Idealism

Idealism:

It is considered as the oldest philosophy in the Western culture. The first teacher was Socrates. After his death, his student Plato published his ideas. It is based on ideas that are the only true reality. Most of the idealists tried to apply their principles to the practice of education. They think that the truth is absolute and is born inside human. They trust the mind and not the senses; “man cannot create knowledge, but discover it only”.

Methods:

Idealism is a traditional philosophy where the teacher is the center of the class, and must be the role model for the students. Idealists use the dialectic method in teaching; they depend on asking questions to the learners. They trigger thinking and force the learners to think and approach the truth, through intuition and revelation. Any new idea should be understood deeply through presenting the anti-thesis, or by the lecture method. The curriculum should be designed comprehensive not very specialized, and must include good values.

Role of the teacher:

Man cannot teach other, but just deliver the information from the inside of a student, since every human is born with innate information and ideas. So the teacher works as a facilitator helping students to bring out the ideas. The teacher is the central part of the class, so he must be a good role model for students, let them be happy by their products, and encourage them to ask questions and discover the new material.

Role of the student:

Students should adopt the good model presented by the teacher to be a good citizen. They must answer the questions asked by the teacher and react in the class to discover the new material. They should receive and memorize the lecture given by the teacher and then determine the rules for their lives.

Aims if education:

The major aim is to search for the truth. And the process of searching is more important than the truth itself.

This philosophy deals with human from the highest level of thinking, and thus their minds should be respected and treated from this high level. They should be asked questions that respect their mind and thinking abilities.

Another very important aim is the self- realization, which involves the full knowledge of the self. Also, it develops the child mentally, morally and most important spiritually.