Philosophy is defined as love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-

discipline (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 2009). Philosophy also
can be defined as personal views and opinions of the good life based on one's own prior
knowledge. Philosophy is a reflective activity and it has no explicitly designated subject matter
of its own but it is a method or type of mental operation that can take any area as its object.
Philosophy is a system of principles that are used for guiding us in what we do in life. We allow
ourselves to discover errors and contradictions so that we are more easily able to acquire
knowledge and are able to think an ideas or conceptions.

Philosophy becomes the principles for guiding action. Philosophy in education means the
inquiry into the ideas that dominate educational theory and policy (Oxford Dictionary of
Philosophy, 2005). In my opinion, philosophy and education will always be interrelated.
Philosophies help to serve curriculum leaders in many ways. They can suggest purpose in
education, clarify objectives and learning activities in school, define the roles of persons working
in schools and guide the selection of learning strategies and tactics in the classroom. There are
many kinds of educational philosophies; but the main 4 educational philosophies that are
recognized in the field of education are Essentialism, Perennialism, Progressivism and
Reconstructionism.

Perennialism or realism emphasized the 3Rs, science, arts, moral and religious training.
The teacher is a master of subject and guides discussion. This is common curriculum for all
students.Essentialism philosophy believes that curriculum should be geared to the fundamentals
or essentials. The teacher is an intellectual and moral role model for the students. The academic
program is rigorous for both and fast learners. They taught 3Rs at elementary level and 5 core
subjects at high school such as math, natural science, history, foreign language and literature,
which form the foundation of the curriculum. Progressivism rooted in pragmatism philosophy
teaches problem solving, inquiry, cooperation and self-discipline through activities, case study,
experiments, problem solving, projects and thematic approaches. In a progressivism classroom,
teachers plan lesson to arouse curiosity and the students are encouraged to learn how to think:
not what to think. Student will be given case study or projects and they tried to solve problem in
the classroom similar to those they will encounter outside school. These will provide them tools
needed to become problem solvers in their adult life.

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 Reconstructionism rooted in existentialism. It emphasizes society centered education;
appropriate for a society in crisis, social and economic issues such as poverty, environment
degradation, unemployment, crime, war, political oppression and hunger. The curriculum
emphasizes cultural pluralism, equality, and futurism, rather than the sciences. Students are
taught to look at global issues and think of ways to improve society. It study empirical analysis
and scientific approaches plus social, political and economic ideology. Teachers are the prime
agents of social change, cultural renewal and internationalism.

“Education in Malaysia is on-going efforts towards further developing the potential of

individuals in a holistic and integrated manner, so as to produce individuals who are
intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonic, based on a firm
belief in and devotion to God. Such an effort is designed to produce Malaysian citizens who are
knowledgeable and competent, who possess high moral standards and who are responsible and
capable of achieving high level of personal well-being as well as being able to contribute to the
harmony and betterment of the family, the society and the nation at large.”(Ministry of
Education). In curriculum development, philosophy assists us to design the foundations from
which the content and structure arise. The curriculum content should have knowledge, skills,
attitudes that enable learners to gain understanding and to apply that understanding to daily life,
present and future.

Malaysia educational goals are not much different from any other country. We stage the
formal education into primary, secondary and tertiary. In primary education, the students learned
on how to write, arithmetic and reading (3R) while in secondary education, students were taught
to apply theory knowledge into practice. Students will face 3 major examinations that are UPSR,
PMR and SPM. Those succeed will proceed to university in tertiary phase. The examination is
essential in order to distinguish who is good and who is the weak. Our education system are to
exam-oriented training. Does passing the examinations equal to understand knowledge? How
about the communication skills, persuasive skills, self-knowledge and problem-solving skills?
Were our students have acquired all those skills? With standard focused teaching and the main
focus are the examinations, our students seeing their education as a bored and repression.
Students need schools that stir their imaginations and give them a chance to discover their
deepest and most enduring interests.

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 The schools should have a relationship to some question that the students is concerned
and fit into his/her experiences so as to increase its efficiency and deepen its meaning. They need
the opportunity to discover for themselves and they learn to find answers to their questions. Also
provide students access to hands-on activities in order to make students active learners. The
schools did not keep up with our changing industrialized society or with the sciences, and they
taught with rigidity and straight rows of desks, teachers lecturing, memorization of facts and
figures, knowledge cut off from the everyday lives and experiences of students. There was no
learner-centered learning, no learning by doing and no enthusiasm for lifelong learning. (John
Dewey, 1890).
In creating a learning-centered classroom (Robert Marzano, 1992) says that six
characteristics are needed:
1. Instruction must reflect the best of what we know about how learning occurs.

2. Learning involves a complex system of interactive processes that includes five types of
thinking - the five dimensions of learning.

3. What we know about learning indicates that instruction focusing on large,

interdisciplinary curricular themes is the most effective way to promote learning.

4. The curriculum should include explicit teaching of higher-level attitudes and perceptions
and mental habits that facilitate learning.

5. A comprehensive approach to instruction includes at least two distinct types of

instruction: teacher-directed and student-directed.

6. Assessment should focus on students' use of knowledge and complex reasoning rather
than their recall of low-level information.

As a teacher, we have the huge responsibility of influencing the citizens of future

generations. In addition to a rapidly changing society, it also becomes clear that teacher must
facing these challenges with an open mind and a willingness to adapt to different learning styles
and personalities can make the difference between students learning. The key to education is
showing students how to teach themselves to learn. I use a wide variety of techniques to elicit
information from students. I must determine effective strategies that would suit to the interest,
abilities and needs of the students. My idea of a perfect teacher is one, who inspires learning and
motivate students to seek more by showing them they can have fun in the search. Today, the role

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of a teacher has changed. They became a friendly guide, lead students to the answers through a
series of questions and answers, and judge simultaneously.

Every student that interested in learning are varies not only in abilities, but also in
learning styles. My job as a teacher is to develop their potential by believing in them as capable
individuals and showing the students how to become responsible for themselves as well as their
own learning. To accomplish this goal, I will present curriculum that involves the interests of the
students, they can express their own opinions and nurture their own ideas. This will makes
learning relevant to life and motivated them to work hard. I will allow students to become
responsible members of classroom by using strategies such as class meetings, positive discipline,
and democratic principles. I also will teach integrated units, projects, group work, individual
work, and hands-on learning. For me, teaching provides an opportunity for lifelong learning. I
share my own passion for learning with the student.

Socrates, the ancient Greek Philosophers, refused to be acknowledged as a teacher and

received no payment for his services. He wanted to teach his students to explore abstract topics,
such as religion, knowledge, virtue, justice and wisdom. He initiated a method of investigation
inquiry called the Socratic Method. This method is where “the questioner explores the
implications of others' positions, to stimulate rational thinking and illuminate ideas” (Socratic
Method, 2009). This method involves direct questioning using words such as “who”, “what”,
“when”, “why”, “define”, “clarify”, “relate”, “explain”, “justify” and “what if” and allows the
students to use critical thinking and come up with their own answers. His student, Plato, shared
his teaching style of using dialogue to help students discover knowledge on their own and he
believed good education would prepare students for his or her role in life (Murphy 2006).
Socrates and Plato made many contributions to education.

The American philosophy of education John Dewey has contributed in developing

progressivism philosophy. He believed that education should be life itself, not a preparation for
living, learning should be directly related to the interests of the child and learning through
problem solving should take precedence over the inculcating of subject matter. The teacher's role
is not to direct but to advice. The school should encourage cooperation rather than competition.
Teachers of the progressivism philosophy encourage problem solving, critical thinking as well as
creative thinking. Without problem solving abilities, the students will not able to function
successfully and face the obstacles that lay on their path to success in the real world.
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 In nursing education, the Socratic Method and progressivism philosophy are valuable
tools. It uses inquiry method to explore nursing phenomenon based on theory, knowledge,
literature, and resources to prove the truthfulness, validity and reliability and also assist in
formulating thoughts, opinion, and judgment. The teaching learning methods used in a
progressivism classroom are the idea of problem based learning approaches, where the teacher
recreates problems that exist in clinical and assist students in the direction of solving these
problems and students were given opportunity use creativity and to speak their minds to find the
most viable solution.

Savoie and Hughes (1994) describe the following actions for creating a problem-based learning
experience for their students:

1. Identify a problem suitable for the students.

2. Connect the problem with the context of the students' world so that it presents authentic
opportunities.
3. Organize the subject matter around the problem, not the discipline.
4. Give students responsibility for defining their learning experience and planning to solve
the problem.
5. Encourage collaboration by creating learning teams.
6. Expect all students to demonstrate the results of their learning through a product or
performance.

This is an example of case study that I gave to student to stimulate their critical thinking. Mr.
Ali has arrived on your ward from the Emergency Department. He has been diagnosis as having
a stroke and has suddenly become incontinent with frequent episodes overnight. He is now very
drowsy and dysphagia since the stroke.
From the scenario, the students need to select a significant problem or Nursing Diagnosis that the
patient is evidently experiencing. Then states what the causes of the above problem is related to.
Once they have done a Nursing Diagnosis, then they need to write five interventions for each
problem they had identify. When deciding on their interventions include interventions that focus
solely on the problem. Then, for each intervention they need to state why or rationale. When they
have finished, these interventions form the foundation for a Nursing care plan that guide to
Nursing Care. The students will able to understand this Nursing Care and will used it when they
encounter a patient that had a similar problem.

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 As a teacher, let’s us take applications of Socrates, Plato and John Dewey into the
classrooms, bring the focus back to a learner-centered environment, get students interested in
their education and make the learning about the student. All those approaches have to start from
primary education so that we will achieve the Ministry of Education objectives.

1. To produce loyal and united Malaysian.

2. To produce happy, well mannered individuals who have faith, knowledge and vision.
3. To prepare the nation´s human resource for development needs.
4. To provide educational opportunities for all Malaysians.

References.

1. American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2009) 4th Ed by Editors of the
American Heritage Dictionaries
2. National Commission of Excellence in Education. (1983). A nation at risk: The
imperative for educational reform. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office
3. Marzano, R.J. (1992). A different kind of classroom: Teaching with dimensions of
learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
4. Ministry of Education Portal

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5. Murphy, M.M, (2006) Education in Ancient Greece, In D.A Stollenwerk (Ed). The
History and Philosophy of Education: Voices of Educational Pioneer (pp.13-47). Upper
Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Education
6. Philosophy Dictionary. The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, (2005) by Oxford
University Press
7. Robert B. Westbrook (Paris, UNESCO: International Bureau of Education), vol. XXIII,
no. 1\2, 1993, p. 277-91. ©UNESCO :International Bureau of Education, 1999.
8. Savoie, J.M., & Hughes, A.S. (1994). Problem-based learning as classroom solution.
Educational Leadership, 52(3), 54-57.
9. http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-dewey.h… Retrieved 12.49 14 October 2009
10. http://www.iep.utm.edu/d/dewey.htm#H2 Retrieved 12.55 14 October 2009
11. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dewey Retrieved 13.00 14 October 2009
12. http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/acs/1890… Retrieved 13.10 14 October 2009
13. Socrates. (2009). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved, 10 October 2009,
from http:/ /en. wikipedia. org/ w/
14. Socrates& Plato. (2009). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 10 October
2009, from http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?
15. Plato&Socratic Method. (2009). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved, 10
October, 2009, from http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=Socratic_method