It would seem to me that there is no one source of knowledge. From the second a newborn baby takes that first gulp of air, she begins to learn. In fact, she was learning about herself even in the womb as she became aware of her surroundings. She is genetically wired with a personality unlike any other that affects the interactions she has with other people. Through those interactions she learns how to make her needs known and eventually satisfied. The culture and class into which she is born influences how she sees herself and how she perceives others to view her. As she grows, she acquires knowledge through personal experiences, but also through experiences of her friends and acquaintances. She learns through trial and error. She learns from the daily bombardment of the media through television, radio, Internet, and print. Simply living through each day brings new knowledge.
Question #2
Do I recognize my philosophy of schooling in any of the philosophies described? I lean more toward the progressive philosophies, especially the multiculturalism/socio-culturalism. I think students need a broad base in traditional subjects while respecting the contributions of people from all races and cultures.
Question #3
Is there a philosophy that you disagree with strongly? I do not agree with the Essentialism philosophy because I think the teacher should be more than just the authority in the classroom who administers tests. That’s probably the reason I think we do entirely too much testing in our schools today.
