4 Types of Educational Philosophies for Teachers

Teachers that want to excel in their approach to education need to

understand the core philosophy of education behind the system. By
fully gauging the role of learning in society and the various
philosophical schools of thought, you can expand your horizon
beyond the classroom.

You can also inspire students to learn holistically and improve their
performance with the right teaching philosophy and approach. With
the word philosophy meaning “love of wisdom” from its Greek
roots, teachers can focus on the role of wisdom regarding what they
are teaching.

Whether it be math or science, imparting knowledge from a place of

wisdom is essential to teaching effectiveness across grades. That’s
why educators are trying to understand the different teaching
philosophies and extract insights on what can be helpful in the long
term. 

Types of Educational Philosophies for Teachers

When we say that different teachers have different styles, it is an
informal way of understanding the differences between teaching
philosophies. We can have a unique teaching style based on our core
beliefs about education and the role we play as teachers in the lives
of our students. We can gauge more about what techniques we can
incorporate by understanding the different philosophies of education.

Realism
The philosophy of education, known as realism, focuses on the role
of scientific observation, experimentation, and hands-on learning. It
emphasizes the benefits of students grasping an intuitive sense of
any subject or topic.

It also understands the limitations of bias and asks teachers to

inculcate a desire for learning and to expand the mind. Realism
encourages practical knowledge and building upon that knowledge
base for a more complex understanding of different subjects.

Pragmatism
Pragmatism focuses on the core value of problem-solving and
imparting the right skill sets that help students solve specific
challenges. You can use the philosophy of pragmatism in your
approach to teaching when you want to improve student output and
help kids learn how to tackle complex problems.

You can also use pragmatism to help weaker students that need
expedited assistance in improving their grades. These students may
not have the proper facilities to focus on subjects through the lens of
realism, in which case teachers can strengthen their ability to solve
problems directly.

Perennialism
This philosophy of education relies on traditional teachings as core
foundations through which you can teach your students. The basic
laws of math, grammar, physics, and chemistry are emphasized and
taught to students that are actively learning.

Perennialism may be perceived as non-collaborative, but it can be a

strong pillar on which teachers can establish group learning. Schools
often use perennialism during the earlier years of teaching to ensure
consistency across classes for standardized testing.
Behaviorism
Behaviorism looks at the role of positive and negative reinforcement
to establish specific outcomes. You can use this philosophy of
education to create positive habits in the lives of your students
through the proper positive reinforcement techniques.

You can also create repeatability and course adherence by rewarding

successful performance with stars, gifts, names on boards, and other
behaviorism tools. You can also set long-term and short-term
rewards to incentivize students to continue improving their
performance.