PHILOSOPHIES

OF EARLY
CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION
Presented by: John Rasgo
TOPIC OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION IDEALISM

NATURALISM PRAGMATISM

PROGRESSIVISM
REALISM
 INTRODUCTION
TO THE
PHILOSOPHIES OF
EARLY CILDOOD
EDUCATION
Philosophy of education is the branch of applied or
practical philosophy concerned with the nature and
aims of education and the philosophical problems
arising from educational theory and practice.
deals with those general principles underlying the
study of education.
seeks to discover values and purposes and the ideas
towards the achievement of educational goals.
includes a critical examination of the methods and
principles by which scientific knowledge is
established within the chosen area of human activity.
Philosophy of education is a specialized area in
education designed to give the clear analysis of
educational concepts and general ideas in education
concepts and ideas.
speculates in the area of education by applying
reasons to project certain ideals concerning education
and suggesting ways of realizing those ideals.
Philosophy is very much interested in reasoning i.e
critical examination analysis of facts. It does not
believe in speculative rather it has much interest in
scientific reasoning.
NATURALISM
Naturalism is a philosophy with the belief that
nature alone represents the entire reality. There
is nothing beyond behind, or other than nature.
According to this philosophy, human life is the
part of the scheme of nature.
This philosophy gives emphasis to matter, the
physical world. It does not believe in spirituality
and supernaturalism.
THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
NATURALISM

Physical Mechanical Biological

Naturalism Naturalism Naturalism
 PHYSICAL MECANICAL
NATURALISM NATURALISM

It is believed that reality exists in It regards man as a mere machine.

the natural universe not within the There is no spirit or soul. Only
individual. matter is everything. Mind is also a

matter made up atoms, empty

space, and motion.
BIOLOGICAL
NATURALISM
It tries to explain man in terms of
lower form of life from which he has
evolved.
NATURALISM AND EDUCATION
Naturalism is a revolt against traditional system of
education, which gives very little freedom to the
child.
maximum freedom and central position is given
to the child.
This philosophy believes that education should be
according to the nature of child.
It advocates creation of natural conditions in
which natural development of child can take
place.
NATURALISM AND EDUCATION
According to Rousseau, there are three sources of
education namely, nature, men, and things.
Education from nature is to prepare a natural
man.
 AIM OF
EDUCATION
self-realization, self-expression
and self-preservation.

Curriculum
no fixed curriculum
Every child is given the right to
determine his own curriculum
He is expected to learn directly
from nature through personal
experiences
Discipline
Naturalist gives utmost freedom to the
child to do and learn the behavior
no punishment of any kind
Naturalism also believes that formal
education is the invention of society,
which is created and can be called
artificial.
Methods of Teaching
Learning by doing, playway
method, observation and
experimentation are used, so as to
govern self.
According to Rousseau, 'Students
should not be given any verbal
lessons rather than they should be
taught experience alone.
Role of Teacher
Teacher is always behind the
screen
a spectator or an observer
acts as a facilitator, a setter of
the stage, and as a supplier of
materials and opportunities.
REALISM
focus is on the body/objects
Realist curriculum emphasizes the subject
matter of the physical world, particularly
science and mathematics

Teaching methods focus on mastery of facts and basic skills

through demonstration and recitation
Students must also demonstrate the ability to think critically
and scientifically, using observation and experimentation

Curriculum should be scientifically approached,

standardized, and distinct-discipline based.
Character is developed through training in the
rules of conduct.
Educational scene as a protest against systems of education
that have become artificial.
Realism appears to be a reaction against curricula
consisting of studies that have become bookish,
sophisticated and a abstruse.
we have a slogan in Naturalism- ‘ Back to Nature ‘ – in
Realism we have a slogan-‘ Things rather than words ‘.
Education is that which makes a man happy by getting
acquaintance with real circumstances of life, create capacity
for struggling with adverse situation in life.
Realistic education is connected with the needs of life. ”
( Dr. Chaube, S.P. and Akilesh )
 FOUR POINTS OF REALISM
IN EDUCATION

HUMANISTIC
REALISM SOCIAL
REALISM
SENSE
REALISM NEO-
REALISM
HUMANISTIC REALISM IN
EDUCATION
is the reaction against the emphasize on form and
style of the old classical literature. It has great
regard for the ancient literature but it emphasizes
the study of content and ideas in the ancient
classical literature to understand one’s present
social life and environment.
The aim is not to study the form and style of old
literature to have mastery over it. The study of old
literature is a means to understand the practical life.
classical literature should be studied but not for
studying its form and style but for its content and
ideas it contained.
SOCIAL REALISM IN EDUCATION

Education is the reaction against a type

of education that produces scholars and
professional men to the neglect of the
man of affairs
The purpose of education, according to
social realists is to prepare the practical
man of the world
THE SENSE REALISM IN EDUCATION
The sense realism in education emphasizes
the training of the senses. Senses are the
gateways of knowledge and learning takes
place the operation of the senses.
According to sense-realists nature is the
treasure house of all knowledge and this
knowledge can be obtained through the
training of the senses.
attached more importance to the study of
natural sciences and contemporary social
life. Study of languages is not so significant
as the study of natural sciences and
contemporary life.
NEO-REALISM IN EDUCATION
They do not consider the scientific principles everlasting while
they express the changeability in them. They support the
education of art with the science and analytical system of
education with the humanistic feelings.
They consider living and non living all objective to be organs
and the development of organs is the main objective and all
round development of the objects is the main characteristic of
education.
gives stress on the subject physics and on humanistic
feelings, physics and psychology, sociology, economics,
Ethics, Politics, history, Geography, agriculture varied arts,
languages and so on, are the main subjects to be studied
according to the Neo-realists.
 REALISM AND AIMS OF
EDUCATION :

“Realists do not believe in general and common

aims of education. According to them aims are
specific to each individual and his perspectives.”
The aim of education should be to teach truth
rather than beauty, to understand the present
practical life.
The purpose of education, according to social
realists, is to prepare the practical man of the
world.

 REALISM AND AIMS OF

EDUCATION :

For the realist, the world is as it is, and the job of

schools would be to teach students about the
world.
Goodness, for the realist, would be found in the
laws of nature and the order of the physical
world.
Truth would be the simple correspondences of
observation.
 REALISM AND AIMS OF
EDUCATION :

or
The Realist believes in a world of Things
Beings (metaphysics) and in truth as an
Observable Fact. Furthermore, ethics is the law of
nature or Natural Law and aesthetics is the
reflection of Nature.

 REALISM AND AIMS OF

EDUCATION :

common
Realists do not believe in general and
aims of education. According to them aims are
specific to each individual and his perspectives.
And each one has different perspectives.
The aim of education should be to teach truth
rather than beauty, to understand the present
practical life. The purpose of education, according
to social realists, is to prepare the practical man of
the world.

REALISM AND
THE CHILD:

Realism in education recognizes the importance of the

child.
The child is a real unit which has real existence. He has
some feelings, some desires and some powers.
These powers of the child shall have to be given due
regarding at the time of planning education.
Child can reach near reality through learning by reason.
Child has to be given as much freedom as possible.
The child is to be enabled to proceed on the basis of
facts; the child can learn only when he follows the laws
of learning.”
 The method of the realists involves
teaching for the mastery of facts in
order to develop an understanding

REALISM AND of natural law.

This can be done by teaching both
METHODS OF the materials and their application.
real knowledge comes only when
TEACHING the organism can organize the data
of experience.
The realist prefers to use inductive
logic, going from the particular facts
of sensory experience to the more
general laws deducible from these
data.
IDEALISM
The word idealism is derived from two distinct sources-
the idea and the ideal. Idea means true and testified
knowledge. The word ideal stands for the perfected
form of an idea or ideas.
An idealist does not have considerations for material
values of life.
A thinker who idolizes ‘Mind and Self’ is an idealist.
Idealism is one of the oldest schools of philosophy.
TYPES OF IDEALISM

 TYPES OF IDEALISM

ABSOLUTE MODERN
IDEALISM IDEALISM
 TYPES OF IDEALISM
ABSOLUTE IDEALISM

Mind is ultimately spiritual, not materialistic. Human

nature is to be viewed, as more than a behaving
organism, responding to the stimuli of its environment.
Idealism stresses certain wholeness. Nothing happens
in any part of the system that does not affect the rest.
 TYPES OF IDEALISM
MODERN IDEALISM

metal state
The environment in itself cannot be known through
intermediate idea of it. The environments in itself cannot
be known directly. It can only be known through
intermediate idea of human knower. From which the
learner’s knowledge takes, therefore, is bound to be in
part the product of his human way of apprehending it.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF
IDEALISM

TWO FORMS OF IDEAS ARE MORE

THE WHOLE IMPORTANT
WORLD THAN OBJECT
TWO FORMS OF THE IDEAS ARE MORE
WHOLE WORLD IMPORTANT THAN OBJECT

Idealism believes in two forms According to Idealists,

of the world- Spiritual world and knowledge of mind and soul
Material world, Idealists gives can be obtained through
more importance to spiritual ideas only. Hence, they have
world in comparison to the
given more importance to
material world. They believe
ideas over the objects and
that spiritual world is real and
material or later
the ultimate truth whereas the
material world is transitory and
moral.
 IMPORTANCE OF MAN FAITH IN SPIRITUAL VALUES
OVER NATURE
According to Idealists, prime aim of life is
man is more important than material nature.
to achieve spiritual values-Truth, beauty
It is because man can think and experience
and goodness. These spiritual values are
about material objects and material
undying and permanent. The realization
phenomena. Hence, the thinker or the one
of these values is the realization of God.
who experiences is more important than the
In the pursuit of these absolute values
object or the phenomena experienced
man rises higher and higher in the moral
Man is endowed with intelligence and a
plane till he attains divinity. For the
sense of discrimination. Thus, he is not a
achievement of these spiritual values all
slave of the environment as animals are but
the capacities of man are to be
the moulds and transforms the environment
harnessed to the full. These capacities
for his own good and welfare of the society
are- knowing, feeling and willing.
man creates his own world of virtue and his
creativity achieves higher and higher levels
of art in many areas.

 IMPORTANCE OF
PERSONALITY
DEVELOPMENT
Idealists give much importance to the ‘self’
of the individual. Hence they insist upon
the fullest development of the personality
of an individual. According to them the
development of personality means
achievement of ‘perfection’.
FULL SUPPORT TO THE PRINCIPLE
OF UNITY IN DIVERSITY
Idealist believe that is of
spiritual nature. This may be
called Universal Consciousness
or Divinity. This underlying
divine force maintains the
existence and working of all
entities. Idealists call this power
as God, the Supreme Force
which is omnipotent and
omnipresent.
IDEALISM AND
AIMS OF
EDUCATION

“The function of education is

to help us in our exploration
of the ultimate universal
values so that truth of the
universe may become our
truth and give power to our
life.’’
 SELF REALIZATION

According to idealism man is the most beautiful creation of

god-His grandest work. It lays great stress on the exaltation
of human personality it is self-realization The aim of
education is to develop the self of the individuals higher till
self-realization is achieved It is in fact making actual or real
the highest potentialities of the self.
 UNIVERSAL EDUCATION

Education according to idealism should be universal in

nature. The universe is regarded as a thought process.
Education should be based on the teaching of Universal
truth from the stand-point of rationality of the Universe
 SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

Idealists give greater importance to spiritual values in

comparison with material attainments. According to Rusk,
“Education must enable Mankind through its culture to
enter more and more fully into the spiritual realm, and also
enlarge the boundaries of spiritual realm”.
 TRANSMISSION AND
PROMOTION OF CULTURAL
HERITAGE

The aim of idealistic education is the preservation ;

enrichment and transmission of culture, Education must
contribute to the development of culture .It should help in
enlarging the boundaries of spiritual realm
 CULTIVATION OF MORAL
VALUES
According to idealism, man is essentially a moral being.
Therefore, moral, intellectual and aesthetic aspects of his
personality should be promoted. According to Dr.Prem Nath
“The process of education must lead to the deepest spiritual
insight and to the highest moral and spiritual insight and to
the highest moral and spiritual insight and to the highest
moral and spiritual conduct .”
PREPARATION FOR A HOLY LIFE

Idealism prepares an individual for a holy life. Froebel

says.”The object of education is the realization of a faithful,
pure, inviolable and hence holy life.’’
 DEVELOPMENT OF
INTELLIGENCE AND
RATIONALITY
Idealism wishes that education should develop the mind
fully. It makes a person rational as well. Only the highly
developed mind can understand the all pervading force. The
idealists believe that education must help in the full
evolution of mind , the emancipation of spirit, self realization
and the realization of higher values of life and to train the
whole man completely and fully for manhood and not some
part of man.
IDEALISM AND
CURRICULUM

While developing curriculum, idealists give more

importance to thought, feelings, ideals and values than
to the child and his activities. They firmly hold that
curriculum should be concerned with the whole
humanity and its experiences. It must consist of
humanities.
The curriculum should give good mental experience of
all types. So cognition (knowing) affecting (feeling) and
conation (striving) should find due place. Sciences and
art should be taught as fully integrated. Since the main
aim of education according to the philosophy of idealism
is to preserve and advance the culture of human race ,so
subjects like Religion, Ethics, philosophy, History,
Literature etc, should be provided in the curriculum.
Healthy mind is found in healthy baby only. So health,
hygiene, games and sports should find an important
place in the curriculum.
IDEALISM AND
METHODS OF
TEACHING

Idealism has not prescribed specific methods of

teaching. According to idealism, class-room is a temple
of spiritual learning, a meeting place of human minds- a
place for self education. For this no particular method
has been suggested.
the following methods have been advocated by different
idealists:

·· Learning through reading

·· Learning through lecturing
·· Learning through discussion
·· Learning through imitation
·· Descrates employed the device of simple to
complex

 IDEALISM AND
DISCIPLINE

Idealists believe that there can be no spiritual

development of the child without discipline. This leads
to inner discipline. “The discipline is not to be imposed
on pupils. The teacher has only to help them to develop
self discipline and through that self knowledge”
Self-insight and self analysis are the main disciplinary
factors. The main task of education is the cultivation of
higher values of life through moral and religious
education. It requires the teacher to present a good
example and exercise lasting impact upon the pupil’s
mind. A teacher is an ideal person to be emulated by
this pupil.
IDEALISM AND
TEACHER

 Idealism assigns a special role to the teacher. It considers teacher as a

spiritual guide for the child. The teacher serves as a living model for the
student. He sets the environment in which education takes place. He carries
the child from darkness to light. He is to guide the student towards utmost
possible perfection

Idealism regards the teacher as the priest of man’s spiritual

heritage. He is a co-worker with God in perfecting man. An
idealist teacher is a philosopher, friend and guide. According
to Gentle- A teacher is “a spiritual symbol of right conduct.”
He is thus, an indispensable necessity.
According to Froebel, the school is a garden, the teacher is a
cautious gardener and the child is a tender plant. The plant
can grow, no doubt, without help but the good gardener sees
that the plant grows to the finest possible perfection.
Through teacher’s guidance the child can make his natural

development into a process leading to perfection and beauty.

CONTRIBUTIONS
OF IDEALISM TO
EDUCATION

Idealistic philosophy in education emphasizes ‘the

exaltation of personality’, which is the result of self-
realization, achieved by spiritual knowledge, self-
discipline and dignified teacher.
Idealism assigns a very important place to the teacher who is
respected as a guide, and philosopher. They emphasize the
importance of moral and spiritual education and points out
the values of humanities, social sciences, art and literature. It
emphasizes man’s perfection in various facets of life-physical,
spiritual, intellectual, moral, esthetic and social.
 EVALUATION OF IDEALISM

(1)The common criticism regarding Idealism is that it is an

abstract and vague doctrine. It avoids the present realities
and prepares the child for the next world.

(2) Idealism is concerned with the ultimate end of life. It

avoids the real problems day to day living. Education should
be such as to make individuals capable to solve the
problems that confront them from time to time able to lead a
happy and contented life.
 EVALUATION OF IDEALISM

(3) Idealism lays more emphasis on thinking and mental activities.

This increases the importance of intellectualism unnecessarily.

(4) Idealistic education gives more importance to teacher in

relation to the child. Modern psychology emphasizes the prime
and central importance of child.

(5) Idealistic methods of teaching emphasize cramming and rote

memory. In modern education, these methods are given little
importance.
CONCLUSION

Idealism may be considered to be outmoded in the prevailing scientific

world view. Idealistic concepts like ‘spirit’, ‘mind’, ‘soul’, and ‘the cosmos’
have little relevance in the class-room teaching. There is too much
emphasis on good manners and modesty which may be mistaken.
It neglects child’s psychological nature. Idealism does not contribute to
methods of teaching. It sets unobtainable goals. Idealistic scheme of
education, by and large, pays attention to physical, industrial, social and
electronic environment of today.
It neglects social aspects of life. It over emphasizes humanity and under
rates science and technology.
In all, we can say that idealistic approach to education has its own
merits and shortcomings. It should, therefore, be supplemented by other
philosophy or philosophies of education.
PRAGMATISM AND ITS
CONTRIBUTION TO EDUCATION

The term ‘Pragmatism’ derives its origin from a

Greek word ‘Pragma’ meaning ‘Activity’ or
‘Practice’ or ‘Action’. As action gets priority over
thought, Pragmatism is also known as ‘Expenditure’
which believes in ‘practicability’ or ‘utility’
depending upon the truth, reality, goodness or
badness which are all relative terms and are not
predetermined or absolute.
Pragmatism tends to hold the idea that the
truth/fact of yesterday needs to be experienced
truly, today and tomorrow. It idealizes the activity
on the basis of its consequence over time frame. In
short, it conceptualizes an inference on the basis of
changed or changing needs, circumstances and
places. Pragmatists believe that no truth is absolute
and permanent as it is ever changing from time to
time and place to place and from circumstance to
circumstance.
 their fundamental start is “change”. Whatever was
true yesterday need not be the true today. The
philosophy of pragmatists is predetermined to
those ideas and values which result in utility to
mankind in certain time, place or circumstance
rather than any predetermined of life.
PRAGMATISM
AND AIMS OF
EDUCATION
Pragmatists believe that life is dynamic which is subjected to constant change;
hence the aims of education are bound to be dynamic. According to them,
Education deals with human life, so it must help the children to fulfill their
biological and social needs. Education should enable a child to create values in
his life. In the words of Ross, education must create new values: “the main
task of educator is to put the educand into a position to develop values for
him”.
The aims of education as formulated by the Pragmatists are the following:

 To create new values: The Pragmatists do not believe in the theory of any fixed aim of
education. In their opinion, the aim of education is to create new values and the act of
teacher is to help himself develop new values.

 To enable pupils to gather experience through activity: For the creation of new values,
activity and experience are essential. Education should therefore, provide physical,
intellectual, moral and aesthetic activities as the media for the creation of new values.

 To help the pupil to adjust with him and the society: The other important aim of
education according to pragmatism is to help the pupil to make adjustment with himself
and the society.
  To help the pupil to reconstruct his experience: Every individual
has to solve different types of complex problems in his life. So the
another important aim of education, according to Pragmatism is to
enable the pupil to form such an outlook about life as can help to
tackle successfully the different problems of his life in future,

 To make all round development of the pupil: All round development

of the individual is also an important aim of education. The individual
develops physically, mentally, socially and aesthetically.
CONTRIBUTION OF PRAGMATISM TO
EDUCATION

“Activity lies at the centre of all educative process.

The basis of all teaching is the activity of the child” -
Foster
 CONTRIBUTION OF PRAGMATISM TO
EDUCATION

Education is preparation for life. Pragmatism makes a man socially efficient.

They believe that the children should not be asked to work according to
predetermined goals. They should rather determine their goals according to
their needs and interests. Pragmatism is based on the psychology of
individual differences. Pragmatists want education according to aptitudes and
abilities of the individual. Every individual must be respected and education
should be planned to cater his inclinations and capacities.
 CONTRIBUTION OF PRAGMATISM TO
EDUCATION

According to pragmatism, the theory and practice of education is based on

two main principles, namely (i) Education should have a social function and (ii)
Education should provide real life experience to the child.
 CONTRIBUTION OF PRAGMATISM TO
EDUCATION
Broadly, pragmatism and education can be discussed as follows:

 Every continuous experience or activity is educative and all education in fact,

resides in having such experience. But continuous growth in experience is not the
whole education. Education is something more. It is constant reorganizing or
reconstructing of experience.

 Pragmatism provides definite aims of education. The student is prepared to live

in a society and learn skills and attitude.

 The teaching methods are based on learning by doing. The project method is
the contribution of pragmatism to modern education.
 CONTRIBUTION OF PRAGMATISM TO
EDUCATION
 Pragmatism encourages a democratic way to learning through purposeful and
co-operative projects and activities.

 Utility in the educative process is the first criterion. The school is expected to
provide learning experiences that are useful.

 Education is not bound to tradition. Pragmatic philosophers advice us to test

everything through our own experience.

 The teacher has to play a very challenging role in the education process under
pragmatism and he has to be very alert and watchful.
PRAGMATISM
AND
CURRICULUM
CONTRIBUTION OF PRAGMATISM TO
EDUCATION
the following principles have been prescribed by the pragmatists.

1. Principle of Utility: According to this principle only those subjects,

activities and experiences should be included in the curriculum which are
useful to the present needs of the child and also meet the future
expectations of adult life as well. The subjects are such as Language,
Physical well being, Physical training, Geography, History, Science,
Agriculture and Home Science for girls.
CONTRIBUTION OF PRAGMATISM TO
EDUCATION
2. Principle of Interest:

According to this principle, only those activities and experiences where the
child takes interest are of four varieties namely (i) Interest in conversation (ii)
Interest in investigation (iii) Interest in construction and (iv) Interest in
creative expression. Keeping these varieties of interest in view at the
primary stage, the curriculum should include writing, counting, art, craft-
work, natural science and other practical work of simple nature.
CONTRIBUTION OF PRAGMATISM TO
EDUCATION
3. Principle of Experience:

The third principle of pragmatics curriculum is the child’s activity, vocation

and experience. All these three should be closely integrated. The curriculum
should consist of such varieties of learning experiences which promote
original thinking and freedom to develop social and purposeful attitudes.
CONTRIBUTION OF PRAGMATISM TO
EDUCATION
4. Principle of Integration:

Pragmatic curriculum deals with the integration of subjects and activities.

Pragmatists want to construct flexible, dynamic and integrated curriculum
which aids the developing child and the changing society more and more as
he/she needs, demands and situation requires.
 PRAGMATISM AND METHOD OF
TEACHING
Teaching-learning process is social and bi-polar process. Learning takes
place as an interaction between the teacher and the taught. Pragmatism
gives priority to the taught. Similarly, between the thought and action, it
gives priority to action. They prefer practical over theory based teaching–
learning process.
The pragmatists have completely discarded the conventional method of
teaching and laid emphasis on the invention of new methods. The whole
emphasis of method of teaching in pragmatism is on child, not the book of
the teacher or the subject. The dominant interest of the child is ‘to do’ and ‘to
make’. The method should be flexible and dynamic. Pragmatists believe that
minds of different children are different. Hence, we cannot have a fixed
method of teaching which can be useful to all situations.
 PRAGMATISM AND METHOD OF
TEACHING

Learning by doing and the project methods have an important place in the
methods of teaching proposed by the pragmatists. All learning must come as
a product of action. Learning by doing makes a person creative, confident
and co-operative. They also put on emphasis on the discovery and enquiry
method. The techniques which follow the principle of learning by doing can
be used according to pragmatists view.
 PRAGMATISM AND TEACHER

In the opinion of pragmatists the duty of the teacher is to create such an

environment in the school where pupils will have to face different problems
relating to real life and will take interest in the solution of those problems.

Pragmatism regards teacher as a helper, guide and philosopher. The chief

function of a pragmatic teacher is to suggest problems to his pupil and to
stimulate them to find by themselves the solution which will work.

The teacher must provide opportunities for the natural development of

innate qualities if the children. His main task is to suggest problem to his
student/pupils and to guide them to find out he solutions.
 PRAGMATISM AND DISCIPLINE

Pragmatists have opposed against the imposition of rules and regulations to

pupils. They believes in social and personal discipline, In their opinion if we
give them opportunities to participate in different types of collective
activities spontaneous discipline will grow in them. Pragmatists believe that
play and work should be combined and this combination will perform a
mental attitude and discipline. By taking part in such activities the qualities
like tolerance, sympathy, mutual respect, attitude of service will be
developed in them. Discipline cannot be m
 PRAGMATISM AND DISCIPLINE

Pragmatists have opposed against the imposition of rules and regulations to

pupils. They believes in social and personal discipline, In their opinion if we
give them opportunities to participate in different types of collective
activities spontaneous discipline will grow in them. Pragmatists believe that
play and work should be combined and this combination will perform a
mental attitude and discipline. By taking part in such activities the qualities
like tolerance, sympathy, mutual respect, attitude of service will be
developed in them. Discipline cannot be maintained through force and
domination. Children should be left free in order to develop freely and
harmoniously.
 PRAGMATISM AND DISCIPLINE

According to pragmatists rewards and punishment are of no significance in the

process of learning. They believed that no moral standard of values are already
established. The philosophy believes in discipline, but the discipline should not
be the outcome of external force it should be backed by freedom and joy. It
advocates on discipline based on the principles of child’s activities and interests.
It upholds discipline based on social and mutual understanding. It believes in
engaging the children free and real activities of human life.
 CONCLUSION

The study has found that the activity based teaching and learning method
have turned the educational process to become purposeful It has certainly
infused a sense of reality in education. This experimental character of
education enunciates the values in a child through his ideas. Pragmatism
makes him optimistic, energetic, creative and active.
 UNDERSTANDING PROGRESSIVE
EDUCATION
IN THE 21ST CENTURY

John Dewey is regarded as the central theorist of progressive education.

By the beginning of the 20th century, Dewey established himself as a
respected theorist of education, and he remained a part of conversations
around educational reform until his death in 1952 (Moyer, 2009).
 UNDERSTANDING PROGRESSIVE
EDUCATION
IN THE 21ST CENTURY
His numerous books and articles articulated the need for education
reform and emphasized the importance of a well-rounded education
that focused on the needs of individual students as well as the broader
needs of society (e.g., Dewey, 1902; 1938).
Dewey’s ideas influenced
the early decades of progressive education, which involved holistic
approaches to classroom teaching as well as more experimental
endeavors
situating the school as an important center and source of community
(Moyer, 2009).
 UNDERSTANDING PROGRESSIVE
EDUCATION
IN THE 21ST CENTURY

The phrase progressive educationis regarded as deceptively

generalizing, encompassing numerous developments in US education
in the early 20th century (Moyer, 2009).
The contributions of various influencers of early progressive education
have been categorized by such concepts as child-centeredness and
social reconstructionism, but much overlap exists between those
associated with each camp (Kliebard, 1987 as cited in Moyer, 2009,).
UNDERSTANDING PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION
IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Progressive education originated in an era of rapid economic growth
that was characterized by radical changes in the social order of the early
20th century. Changes resulting from the explosion of technology and
reliance on the internet for communication mirror the adoption of cars
for transportation and the use of radio and telephone for communication
in the early 20th century. In both of these contexts, concerns about
the distribution of wealth and access to opportunities for social mobility
connect to concerns about what strategies of education would best serve
an increasingly diverse democracy (Ayers and Schubert, 2012). Herein
lies the continued importance of progressive education for responding
to the needs of a changing society.
UNDERSTANDING PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION
IN THE 21ST CENTURY
The term progressive educationis worth preserving as an organizing
concept for the myriad of terms that have gained momentum since the
1980’s. These “new” forms of learning are inspired by the work of
Dewey and other early progressive educators, and preserve key themes
such as educating “the whole person” (Kolb and Kolb, 2005, p. 205),
“learning-by-doing” (Revans, 1982, p. 20), democratic responsibility
(National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement,
2012), and “real-world” application (Hmelo-Silver, 2004, p. 239)
UNDERSTANDING PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION
IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Progressive education today is constituted by the continued discussions

and concerns focused on prioritizing learning through experience (Kolb
and Kolb, 2005), student-centeredness (Hmelo-Silver, 2004),
and community engagement (Champagne, 2006).
CHARACTERISTICS OF PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION

Experience

experience serves as the source from which knowledge emerges.

Because progressive education is concerned with the emergence (as
opposed to transmission) of knowledge, the learner must undergo a
transformative experience. The nature of the transformation lies in the
way the learner is changed by knowledge gained and the way that
existing knowledge is changed through the learner’s contributions.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION
Temporal

One way of understanding the reason for the phrase “progressive

education” is the notion of progression of thought when learning
something new. Didactic forms of learning assume that a body of
knowledge is relatively static and can be passed from teacher to learner
through discipline—what Paulo Freire (2005) refers to as “the banking
concept of education” (p. 72). Accordingly, the roles of teacher and
learner remain dichotomous and hierarchical, in service of the assumption
that the unchanging world requires the disciplining of uneducated
students in order to fit into the world in which they find themselves.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION
Action

“Learning by doing” is a central characteristic of progressive

education.
Revans (1982) describes action learningas an inherently mutual
endeavor, pointing out that “recognized ignorance, not programmed
knowledge…is the key to action learning: men start to learn with and
from each other only when they discover that no one among them
knows but all are obliged to find out”
CHARACTERISTICS OF PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION

Participation

The human condition is characterized by being with others, and as

such, people come to understand themselves and the world through
relationships (dialogue) with other people. Because of this, knowledge
discovery and creation cannot be thought of as an individual endeavor.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION

Reflection

Some descriptions of the concept of reflection are criticized as being

overly rationalist, encouraging a separation of mind from body, and
extraction of emotion from experience (Jordi, 2011).
 CONCLUSION

Using progressive education as an organizing concept, the authors identify

five common characteristics of contemporary pedagogies: experience,
temporal, action, participation, and reflection.
many educational theorists of recent decades have shied away from using the
phrase “progressive education,” the phrase is helpful as an organizing
concept, no matter one’s political outlook
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