Teaching Profession:

An Introduction

Alison A. Gutierrez
 “Teachers are the most responsible and
important members of society because their
professional efforts affect the fate of the earth.”
- Helen Caldicott
PHILOSOPHY
 derived from two Greek words Philo” (love) Sophia”
(wisdom)
 love of wisdom
DEFINITIONS OF PHILOSOPHY
 Philosophy is science of science (Coleridge)
 Philosophy is search for a comprehensive view of nature ,
an attempt at universal explanation of nature of thing
(Henderson)
 Philosophy is science knowledge (Fitch)
 Plants are shaped by cultivation and men by
education. .. We are born weak, we need
strength; we are born totally unprovided, we
need aid; we are born stupid, we need
judgement. Everything we do not have at our
birth and which we need when we are grown is
given us by education.
- Jean Jacques Rousseau,
On the Philosophy of Education
PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
 Philosophy of education may be defined as the
application of fundamental principles of
philosophy of life to the work of education .
NEED FOR PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
 Philosophy gives direction to education by certain
guideline
 By Philosophy of education it means that the school ,
officials , teachers and even parents coordinate their
efforts towards achieving an aim and without philosophy
of education all will render useless or not fruitful
 It attempts to establish coherent meaning within the
whole domain of thought
 What is life? What is good
What is man’s
to do?
What is origin?
man?
What is man’s What is reality?
destiny?
What is the nature
of the learners?
Who am I?
Why am I here?
What am I living
for?
 How do we learn?

What is the nature

of the learners?
Why do I teach?
How should I
teach?
Questions of philosophical Inquiry
 Philosophers try to answer these questions according to
their own mature reflection and thinking and their
different answers led to different philosophies.
Five Philosophical Thinkers in Education

William Bagley (Essentialism)

John Dewey (Progressivism)

Robert Hutchins (Perennialism)

John Paul Sartre (Existentialsim)

John Watson (Behaviorism)

 TEACHING PROFESSION
Introduction

Man by nature is curious, he wants to know the “WHAT, WHY, and HOW of the
things around him. It is in the exploring of things that he finds fulfillment for the numerous
complexities that confront him. The eagerness to look for more answers or find solutions to
the manifold problems that beset him leads him to the unending journey of seeking for truth.
Truly, this manifests the true desire of man which he knows. It affirms not only his essence, his
rationality. It is also a fulfillment of his purpose to keep the truth and pass it from the one
generation to another so as to preserve humanity.

Ideas flow from the human mind eternally. It is in the ideas where the truth lies. Unending as
the ideas are, the more the need for man to harness and cultivate it to perfection. The ideas
that are not nourished and protected will not just prevent man in processing the truth, but it
will also deprive him the taste of his rationality. Hence , ideas must and should be at all
times shine in luster of naturalness, profound simplicity and contain true and real meaning.

The truth in the ideas must be preserved in as much as man wants to preserve the gift
of knowledge and wisdom that it brings. And delicate as it is, it should be protected from all
forms of deterioration and artificialities. Presented it maybe in various ways, the real meaning
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must be conveyed at all times.
 TEACHING PROFESSION

It is in Philosophy that ideas can be best presented and conveyed. This can be best to
enhanced through proper education. Since then philosophy and education complement and work
hand in hand in the acquisition of knowledge and the preservation of truth. True enough, one can
say then that Philosophy is knowledge and education is the most essential tool of Philosophy in
the search for wisdom and truth.
Philo

Man

Man and Philosophy

The ultimate aim of man: to possess the truth.

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Definition of Man
 1. Man is a rational animal
 The quest for the truth is the ultimate goal of man
 “Cogito, ergo, sum” (Rene Descartes)
 2. Man is a social-political animal
 Man’s desire to be with his fellow beings fulfills his
rationality
 “No man is an island”
 3. Man is a functional animal
 created for a certain reason or a purpose
 has a role to perform in order to preserve him and all
other things
 man is the steward of the world; thus he should work
 TEACHING PROFESSION

Relationship of Philosophy and Education

 Philosophy and Education complement each other.
Both of them spouse theory and practice. The absence
of one will make a man insufficient and aimless.
 “Education without philosophy is blind; and
philosophy without education is invalid”

Philo

Education

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 Philosophy Education
establishes the functionality carries out these principles
principles (concepts, theories,
learning)
Philo
Provides the
the instrument in realizing
goals or aims these goals

Philosophy of life Education

Aims of education change with
determines the aims of
the changing philosophy of life
education

Philosophy formulates the Education offers suggestions how

ends of life these ends are to be achieved
 Relationship between
Philosophy and Education

Textbooks

Curriculum

Aims of
Philosophy Education

Discipline
Evaluation

Methods Teacher
of Teaching
PHILOSOPHY AND CURRICULUM
 Curriculum is to be determined by the
educational aims which are again determined
by philosophy through the educational
objectives
PHILOSOPHY AND EDUCATIONAL
OBJECTIVES
 Philosophy determines the aims (goals) of
education while curriculum determines how
these aims can be attained (objectives).
PHILOSOPHY AND TEXT BOOKS
 Textbooks constitute part of curriculum.
 The adoption of appropriate textbooks is,
therefore closely connected with
philosophy.
 Philosophy is reflected in the content
material of textbooks.
PHILOSOPHY AND METHODS OF
TEACHING
 The method of teaching is the procedure or art
used by the teacher in the communication of
knowledge to the students and to realize the aims
of education.
 The aims of education are subject to the
philosophy of life, thus, that close relationship
between philosophy and methodology of teaching.
 Every philosopher formulates his own methods of
teaching, according to his own philosophy
PHILOSOPHY AND DISCIPLINE
 The nature or type of discipline is always
determined by philosophy.
 Naturalism emphasizes self-assertion of
the individual, as against blind obedience
to authority.
 Idealism relies much on the personality
of the teacher for the maintenance of
discipline.
PHILOSOPHY AND TEACHER
 The teacher is the soul of the educative process, and
the teacher instills belief and knowledge, and
influence personality of students,
 To be a successful teacher, he should know his
philosophy of education
PHILOSOPHY AND EVALUATION
 Evaluation is the continuous process of measuring the
educational achievements in the light of educational
aims already determined.
 Educational objectives are determined by the
philosophy of life.
 For effective evaluation there is a need for clear
knowledge of educational aims and definite
educational objectives