5 philosophies

Perennialism

Essentialism

Romanticism

Progressivism

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Perennialism values knowledge that transcends time. This is a subject-centered philosophy. The

goal of a perennialist educator is to teach students to think rationally and develop minds that can

think critically. A perennialist classroom aims to be a closely organized and well-disciplined

environment, which develops in students a lifelong quest for the truth.

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Romantics believed in the natural goodness of humans which is hindered by the urban life of

civilization. Romanticism was a philosophical movement during the Age of Enlightenment

(roughly 18th century) which emphasizes emotional self-awareness as a necessary pre-condition

to improving society and bettering the human condition. Romantics believed that knowledge is

gained through intuition rather than deduction. This is a student-centered philosophy that

focuses on differentiation - meeting the students learning readiness needs.

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Progressivists believe that individuality, progress, and change are fundamental to

one's education. Believing that people learn best from what they consider most relevant to their

lives, progressivists center their curricula on the needs, experiences, interests, and abilities of

students. Progressivists like romantics, believe that education should focus on the whole student,

rather than on the content or the teacher.