Vanessa Bagolor

Professor Sgobba

EDU 201 - 1005

March 26, 2021

Philosophy Paper

Educational philosophies change the way children learn and develop. The four

philosophies are perennialism, essentialism, progressivism, and reconstruction. Perennialism

emphasizes life’s truths as the main purpose of education. Early colonial schools, like parochial

and dame schools, were dedicated more towards religious learning and the reading of the bible.

Today, it is seen with the teachings of works of literature like Macbeth and Moby Dick. Then

there is essentialism which is all about real world knowledge given to students systematically.

Benjamin Franklin structured his academy, the Philadelphia Academy, after perennialist and

essentialist philosophical orientations. Educational reforms like the National Defense Education

Act of 1958 reflect essentialism and that of which created new programs and a new math

(Parkay, 161). After there is existentialism, which emphasizes students as creators of their own

education and future. Finally there is progressivism which is the philosophical orientation that

education should become more student centered. John Dewey established his Laboratory school

to implement his progressive principles in the classroom, with its curriculum created to fit his

student’s interests. Progressivism is seen today through policies like the Bilingual Education Act.

I believe children should grow and learn in a safe environment that encourages a positive

attitude with interesting and impactful material. Their education should include more

collaboration between classmates, more hands-on projects, and a more technology integrated
classroom. Through more self directed projects, students will relate to the material that promotes

their own self discovery. In today’s digital world, the use of multiple internet resources can

create engaging lesson plans that will inspire more ready to learn children. With these strategies,

young students will learn to develop “the skills they need in order to learn any subject, instead of

focusing on transmitting a particular subject” (Labree).

While sometimes it does not always feel like it, I love school and learning. Growing up

with teachers filled with warmth and understanding, I want to share and inspire young students

of the world. Throughout my kindergarten field observation, I realize -especially with online

classes and hybrid classes- that kids need to be engaged to learn and have interest in the task at

hand to truly understand and learn the material in front of them. I found the most engagement

happens with educational internet tools rather than the worksheets given to them. Progressivism

holds students’ interests as the driving force with the teacher as a guide. With a more student-

centered classroom, I hope to include a curriculum more towards my future student’s interests.

My own high school included academies with specific classes dedicated to broadening

everyone’s interests: Education, Medical, Artistic, Hospitality, Business, and Agriculture.

Through this, most students are able to go into the field they were exposed from high school to

college. The ability to choose their curriculum gives students the tools to understand themselves

and the future they decide.

It is with these beliefs why my educational philosophy leans more toward progressivism.

Every child is different so their education should be too. Education used to be about developing

an understanding great enough to read and recognize the teachings of the bible. They used to

believe being a child was a sin in itself but learning should be fun, interesting, and engaging

(Parkay, 144-146). The past is full of mistakes to learn from and understanding the past and its
history help make decisions to better the future and how to approach teaching growing minds.

For example, Board v. Brown was, at the time, incredibly controversial but it is of my

understanding that it is why children need to know, understand, appreciate and cherish the

differences between one another. In turn, kids should be safe and encourage themselves to share

their own traditions and culture to each other without any fear of backlash. Not to mention, the

freedom to learn of their own history in America.

For the future, I hope to become more educated, more understanding, and more tech

savvy. With more experiences and field observations, I will learn the skills to become a teacher

able to adapt to the needs of my future students, both emotional and educational. Possibly in the

future, I can do it through student teaching or substitute teaching and maybe tutoring, just to get

experience teaching a subject. Not to mention, an increased knowledge of different internet tools

that can be used in the classroom.

I choose progressivism as my educational philosophy because I believe in its student

centered curriculum and its focus on children’s educational needs. I hope to one day implement

progressive elements to better my future student’s learning experience and overall create an

eager-to-learn environment.

Works Cited

Labaree, David F. “Progressivism, Schools and Schools of Education: An American Romance.”

Paedagogica Historica, vol. 41, no. 1-2, Feb. 2005, pp. 275–288,

10.1080/0030923042000335583.
‌Parkay, Forrest W. Becoming a Teacher. 11th ed., Pearson Education, Inc., 2020.