MDG goals are unlikely, unless the key determinants of these goals are identified, and policies and programs reoriented toward improving the performance of these key determinants to arrest the declining trends in education outcomes.

The impact of decentralization suggests that government must be more responsive to demands particularly in education. There has been a growing awareness of the significance of participatory governance that seeks to involve the citizens and civil society organizations in the government’s decision-making processes.

But then the question which is profoundly comes to our mind now if we want to start with result in our educational setting: Does decentralization lead to improvements in quality, fairness, or efficiency in the delivery of instruction? This question starts





Philo 301/307

LEGAL ASPECTS OF EDUCATION

#1. What are the major laws that govern our educational system?

The following are the major laws which govern our educational system and their functions:Provisions of the 1987 Constitution:Section 1, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution provides that the state shall protect and promote of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.Section 2. The State shall:

Establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people and society.

Establish and maintain, a system of free public education in the elementary and high school levels.

Establish and maintain a system of scholarship grants, student loan programs, subsidies, and other incentives.

Educational Development Decree of 1972Authorizing the undertaking of educational development projects, providing for the mechanics of implementation and financing thereof, and for other purposes

Section 2. National Development Goals: To achieve and maintain an accelerating rate of economic development and social

progress; To assure the maximum participation of all the people in the attainment and enjoyment of

the benefits of such growth; and To strengthen national consciousness and promote desirable cultural values in a changing

world. Section 3. Educational system aims to:

Provide for a broad general education that will assist each individual, in the peculiar ecology of his own society:

To attain his potential as a human being. To enhance the range and quality of individual and group participation in the

basic functions of society. To acquire the essential educational foundation for his development into a

productive and versatile citizen: Train the nation's manpower in the middle level skill required for national development. Develop the high-level professions that will provide leadership for the nation, advance

knowledge through research, and apply new knowledge for improving the quality of human life.

Respond effectively to changing needs and conditions of the nation through a system of

educational planning and evaluation.

BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 232 An act providing for the establishment and maintenance of an integrated system of education.

Education Act of 1982."

Sec. 3. Declaration of Basic Policy. — It is the policy of the State to established and maintain a complete, adequate and integrated system of education relevant to the goals of national development. Toward this end, the government shall ensure, within the context of a free and democratic system, maximum contribution of the educational system to the attainment of the following national developmental goals:

To achieve and maintain an accelerating rate of economic development and social progress;

To ensure the maximum participation of all the people in the attainment and enjoyment of the benefits of such growth; and

To achieve and strengthen national unity and consciousness and preserve, develop and promote desirable cultural, moral and spiritual values in a changing world.

The State shall promote the right of every individual to relevant quality education, regardless of sex, age, creed, socio-economic status, physical and mental conditions, racial or ethnic origin, political or other affiliation. The State shall therefore promote and maintain equality of access to education as well as the enjoyment of the benefits of education by all its citizens.

The state shall promote the right of the nation's cultural communities in the exercise of their right to develop themselves within the context of their cultures, customs, traditions, interest and belief, and recognizes education as an instrument for their maximum participation in national development and in ensuring their involvement in achieving national unity.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7722

AN ACT CREATING THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Higher Education Act of 1994

Sec. 2. The State shall protect, foster and promote the right of all citizens to affordable quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to ensure that education shall be accessible to all. The State shall likewise ensure and protect academic freedom and shall promote its exercise and observance for the continuing intellectual growth, the advancement of learning and research, the development of responsible and effective leadership, the education of high-level and middle-level professionals and the enrichment of our historical and cultural heritage.

State-supported institutions of higher learning shall gear their programs to national, regional or local development plans. Finally, all institutions of higher learning shall exemplify through their physical and natural surroundings the dignity and beauty of as well as their pride in, the intellectual and scholarly life.





Philo 301/307

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION#1. What do educational systems in various countries have in common? In what respects do they differ?

Education is the process of becoming an educated person. Being an educated person means we have access to best states of mind regardless of the situation we are in. We are able to perceive accurately, think clearly and act effectively to achieve self-selected goals and aspirations. Burg (2008) said that education is a process of cognitive cartography, mapping your experiences and finding a variety of reliable routes to optimal states when you find yourself in non-optimal states. These are the similarities and differences of educational system in many countries.

SIMILARITIES DIFFERENCESSocial Class Origins and School Outcomes - Throughout most of the world, lower-income students are at an educational disadvantage.

Resources Devoted to Education- The percentage income spent on education varies because of countries’ incomes and the priority they give to education. Larger expenditures allow for more student enrollment and a higher level of educational services.

Multicultural Populations- Nearly every nation must find ways to effectively educate diverse student populations.

Extent of Centralization- Nations vary widely in how much educational decision making occurs at local and national government levels.

Teaching Approaches and Conditions - Teachers in many countries share similar sources of frustration and reward, and research finds remarkable similarity in the teaching and learning processes of different school systems.

Curriculum Content and Instructional Emphases

- The subjects and methods that receive most attention reflect the culture and priorities of each country.

Vocational Versus Academic Education- After the first few years of common schooling, some nations more commonly separate students into academic or vocational educational tracks for further education.

Enrollment in Higher Education- Emphasis on academics in earlier schools, resources devoted to education, and occupational requirements in different countries contribute to wide variations in enrollment and completion of college and university studies. Nonpublic Schools- Differences in culture and governmental structure contribute to variations in the size and functioning of nonpublic education.

The bottom line why we are here it is because of our common goal of educators is to see students become better people. As Aristotle said that the fate of empires depends on the education of youth. How

this is done is determined by how well our learner internalizes the concepts of the discipline taught.





Philo 301/307

SCHOOL EFFECTIVENESS AND REFORMS#1. What are the characteristics of effective teaching and effective schools?

EFFECTIVE TEACHING Effective teaching depends on complex interrelationships of a whole range of factors - a

major one of which is the teacher understanding of the different ways in which students learn. Most of the research focused on effective teaching pointed toward a model of teaching that

involves reflection. Reflective and mindful teachers are aware of the workings of there own minds as they engage in the practice of instruction.

Below are some characteristics of effective teaching.1. Teacher knowledge, enthusiasm and responsibility for learning. 2. Classroom activities that encourage learning. 3. Assessment activities that encourage learning through experience. 4. Effective feedback that establishes the learning processes in the classroom. 5. Effective interaction between the teacher and the students, creating an environment that respects,

encourages and stimulates learning through experience.

EFFECTIVE SCHOOLSAccording to Johnson (1997), effective schools emphasizes teacher excellence,

collaboration, and mentoring so that schools become places where every educator is recognized as a valuable contributor with unique strengths and impressive potential to learn, grow, and improve. Researchers usually define effectiveness of schools at least partly in terms of outstanding student achievement.

Below are some characteristics of effective schools.1. Clear and Shared Focus2. High Standards and Expectations for All Students3. Effective School Leadership4. High Levels of Collaboration and Communication5. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Aligned with Standards6. Frequent Monitoring of Learning and Teaching7. Focused Professional Development8. Supportive Learning Environment9. High Levels of Family and Community Involvement

A number of common features of effective schools and effective teaching have been identified in research conducted in a range of countries. This provides an important evidence-base on the correlates of effective schools and teachers and has stimulated school improvement initiatives at national and local level. A clear focus on a limited set of aims shared by staff is associated with more successful improvement initiatives, in particular increasing the school’s focus on the teaching and learning process. Linking whole school planning and specific classroom pedagogical approaches to improvement is likely to have a greater impact on student outcomes than strategies which focus on the school. It must be recognized that successful school

improvement cannot be externally mandated but involves careful and realistic planning and the conscious commitment and involvement of teachers and leaders in schools (Stringfield, Ross & Smith 1996).

Clear and Shared Focus Everybody knows where they are going and why. The focus is on achieving a shared vision, and all understand their role in achieving the vision. The focus and vision are developed from common beliefs and values, creating a consistent direction for all involved.

High Standards and Expectations for All Students.

Teachers and staff believe that all students can learn and meet high standards. While recognizing that some students must overcome significant barriers, these obstacles are not seen as insurmountable. Students are offered an ambitious and rigorous course of study.

3

Effective School Leadership. Effective instructional and administrative leadership is re-

quired to implement change processes. Effective leaders proactively seek needed help. They

nurture an instructional program and school culture conducive to learning and professional growth. Effective leaders have different styles and roles – teachers and other staff, including those in the district office, often have a leadership role.

4

High Levels of Collaboration and Communication. There is strong teamwork among teach-

ers across all grades and with other staff. Everybody is involved and connected to each other,

including parents and members of the community, to identify problems and work on solutions.

5

Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Aligned with Standards. The planned and actual

curriculum are aligned with the essential academic learning requirements (EALRs). Re-

search-based teaching strategies and materials are used. Staff understand the role of classroom and state assessments, what the assessments measure, and how student work is evaluated.

6

Frequent Monitoring of Learning and Teaching. A steady cycle of different assessments

identify students who need help. More support and instructional time is provided, either during the school day or outside normal school hours. Teaching is adjusted based on frequent

monitoring of student progress and needs. Assessment results are used to focus and improve instructional programs.

7

Focused Professional Development. A strong emphasis is placed on training staff in areas of

most need. Feedback from learning and teaching focuses extensive and ongoing professional

development. The support is also aligned with the school or district vision and objectives.

8

Supportive Learning Environment. The school has a safe, civil, healthy and intellectually

stimulating learning environment. Students feel respected and connected with the staff and

are engaged in learning. Instruction is personalized and small learning environments increase student contact with teachers.

9

High Levels of Family and Community Involvement. There is a sense that all have a respon-

sibility to educate students, not just teachers and school staff. Families, businesses,

social service agencies, and community colleges/universities all play a vital role in this effort.

reflection paper on philosophy of education

Documents