Educational essentialism
Educational essentialism is an
Principles of essentialism
Essentialism is a relatively conservative stance to education that strives to teach students the knowledge of a society and civilization through a core curriculum. This core curriculum involves such areas that include; the study of the surrounding environment, basic natural laws, and the disciplines that promote a happier, more educated living.[1] Other non-traditional areas are also integrated as well in moderation to balance the education. Essentialists' goals are to instill students with the "essentials" of academic knowledge, patriotism, and character development through traditional (or back-to-basic) approaches. This is to promote reasoning, train the mind, and ensure a common culture for all citizens.[2]
Essentialism is the most typically enacted philosophy in American classrooms today. Traces of this can be found in the organized learning centered on teachers and textbooks, in addition to the regular assignments and evaluations.
Essentialism as a teacher-centered philosophy
The role of the teacher as the leader of the classroom is a very important tenet of Educational essentialism. The teacher is the center of the classroom, so they should be rigid and disciplinary. Establishing order in the classroom is crucial for student learning; effective teaching cannot take place in a loud and disorganized environment. It is the teacher's responsibility to keep order in the classroom.[3] The teacher must interpret essentials of the learning process, take the leadership position and set the tone of the classroom. These needs require an educator who is academically well-qualified with an appreciation for learning and development. The teacher must control the students with distributions of rewards and penalties.[4] It has been argued that recent teacher education policies in some countries extend essentialism to teacher education policy frameworks.[5]
History of essentialism
The Essentialist movement first began in the United States in the year 1938. In Atlantic City, New Jersey, a group met for the first time called "The Essentialist's Committee for the Advancement of Education."[6] Their emphasis was to reform the educational system to a rationality-based system.
The term essentialist first appeared in the book An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education which was written by Michael John Demiashkevich.
A recent branch has emerged within the essentialist school of thought called "neoessentialism." Emerging in the eighties as a response to the essentialist ideals of the thirties as well as to the criticism of the fifties and the advocates for education in the seventies, neoessentialism was created to try to appease the problems facing the United States at the time.[8] The most notable change within this school of thought is that it called for the creation of a new discipline, computer science.
Renowned essentialists
In April 1938, he published the Essentialist's Platform, in which he outlined three major points of essentialism. He described the right of students to a well-educated and culturally knowledgeable teacher. Secondly, he discussed the importance of teaching the ideals of community to each group of students. Lastly, Bagley wrote of the importance of accuracy, thoroughness and effort on the part of the student in the classroom.
Another important essentialist is E. D. Hirsch (1928-). Hirsch was Founder and Chairman of the Core Knowledge Foundation and authored several books concerning fact-based approaches to education. Now retired, he spent many years teaching at the University of Virginia while also being an advocate for the "back to basics" movement. In his most popular book, Cultural Literacy — What Every American Needs To Know, he offers lists, quotations, and information regarding what he believes is essential knowledge.[9]
See also Arthur Bestor.
Schools enacting an essentialist curriculum
The
Criticism of essentialism
Because Essentialism is largely teacher-centered, the role of the student is often called into question. Presumably, in an essentialist classroom, the teacher is the one designing the curriculum for the students based upon the core disciplines. Moreover, he or she is enacting the curriculum and setting the standards which the students must meet. The teacher's evaluative role may undermine students' interest in study.[11] As a result, the students begin to take on more of a passive role in their education as they are forced to meet and learn such standards and information.[12]
Furthermore, there is also speculation that an essentialist education helps in promoting the cultural lag.[12] This philosophy of education is very traditional in the mindset of passing on the knowledge of the culture via the academic disciplines. Thus, students are forced to think in the mindset of the larger culture, and individual creativity, and subversive investigation are often not emphasized, or even outright discouraged.
See also
References
- ^ Howick, William H. (1971). Philosophies of Western Education. p. 49.
- ^ Sadker, David Miller. "Teacher-Centered Philosophies". Teachers, Schools, and Society: A Brief Introduction to Education. Archived from the original on 2011-04-16. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
- ^ "Essentialism In Education". Excite Education. Archived from the original on 6 April 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
- ^ Howick, William H (1971). Philosophies of Western Education. p. 51.
- ^ Turvey, Keith (2023). "England's essentialist teacher education policy frameworks as double texts".
- ^ Howick, William H (1971). Philosophies of Western Education. p. 50.
- ^ a b c d e f Null, James Wesley (2007). "William C. Bagley and the Founding of Essentialism: An Untold Story in American Educational History". Teachers College Record. 109 (4): 1013–1055. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
- ^ Ornstein, Allan (1993). Foundations of Education. p. 465.
- ^ "School: The Story of American Public Education". PBS. Roundtable, Inc. 2001. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
- ^ "Our Philosophy". Core Knowledge. Core Knowledge Foundation. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
- ^ J. Scott Armstrong (2012). "Natural Learning in Higher Education". Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning.
- ^ a b Howick, William H. (1971). Philosophies of Western Education. p. 53.