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Essentialism (education)

Philosophies of Education

Educational essentialism is an educational philosophy whose adherents hold that children should learn a core of traditional academic subjects thoroughly and rigorously, favoring disciplined instruction over a curriculum shaped by the student's changing interests. William Bagley is regarded as the movement's founder; his 1938 Essentialist's Platform set out its core positions in explicit opposition to progressive education. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

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Its own founders held it suits instilling a shared, disciplined body of core knowledge and moral responsibility, framed explicitly against what they called progressivism's 'hedonistic doctrine of change.' 1
Central Question
Should schooling concentrate on a fixed, disciplined core of traditional academic subjects common to every student, rather than following each student's own changing interests? 1
Essentialism (education)
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Social Reconstructionism's own live entity-description: one of the traditional foursome of American educational philosophies alongside this atlas's own Essentialism, Perennialism and Progressivism entries.

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Source Wikipedia: Educational essentialism

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Sources
1. Wikipedia: Educational essentialism
Wikimedia Foundation
  • lead section
    Educational essentialism is an educational philosophy whose adherents believe that children should learn the traditional basic subjects thoroughly.
  • Principles of essentialism section
    the study of the surrounding environment, basic natural laws, and the disciplines that promote a happier, more educated living
  • History section
    described how the Progressives preached a 'hedonistic doctrine of change' whereas the essentialists stressed the moral responsibility of man
  • Developed By: William Bagley, History/Founding section
    In 1938 Bagley and other educators met together where Bagley gave a speech detailing the main points of the essentialism movement. In April 1938, he published the Essentialist's Platform, in which he outlined three major points of essentialism.
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