2.

1 John Locke Locke believed that the purpose of education was to bring children up to be virtuous,
using the power of reason to overcome desire. Education was to be directed towards learning moral
behavior in society rather than exploring the desires of the individual.
2.2 Herbert Spencer Herbert Spencer defined the purpose and task of education was to teach everyone
how to live completely in the aspect of moral education, spencer put forward that individual self-
preservation is the most important moral principle and coined the moral evolution formula.
2.3 John Dewey Progressive education is essentially a view of education that emphasizes the need to
learn by doing. Dewey believed that human beings learn thoughts a “Hands-on” approach. This places
Dewey in the educational philosophy of pragmatism. Pragmatism believes that reality must be
experienced.
2.4 George Counts George Sylvester Counts was born on December 9, 1889 in Baldwin City, Kansas. He
received his A.B. Counts said that schools are driven by the forces that transform the rest of the social
order rather than the school directing the change. Education needs to be scrutinized by teachers.
2.5 Theodore Brameld Brameld believed the creation of a new social order through education would
fulfill the basic values of society and harmonize with the underlying social and economic forces of the
modern world. The child, the school, and the education would be conditioned by social and cultural
forces.
2.6 Paulo Freire According to Freire, education is the cultural action for freedom, an act of knowing and
not the act of memorization. He also said that education is the practice of liberation because it frees the
educator from slavery of silence.

Brief history about philosophers:

- John Locke believed the purpose of education was to produce an individual with a sound mind in
a sound body so as to better serve his country. Locke also thought that the content of education
ought to depend upon one’s station in life. The common man only required moral, social, and
vocational knowledge.
- Herbert Spencer defined the purpose and task of education was to teach everyone how to live
completely. Education has for its object the formation of character.” “Science is organized
knowledge.” “People are beginning to see that the first requisite to success in life is to be a good
animal.” “In science the important thing is to modify and change one's ideas as science
advances.”
- John Dewey was a proponent of making learning experiences centered around student interests
and developing socially responsible citizens. All of these real world, meaningful connections that
occur in place-based education, contribute to creating educational experiences that result in
socially responsible citizens.
- George Counts educational philosophy was also an outgrowth of John Dewey’s philosophy. Both
men believed in the enormous potential of education to improve society and that schools
should reflect life rather than be isolated from it.
- Theodore Brameld founded the educational philosophy of Social Reconstructionist which
emphasized the addressing of social questions and a quest to create a better society and
worldwide democracy (Philosophical Perspective).
Reconstructionist educators focus on a curriculum that emphasizes social reform as the aim of
education.
Paulo Freire's thoughts favored “Pedagogy of liberation” that encouraged dialogue between teachers
and students. He sought to empower students to ask questions and to challenge the status quo. He
began refining his methods during the 1950’s, when he taught literacy to peasant’s adult men.