Which educational philosophy views the curriculum as focusing on core subjects and enduring ideas emphasized through traditional disciplines?

Which educational philosophy views the curriculum as focusing on core subjects and enduring ideas emphasized through traditional disciplines?

• A. Progressivism
• B. Essentialist
• C. Constructivism
• D. Social Reconstructionism

Answer: (B)

The item tests an approach where the curriculum centers on core subjects and enduring ideas taught through traditional disciplines. This stance is essentialism. In essentialism, schooling aims to transmit a core body of knowledge deemed essential for all students, with a direct and teacher-led approach. Instruction prioritizes the basics—reading, writing, mathematics, science, history, literature—and emphasizes enduring ideas or universal knowledge that persists across time, shaping a common cultural foundation. This contrasts with progressivism, which centers on student interests and experiential problem-solving; constructivism, which focuses on learners actively constructing their own understanding through inquiry; and social reconstructionism, which targets addressing social issues and reform. Thus, the best fit is essentialism.

The item tests an approach where the curriculum centers on core subjects and enduring ideas taught through traditional disciplines. This stance is essentialism. In essentialism, schooling aims to transmit a core body of knowledge deemed essential for all students, with a direct and teacher-led approach. Instruction prioritizes the basics—reading, writing, mathematics, science, history, literature—and emphasizes enduring ideas or universal knowledge that persists across time, shaping a common cultural foundation. This contrasts with progressivism, which centers on student interests and experiential problem-solving; constructivism, which focuses on learners actively constructing their own understanding through inquiry; and social reconstructionism, which targets addressing social issues and reform. Thus, the best fit is essentialism.