Imagine you are a checking-out schools to select a site for your internship. You are invited to visit one wing of Wide Range Middle School and observe ten teachers in action. The administrator says that all the classes are involved in reading lessons at this point in the day. You head down the hall, expecting to see ten very similar programs. No way -- there are a wide range of educational philosophies being demonstrated. Can you determine which rooms are represented by Essentialism, Perennialism, Progressivism, Social Reconstructionism, and Existentialism?
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| 1 | |
Students are immersed in a world cultures reading project, comparing animals stories and legends. |
| | A) | Essentialism |
| | B) | Perennialism |
| | C) | Progressivism |
| | D) | Social Reconstructionism |
| | E) | Existentialism |
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| 2 | |
Three circles of students read a classic book, and then discuss the author’s ideas with their or instructional aide |
| | A) | Essentialism |
| | B) | Perennialism |
| | C) | Progressivism |
| | D) | Social Reconstructionism |
| | E) | Existentialism |
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| 3 | |
Students scattered about the room, working independently on text, personal reading and library books |
| | A) | Essentialism |
| | B) | Perennialism |
| | C) | Progressivism |
| | D) | Social Reconstructionism |
| | E) | Existentialism |
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| 4 | |
Students reading the history text, one paragraph per reader, up and down each row, and writing down the major names and events in each paragraph. |
| | A) | Essentialism |
| | B) | Perennialism |
| | C) | Progressivism |
| | D) | Social Reconstructionism |
| | E) | Existentialism |
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| 5 | |
Students are reading their first draft of grant proposals for the local shelter’s playground equipment. |
| | A) | Essentialism |
| | B) | Perennialism |
| | C) | Progressivism |
| | D) | Social Reconstructionism |
| | E) | Existentialism |
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| 6 | |
Surrounded by Greek art posters, students read The Odyssey. |
| | A) | Essentialism |
| | B) | Perennialism |
| | C) | Progressivism |
| | D) | Social Reconstructionism |
| | E) | Existentialism |
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| 7 | |
Older students are reading their stories to small groups of 2nd graders. |
| | A) | Essentialism |
| | B) | Perennialism |
| | C) | Progressivism |
| | D) | Social Reconstructionism |
| | E) | Existentialism |
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| 8 | |
Keeping most, but not everyone occupied are several computer research stations, other students are reading books on the beanbag chairs and a few are engaged in sustained silent reading. |
| | A) | Essentialism |
| | B) | Perennialism |
| | C) | Progressivism |
| | D) | Social Reconstructionism |
| | E) | Existentialism |
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| 9 | |
Reading and reciting together, the students master their Latin phrases. |
| | A) | Social Reconstructionism and Existentialism |
| | B) | Perennialism and Essentialism |
| | C) | Perennialism and Progressivism |
| | D) | Essentialism, and Existentialism |
| | E) | Perennialism and Social Reconstructionism |
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| 10 | |
Students are reading their texts, and the best readers get their names put up on the bulletin board. |
| | A) | Essentialism |
| | B) | Perennialism |
| | C) | Existentialism |
| | D) | Social Reconstructionism |
| | E) | Behaviorism |
| | F) | Progressivism |
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