1. Based upon the readings and slide presentation select one of  the philosophies that most nearly describes your philosophical orientation toward education (either formal or informal). Write one paragraph describing this philosophy and how one should conduct educational programs based upon this philosophy.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

2. Read the following story and match the speakers with the philosophy they are espousing.

2.1. ___ Speaker One  A. Existentialism
2.2. ___ Speaker Two  B. Reconstructionism
2.3. ___ Speaker Three C. Pragmatism
2.4. ___ Speaker Four D. Realism
2.5. ___ Speaker Five  E. Idealism

The Great Symposium

The people stopped their informal chatter as the president tapped the gavel.  Today for our main program we have asked five prominent educators to share with you their philosophy of education.  Since the public is concerned with the goals and missions of education we need to carefully listen to what these speakers have to say.  Each person will now speak.

Speaker One:  Thank you.  I have determined that the world is changing so rapidly that we'll never be able to keep up with change and that whatever we try to do is generally irrelevant.  Some students learn in spite of what we do and some don't.  I don't believe in making school miserable.  Since students will be adults in a few years anyway, I believe we should listen carefully to what the students want.  Give them a voice in determining how they will learn and what they will learn.  They are going to have make major decisions soon, so we might as well get them started now.  It is up to the individual to decide what is important.

Speaker Two: I disagree with Speaker One.  The purpose of education is to transmit the knowledge that has accumulated for ages.  If we teach students about the wisdom of the past, they will be able to face the future.  Therefore, education should be well organized and planned so that the students will have a solid foundation of what has been thought in the past so they will be able to have a basis for their decisions in the future.  We have to teach students to think.

Speaker Three:  I somewhat agree with Speaker Two but believe his philosophy is limited.  We live in a scientific age.  We need to teach students to think in a systematic, logical manner.  For every action in the universe there is a cause and effect.  We must teach our students how to scientifically examine all phenomena to determine truth.  By doing this they will be able to face the future.

Speaker Four:  Poppycock.  The world is going to hell in a hand basket and the previous speakers take about scientific analysis and great ideas.  It is obvious we must not live in the past; we must look to the future.  The schools should be leading us into the future.  Schools are dismal failures.  We must reevaluate what we have done and prepare students for a future world as it should be.  The emphasis in schools should be on correcting the ills that now plague our society.

Speaker Five:  I would plead for a rational philosophy to education; one which is not out in fantasy land as the previous speaker has advocated or ones which aren't backwards looking, "science for the sake of science", or laissez faire as other speakers have advocated.  What we need is an education which takes into account the realities of today, allows students the opportunity to think and perform, and then make decisions based upon what actually works and is best in the real world.  If we can teach students how to gather information, sort it out, analyze it, and then apply it in real life situations, we will have a education that can carry students into the 21st century.