Philosophies of Education

Idealism

Idealism is a branch of philosophy that deals solely in the mind of the individual. A teacher who leans towards idealism believes that teachers need to show students how to discover things within their minds that are already there, and that students must be self motivated to learn and cannot be taught if they are unwilling. Idealistic teachers will teach students about the past to help them discover for themselves. Idealists believe that there are unchanging truths to the universe.

Realism

Realism is a philosophical school that deals with the physical body and world. A teacher who proscribes to this doctrine believes that knowledge is gained by taking in stimuli using the five senses and in no other way. Students should be taught to experiment and be logical, and teachers are invaluable as an outside influence that can mold students' learning. Realists believe that there are universal laws that cannot be questioned.

Pragmatism

Pragmatists believe that the world is naturally full of change, and Pragmatic teachers believe that all knowledge is in flux, changing with the changing world. Pragmatists believe that the act of learning is more important than what is being learned, and put a lot of stock on problem solving in groups.

Existentialism

Existentialists believe that the world and our existence are essentially meaningless, and as such education is more about discovering your own views and thoughts in an indifferent world. Teachers who are existentialists teach giving students the freedom to use their education to fill in the gaps of their understandings.

I feel that I am an Idealist with Pragmatic leanings. I feel that as an educator I definitely believe that students have access already to everything that we teach them, and that our teaching is just a way for students to unlock the doors in their heads that are keeping them from that information. I believe that even as children we are already who we are meant to be, but that as we grow different stimuli allows us to access the information we already have. I believe that the world, much like our minds, is full of concrete and unchanging truth that we are simply unaware or incapable of knowing at this time in history. I feel that the change that we see in the world is simply we as human beings becoming more aware of our own selves and of the Earth as an entity.