HUMANISTIC SCHOOL OF THOUGHT (S&L)

HUMANISTIC

• Rooted in social psychology.

• Also called “affective” education. Rooted in social psychology.

PRIMARY FOCUS OF HUMANISTIC

• Personal and social learning.

• Development of psychologically healthy individuals.

SELF-CONCEPT AND SELF WORTH, RESPECT FOR OTHERS, CHILD-CENTERED EDUCATION, SATISFYING HUMAN NEEDS, ACCEPTANCE OF LEARNERS, EMPATHY IN TEACHING, FACILITILATIONS OF SELF-UNDERSTANDING, LEARNING HOW TO LEARN

CORE BELIEFS OF HUMANISTIC CORE 

SELF CONCEPT & SELF WORTH

• Positive feelings about oneself → essential for personal development and academic achievement.

• Promote self-respect, self-worth, and a sense of control over life

RESPECT FOR OTHERS

• Positive feelings toward others → necessary for healthy development.

• Acceptance of diverse opinions and behaviors.

CHILD-CENTERED EDUCATION

• Schools should fit the child, not the other way around (Neill, 1969).

• Children learn best what they want to learn.

• Provide choices; guide students in making wise ones.

SATISFYING HUMAN NEEDS

• Education should address essential needs:

  • Safety and security, love, belonging, achievement (Maslow, 1998).

  • Autonomy, competence, social relationships (Deci & Ryan, 1990).

• Failure to meet these → hinders learning and growth.

ACCEPTANCE OF LEARNERS

• Respect students’ unique behaviors, feelings, and opinions (Rogers, 1983).

EMPATHY IN TEACHING

• See learning situations from the student’s perspective (Combs, 1965).

FACILITATION OF SELF-UNDERSTANDING

• Use techniques to help learners understand feelings and values:

  • Active listening.

  • Invitational learning.

  • Values clarification.

LEARNING HOW TO LEARN

More important than memorizing facts

COOPERATIVE LEARNING, INVITATIONAL LEARNING, VALUES CLARIFICATION, MORAL EDUCATION, MULTIETHNIC EDUCATION

HUMANISTIC APPROACHES

COOPERATIVE LEARNING

• Promotes social, emotional, and intellectual growth.

• Fosters sharing, acceptance, respect, and mutual support.

• Creates a “one for all, all for one” environment.

INVITATIONAL LEARNING

• Developed by Purkey & Novak (1996).

• Goal: Creating an inviting classroom

Teachers communicate to learners that they are: responsible, able, and valuable.

PRACTICES OF INVITATIONAL LEARNING 

1. Knowing learners’ names.

2. Having individual contact.

3. Showing respect.

4. Honesty with self and learners.

5. Not taking rejection personally.

6. Respecting self as a teacher.

VALUES CLARIFICATION

• Encourages reflection and conscious decision-making.

• Example: debating beliefs (e.g., gun control), then examining, sharing, and acting on values.

PROCESS OF VALUE CLARIFICATION 

IDENTIFY BELIEFS/FEELINGS, VALUE THEM, ACT ON VALUED BELIEF

MORAL EDUCATION

• Synonymous with character, values, and citizenship education.

• Aims: develop responsibility in and out of school.

• Promotes respect, care, and community contribution

TEACHER ROLES OF MORAL EDUCATION (LICKONA, 2004)

1. Serve as respectful, caring role models.

2. Create family/community atmosphere in class.

3. Encourage high academic and behavioral standards

MULTIETHNIC EDUCATION

• Encourages learners to:

  • Appreciate their own roots and cultural heritage.

  • Value cultural diversity in others.

• Benefits:

  • Understanding contributions of diverse groups to national development.

  • Embracing pluralism.