Theories Abstract

Perennialism
This teaching school of thought involves little student attention. Instead, the teacher is the center of the classroom, and it is considered his or her responsibility to imbibe the students with essential information. This theory borrows much from idealism in that it assumes that there are tried and true answers that need to be understood in order for students to be successful.
Essentialism
Every person has a core knowledge that is essential to their survival. Schools are expected to effectively convey these core skills to students so that they may become most productive. Under essentialism, there is less emphasis on underlying truths to information, and more focus on a strong understanding of "basic" skills.
Behaviorism
B.F. Skinner began this movement. True to his belief that an individual's behavior is determined by their environment, Behaviorism focuses on controlling stimuli in the classroom in order to most directly influence student behavior. Because of these areas of focus, Behaviorism is most closely linked to Realism.
Positivism
This educational theory throws out any approach to knowledge that does not rely on observable, measurable fact. Beliefs about the mind, the spirit, and consciousness are not validated, and all existence can be explained by known laws of science.
Progressivism
Developed from pragmatism, Progressivism restates that if an idea works well, it can be considered true, but takes it a step further by proposing that it should be tested for its ability to work. Developed by Dewey, the movement makes use of structured testing procedures like the scientific method to validate ideas, and learns from them by continuing to question those ideas.
Reconstructionism
This is a student-centered movement that views the classroom as a vehicle for social change. The agenda of a Reconstructionist classroom would be to include an awareness of controversial or dire social issues as often as possible, placing emphasis on the students' ability to shape the social status of their community and their world.
Humanism
Humanism believes that there is an innate good in every person, and that education should be concerned with enhancing that good within the individual person. This movement has little to do with group-oriented learning, instead maintaining a steady concern with the growth of the student as an individual. Humanism is related to Existentialism.
Constructivism
Students are encouraged to find their own frame of interest and to learn accordingly. The development of critical thinking takes precedence over memorization of specific facts. Teaching techniques involve a variety of activities which allow students to make their own connections to the answers they derive from the activities.

I find that Constructivism most appealed to me and my teaching strategies. Not only do I agree with the approach to student learning in this movement more than any other, it seemed the most forward-thinking and evenly distributed educational approach. Too many other movements like Behaviorism or Essentialism seem to rely on an absolute instruction method or mode of thought to be practically applied to a classroom without alienating the progress of some students. By contrast, Constructivism seems like the best way to reach out to every student, since it emphasizes the individual growth of every learner. It is also the most accommodating theory for planning lessons based on the interests or learning styles of a group of students. Since there is a clear emphasis placed on varying instruction and classroom activities, there ought to be enough ways of teaching information that every student can satisfactorily develop their own understanding and make their own connections.

A close section was Reconstructivism. I, too, think that the first step to social reform is the education of that society's population--so school would be the most direct way to influence the future. Since I'm not a social studies teacher, I think that I won't have as many opportunities to implement this kind of teaching theory in my class, but I do want to make my students as much a part of their community as possible. Discussion of current events and social issues are the best way of bringing the outside world to them, and since there would be no point in talking about it if I weren't going to try and get them to think of ways of affecting their society, this school of thought seems like it fits my intentions.