Essentialism: a second reaction to
pragmatism/experimentalism/progressivism, essentialism found common ground with
the perennialist view of progressive educational practices attempting to be a
painless endeavor.[1] Both idealism and realism inform the
essentialist, many of whom feel that schools have declined and stricter
discipline and returning to the basics are called for. Essentialism is a conservative position which
is more interested in teaching established facts and truth rather than innovating
and providing educational frills.[2]
Students are viewed as a receptacle to be filled by the
essentialist teacher preferably using lecture to deliver the tried and true
essentials of education. History, in
this view, has validated this approach and teachers rarely experiment with
other philosophical views.[3] Though essentialists have
much in common with perennialists, they do differ in a number of ways, notably
in that essentialists are more willing to absorb the perceived positive
contributions of progressivism. Another
key difference is that perennialism has traditionally been focused on higher
education while essentialism is concerned more with elementary and secondary
education.[4]
Existentialism: Anthony and Benson
differ somewhat on the history of existentialism from Knight. Interestingly, Knight describes
existentialism as “nearly all a twentieth-century product”[5] where Anthony and Benson
describe origins in the eighteenth century though they do mention a new birth
with most existential philosophers being prominent twentieth-century thinkers.[6] Defining existentialism is difficult as their
prominent voices differ on so much. They
do not seek ultimate meaning or purpose in the world believing each person must
make such decisions on their own.
Existential teachers do not believe in a particular type or form
of curriculum as they prefer students to discover individual meaning. These teachers despise traditional
instruction viewing it as being coercive though they do understand the need for
basic content. Additionally, vocational
training is frowned upon since any career can be used to discover truth and
reality. This philosophy is incompatible
with the Christian worldview as it denies absolutes of any kind leaving the
individual to determine truth for themselves.
Postmodernism: Noddings states that
postmodernism is more a mood than a movement.[7] The best way to understand postmodernism may
be as a reaction to modernism. The
modernist views the world as a reasonable place that cannot only be understood
but a place where there are fixed laws which underpin reality and human
thought.[8] The postmodernist rejects
such thoughts stating that there is no foundation upon which to rest such
beliefs. Pragmatism, existentialism, and
Marxism are the undergirding for postmodern thought.
In the classroom, postmodernism does not believe that a single
curriculum is suitable for all students and does not believe teaching the seven
liberal arts of the Enlightenment.
Postmodern teachers focus on the social impact of their classroom
content and creating an awareness of how a dominate culture has used its
position to control a powerless culture.[9] Postmodernism seeks to broaden the horizons
of students and encourage them to give equal weight to other worldviews as
their own. Truth is determined by the
individual and as such is incompatible with a Christian worldview.
