Educational essentialism is an educational philosophy whose adherents believe that children

should learn the traditional basic subjects thoroughly and rigorously. In this philosophical school of
thought, the aim is to instill students with the "essentials" of academic knowledge, enacting a backto-basics approach. Essentialism ensures that the accumulated wisdom of our civilization as taught
in the traditional academic disciplines is passed on from teacher to student. Such disciplines might
include Reading, Writing, Literature, Foreign Languages, History, Mathematics, Science, Art, and
Music. Moreover, this traditional approach is meant to train the mind, promote reasoning, and ensure
a common culture.
Perennialists believe that one should teach the things that one deems to be of everlasting pertinence
to all people everywhere. They believe that the most important topics develop a person. Since
details of fact change constantly, these cannot be the most important. Therefore, one should teach
principles, not facts. Since people are human, one should teach first about humans, not machines or
techniques. Since people are people first, and workers second if at all, one should teach liberal
topics first, not vocational topics.
Progressive education is a pedagogical movement that began in the late nineteenth century; it has
persisted in various forms to the present. The term progressive was engaged to distinguish this
hieducation from the traditional Euro-American curricula of the 19th century, which was rooted in
classical preparation for the university and strongly differentiated by social class. By contrast,
progressive education finds its roots in present experience.
Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition that began in the United States around 1870.[1] Pragmatism
is a rejection of the idea that the function of thought is to describe, represent, or mirror reality.
Instead, pragmatists consider thought to be a product of the interaction between organism and
environment. Thus, the function of thought is as an instrument or tool for prediction, action, and
problem solving. Pragmatists contend that most philosophical topicssuch as the nature of
knowledge, language, concepts, meaning, belief, and scienceare all best viewed in terms of their
practical uses and successes rather than in terms of representative accuracy.
Existentialism [1] is a term applied to the work of certain late 19th- and 20th-century philosophers
who, despite profound doctrinal differences,[2][3][4] shared the belief that philosophical thinking begins
with the human subjectnot merely the thinking subject, but the acting, feeling, living
human individual.[5] In existentialism, the individual's starting point is characterized by what has been
called "the existential attitude", or a sense of disorientation and confusion in the face of an
apparently meaningless or absurd world.[6]Many existentialists have also regarded traditional
systematic or academic philosophies, in both style and content, as too abstract and remote from
concrete human experience.

Reconstructionism/Critical Theory
Social reconstructionism is a philosophy that emphasizes the addressing of social questions and a quest
to create a better society and worldwide democracy. Reconstructionist educators focus on a curriculum
that highlights social reform as the aim of education.
For social reconstructionists and critical theorists, curriculum focuses on student experience and taking social action on real
problems, such as violence, hunger, international terrorism, inflation, and inequality. Strategies for dealing with controversial
issues (particularly in social studies and literature), inquiry, dialogue, and multiple perspectives are the focus. Community-based
learning and bringing the world into the classroom are also strategies.