Social Reconstructionism is an education philosophy that underlines how social questions are addressed and seeks to establish an enhanced society and worldwide democracy. Reconstructionist Educators believe that it pays attention to the curriculum that pays attention to social reform in education. It was founded by Theodore Brameld (1904-1987) when he tried to react to the realities of the 2nd world war (Cohen). Brameld acknowledged the prospective for either human annihilation via technology and human cruelty, or the potential to establish a beneficent society through technology and human consumption. In addition, George Counts (1889-1974) accredited that education was a platform to prepare people because of the new social order (Cohen).
According to Social Reconstructionists and critical theorists, there is a need to transform systems to overcome subjugation and boost human conditions. Education and literacy were used as a tool for social change. For instance, Paulo Freire (1921-1997) believed that individuals must be aware of the best approaches to resist persecution and the same time opposes of becoming victims or oppressors (Cohen). To oppose oppression, dialog, and critical consciousness is very fundamental. It helps an individual to resist domination and coercion. Freire believed that education is a process of inquiry that instills knowledge to learners and helps them to discover the world.
The education curriculum is expected to concentrate on student experience and take social actions on the actual problems. Examples include violence, inflation, hunger, inequality, or even terrorism. The curriculum must also offer effective strategies that will deal with contentious issues (Englund 307). These strategies must focus on inquiry, discourse, and multiple perspectives. Other strategies incorporated into the curriculum includes community-based learning and conveying the world into the classroom.’
Impact of Reconstructionism philosophical perspective on teaching style
Reconstructionism influences the teaching style in numerous ways. The teacher not only play the role of an educator but also he/she is a social activist. The instructor perceives education as a tool to transform the society by solving all the existing problems. The teacher is expected to create awareness in students by informing them about nature and the extent of the problem. During the learning process, the teacher suggests what students can do to solve these issues. The teaching style is influenced as teachers become facilitators for analysis and change. Instructors should avoid acting as passive dispensers of knowledge. The teaching style imposed should be capable of providing learners with critical thinking tools. The instructors also apply moral dilemmas to direct attention toward social and world reform.
Moreover, Reconstructionism continues to influence teaching style in different perspectives. During learning, the teacher and the student should analyze world events and explore the presenting controversial issues. The instructor must teach students the best approaches to handle the problems that exist in the universe. The teacher is also expected to teach students effective ways of developing a vision that creates a new and a better world (Breithorde et.al 5). The learning styles are also affected as the educator promote programs of cultural renewal.
According to Reconstructionists, instructors should educate the students via practical experience and teach them to direct and control change. The teaching placement paints the culture as one in crisis and requires social change. The Reconstructionists are certain that lack of a proper agent of change will worsen the situation. Things might get uncontrollable; therefore, there is a need to rebuild the social order.
The philosophical perspective states that a Utopian Future is real if people understand the best ways to intervene and direct change. The schools are responsible for transforming learners to social activists. The students should aim at becoming social activists just like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, amongst others.
The teaching placement expects the philosophy to use the reflective inquiry method to solve challenges that manifest in our daily life. According to this method, individuals should be ready to act upon our deductions. The learners are therefore required to instill a sense of dedication and accountability in classroom activities and apply it in real life. According to Reconstructionism, schools and education centers acts as tools for transforming the society. The students that will excel in social action are said to have a high level of intellectual and social maturity.
Reconstructionism will be modified because students will be expected to become advocates of social action. The involvement will create a better society that is friendly and accommodative to all. Currently, there is a small number of people who engage in social issues. The Reconstructionism philosophy must formulate new safeguards to protect the advocates of social action. As a result, the modification will improve its effectiveness and application in the real life settings.
How personal values, political proclivities, class consciousness, racial perspectives, and historical insights influence Reconstructionism
The Reconstructionist point of view can be influenced by numerous factors. For instance, our personal values of justice and peace make us social activists. People will advocate for justice when they receive unfair treatment. Members of the society are focused on fighting for equal opportunities and ensure that equality and fairness are guaranteed. Moreover, class consciousness has a direct impact to Reconstructionism. From the highest to the lowest social class, people ensure that human rights are protected. The leaders will offer leadership that transforms the society by fighting for the restoration of the social order. Class consciousness means that people will employ approaches that bring positive change in the society and creates a better world. Moreover, historical insights also affect Reconstructionism. Overtime, progressives believed in teaching students the best ways to cope with change. Unlike progressives, Reconstructionism focuses on educating the learners to direct and control change. Historical insights have influenced reconstruction because its founder based his arguments on how he reacted towards the realities of the 2nd world war.
Why is it important to have a philosophy of education?
In every education system, the institutions, instructors, and learners believe in a set of related beliefs. The philosophy of education refers to these beliefs. It influences the ways at which teachers educate their students. A philosophy of education offers answers to emerging queries and state the purpose of schooling. Furthermore, it defines the role of teachers and highlight what should be taught. In my opinion, I believe that philosophy in education is important because of two major reasons. First, philosophy assists in improving the critical thinking skills. Second, it helps people to understand certain things in life. Philosophy backups the study of good reasoning and this increases our knowledge. In the absence of philosophy, teachers will not be focused on classroom work. Philosophy ensures that instructors are rejuvenated, committed, and excited while performing their duties.
Philosophy is important in education because it help improve the critical thinking skills (Gray). The analytic philosophy tradition has been thought to remain efficacious towards the improvement of critical thinking skills. Without logic, a philosophical domain, it would be difficult to engage in the study of proper reasoning. The philosophers provide practical problems and urge students to apply logic to solving the presented issues. The logical reasoning ability help students to critically analyze challenging situations and solve them in the appropriate way. Philosophy in Education assists learners to have basic skills that boots general reasoning and argumentation.
In addition, philosophy is a good way to know certain things. Therefore, it is important in education. Philosophy helps learners to understand philosophical issues, philosophical debates, and deductive reasoning. Philosophy offers us a vast amount of knowledge, and we learn about things we were unaware of (Gray). Philosophy is critical in education since it helps students to understand about factual knowledge and conceptual knowledge. It contributes to increasing the knowledge of learners by creating awareness of moral facts and logic facts. Besides, philosophy is informative because of its ability to clarify certain concepts and find logical implications. Every institution of learning should embrace philosophy in education.
In conclusion, philosophy is critical in education. It provides both the teachers and the students with the knowledge of logic. Logical reasoning will help people to solve in the challenging situations in life. Philosophy helps us to make a positive progress in life as it opens our mindsets as we expand our reasoning. A teaching philosophy helps educators to stay focused and teach students appropriately. As a matter of fact, Social Reconstructionism combines study and social action and asserts that education should be helpful in solving the existing challenges in the society.
Work cited
Breithorde, Mary Lou, and Louise Swiniarski. "Constructivism and reconstructionism: Educating teachers for world citizenship." Australian Journal of Teacher Education 24.1 (1999): 1.
Cohen, LeoNora M. "PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES IN EDUCATION." Oregon State University. N.p., 1999. Web. 16 Mar. 2016
Englund, Tomas. "Rethinking democracy and education: towards an education of deliberative citizens." Journal of Curriculum studies 32.2 (2000): 305-313.
Gray, James W. "Philosophy is Important." Ethical Realism. N.p., 28 Oct. 2010. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.
