1. The Question

1. Next 1 2 3 4 5 6 1. The Question Philosophies in Practice You have been reading and learning about five major philosophies of education: • Essentialism • Perennialism • Progressivism • Social Reconstructionism • Existentialism You probably didn’t realize that your own educational experiences have been shaped to some extent by some of these educational philosophies. In this lesson, you will examine the educational philosophies of your school system and schools and reflect on your own school experiences in order to answer the question: How are educational philosophies reflected in your own school experiences?

2. Next 1 2 3 4 5 6 2. Information Sources The educational philosophies of specific school systems and schools are often published as belief, vision or mission statements. You will use the following resources to examine these statements for your own school system and the schools you’ve attended. BCPS Blueprint for Progress Read the Vision, Mission, and Belief Statements on p. 4-6. BCPS School Websites Read the mission statements for elementary, middle, and high schools you have attended.

3. First you will need to review what you have learned about the five major educational philosophies; you may use the links on Slide 1 or your reading notes on the Five Philosophies of Education chart. See “Researching with Wikipedia” before using this source! Then you will examine vision/mission statements from the BCPS information sources on Slide 2 to determine which educational philosophies are evident in these statements. Finally, you will reflect on some of your most memorable educational experiences in specific classes and with specific teachers at the schools you have attended; these might be memorable to you for positive or negative reasons. You will use evidence from these experiences to make an inference about your teachers’ educational philosophies. Use this chartto gather and organize your notes; you may write your notes on a hard copy or word process and save according to your teachers’ directions. Next 1 2 3 4 5 6 3. Student Activity

4. Next 1 2 3 4 5 6 4.Assessment Activity Use your notes to answer the questions below. Support your answers with specific details from the resources. You may type your answers in the text boxes below and save as directed by your teacher, or use this handout. How are specific educational philosophies reflected in the school and teacher practices you’ve experienced? How will your educational experiences as a student influence your personal philosophy of education as a prospective teacher?

5. Next 1 2 3 4 5 6 5. Enrichment Activities 1. Compare/contrast the educational philosophies of our BCPS school system with another county school system or a local private school: The Park SchoolPhilosophyRoland Park Country SchoolPhilosophyFreestate Montessori SchoolMission & Philosophy Baltimore City Public School System Vision & Mission Statements School Websites Harford County Public Schools Vision & Mission Statements School Profiles 2. Are there educational philosophies you have not encountered in your own education which you would have liked to experience? Which ones, and why? Share your ideas with the class. • 3. Analyze the classroom situation presented in the video clip Classroom Observation: Essentialism in Action on the Teachers, Schools, and Society CD (Sadker) • Pull down the Chapter menu to Chapter 8 • Preview the Analysis Questions for the Video (pencil/paper icon) • View/listen to the video to respond to the Analysis Questions; you may word-process your responses and print out, email, or save according to your teacher’s directions.

6. Content Standards (INTASC) Standard 09: The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his or her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks opportunity to grow professionally AIM O-2: Students will formulate a personal philosophy of education based on existing philosophies, current laws, and universally accepted ethical standards. KSI-C: Describe the major components of recognized educational philosophies. Standards for the 21st Century Learner (AASL) Learners use Skills, Resources, and Tools to: 1: Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge 1.1.2 Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format 2: Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge National Educational Technology Standards for Students (ISTE) 1. Creativity and Innovation:  Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. 3. Research and Information Fluency: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. 4.Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. 1 2 3 4 5 6 6. Teacher Support Materials Lesson Objective: Students will examine school mission statements and their own school experiences in order to explain how educational philosophies are reflected in school and teacher practices. Time Management/Setting: One 90-minute class period in a computer lab Prerequisite Learning: Students should have learned about the five major educational philosophies by reading and completing activities on pp. 319-331 in Teachers, Schools, and Society (Sadker) Differentiation Strategies: Alternative text – Becoming a Teacher (Parkay & Stanford), pp. 86-89 Learning Preferences/Styles: Field Dependent, Visual, Tactile, Reflective, Global College Prep Strategies: Timed Writings Created by Kelly Ray, Library Media Specialist BCPS Slam Dunk Model, Copyright 2008, Baltimore County Public Schools, MD, all rights reserved. The models may be used for educational, non-profit school use only. All other uses, transmissions, and duplications are prohibited unless permission is granted expressly. This lesson is based on Dr. Jamie McKenzie’s Slam Dunk Lesson module available at http://questioning.org/module2/quick.html. Images Copyright BCPS or used by subscription to www.clipart.com