LET Secondary The Teaching Profession and Social Dimensions of Education — Philosophical and Historical Foundations of EducationRevision Notes

Exam Tips

• LET items may ask: 'Which branch of philosophy is concerned with the question of what is morally right?' Answer: Axiology (specifically ethics).
• If an item asks about curriculum content decisions, think METAPHYSICS. If about teaching method, think EPISTEMOLOGY. If about values/character, think AXIOLOGY.
• Remember the connection: RA 7836 and the Code of Ethics are rooted in AXIOLOGY (ethics).

Key Points

• Philosophy literally means 'love of wisdom' (philo = love; sophia = wisdom). It is the systematic inquiry into fundamental questions about reality, knowledge, and values.
• There are four main branches, each directly influencing a different aspect of schooling.
• METAPHYSICS asks: What is real? → It shapes CURRICULUM CONTENT (what subjects are taught).
• EPISTEMOLOGY asks: What is knowledge and how do we come to know? → It shapes TEACHING METHODS (how lessons are delivered).
• AXIOLOGY asks: What is of value? It has two sub-branches: ETHICS (what is good/right) and AESTHETICS (what is beautiful). → It shapes VALUES EDUCATION and the teacher's MORAL CONDUCT, including duties under the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers.
• LOGIC asks: What is correct reasoning? It has two forms: DEDUCTIVE reasoning (from general principle to specific conclusion) and INDUCTIVE reasoning (from specific observations to a general conclusion). → It shapes CRITICAL THINKING instruction.
• In the Philippine K to 12 curriculum, the spiral progression approach and Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) reflect epistemological assumptions about how children best come to know.
• The Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers (under RA 7836) is grounded in axiology — specifically ethics — as it prescribes what is morally right for teachers.

Definitions

Section Title

Branches of Philosophy and Their Relevance to Teaching

Common Mistakes

• Confusing metaphysics with metaphysical claims about the supernatural — in philosophy, it simply means the study of reality and being.
• Mixing up deductive and inductive reasoning: remember D for Deductive = Down (general → specific), I for Inductive = upward generalization (specific → general).
• Forgetting that axiology has TWO sub-branches: ethics AND aesthetics. LET items sometimes ask specifically about one.
• Treating these branches as separate from classroom practice — each branch has a direct classroom implication.

Exam Tips

• The LET loves 'Which philosopher is associated with...' items. Memorize: Plato = Idealism, Aristotle = Realism, Dewey = Pragmatism, Sartre/Kierkegaard = Existentialism, Rousseau = Naturalism, Skinner = Behaviorism.
• For scenario items: if the teacher uses probing questions to draw out ideas → IDEALISM (Socratic). If the teacher organizes a hands-on experiment → REALISM or PRAGMATISM (distinguish by whether it is about facts of the physical world or solving a real-life problem).
• EXISTENTIALISM is identified by words like 'student choice,' 'personal meaning,' 'freedom,' 'self-expression,' 'individual path.'
• NATURALISM is identified by 'readiness,' 'natural development,' 'child's pace,' 'learning in nature.'

Key Points

• These are the foundational philosophies that answer the deepest questions about reality and knowledge. They provide the theoretical base for the educational theories (essentialism, progressivism, etc.).
• IDEALISM: Traced to PLATO. Reality = ideas, mind, spirit. Truth is absolute and unchanging. The teacher is a MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL MODEL. Method: SOCRATIC (probing questions). Curriculum: literature, history, philosophy, religion — subjects that carry enduring ideas. Slogan: 'The mind is the key.'
• REALISM: Traced to ARISTOTLE. Reality = the physical, observable world that exists independently of the mind. We know it through SENSES and REASON. Teaching stresses SCIENCE, MATH, EMPIRICAL OBSERVATION. The teacher IMPARTS organized factual knowledge. Slogan: 'See the world as it is.'
• PRAGMATISM (also called Experimentalism): Associated with JOHN DEWEY, Charles Peirce, William James. Reality = WHAT WORKS and is constantly changing through experience. Knowledge is validated by its PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES. Method: LEARNING BY DOING, problem solving, experimentation. Teacher is a FACILITATOR. Slogan: 'If it works, it is true.'
• EXISTENTIALISM: Associated with SOREN KIERKEGAARD and JEAN-PAUL SARTRE. Reality = SUBJECTIVE; each person creates their own meaning through FREE CHOICE. Education is LEARNER-CENTERED. Curriculum: humanities, self-expression, freedom to choose. Teacher HELPS STUDENTS DISCOVER THEMSELVES. Slogan: 'Existence precedes essence.'
• NATURALISM: Associated with JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU (author of Émile). Nature is the source of all reality. Education should follow the child's NATURAL DEVELOPMENT and readiness, not be forced. Respect for the child's pace is central. This foreshadows child development theory.
• BEHAVIORISM: Associated with B.F. SKINNER and JOHN WATSON. Behavior is shaped by the environment through CONDITIONING. Favors clear objectives, reinforcement, drill, and MEASURABLE OUTCOMES. Strongly informs classroom management and instructional design (e.g., behavioral objectives in lesson plans).
• SIGNAL WORDS for idealism: 'ideas,' 'mind,' 'spirit,' 'Socratic,' 'absolute truth.' For realism: 'physical world,' 'science,' 'observation,' 'facts.' For pragmatism: 'experience,' 'doing,' 'problem-solving,' 'practical.' For existentialism: 'choice,' 'freedom,' 'personal meaning,' 'individuality.'

Definitions

Section Title

The Four Classic Educational Philosophies

Common Mistakes

• Confusing PRAGMATISM with the everyday meaning of 'being practical.' In philosophy, pragmatism is a specific school of thought centered on Dewey's ideas about experience and learning.
• Associating EXISTENTIALISM only with pessimism or despair — in education, it is about empowering students to make meaningful choices and take responsibility.
• Forgetting that NATURALISM (Rousseau) is different from pragmatism (Dewey), even though both are child-friendly. Naturalism = follow nature/development; Pragmatism = learn through doing/experience.
• Mixing up BEHAVIORISM (a philosophy/psychology) with behaviourism as a classroom management style — behaviorism is the broader theory; classroom management is one application.
• Thinking that idealism rejects teaching about the physical world entirely — it simply holds that ideas are MORE REAL than the physical.

Exam Tips

• The classic LET item format: 'Teacher A does X. What educational philosophy/theory does this reflect?' Master the signal words for each theory.
• 'Teacher drills grammar and arithmetic, requires mastery of basics.' → ESSENTIALISM (Bagley).
• 'Teacher has students read Plato and Noli Me Tangere to develop reasoning.' → PERENNIALISM (Hutchins/Adler).
• 'Teacher organizes a project where pupils solve a real community problem.' → PROGRESSIVISM (Dewey).
• 'Teacher builds a unit on poverty and has students plan social action.' → RECONSTRUCTIONISM (Brameld/Counts).
• 'Teacher lets each student choose their own topic and discover personal meaning.' → EXISTENTIALISM (Sartre).
• Remember the two camps: Teacher-centered = E and P (Essentialism, Perennialism). Learner/Society-centered = P and R (Progressivism, Reconstructionism). Use the acronym 'EP vs PR'.

Key Points

• These four theories translate the classic philosophies into concrete stances on curriculum and school practice. They are the MOST FREQUENTLY TESTED concepts in this chapter.
• Group them into two camps for easy recall: TEACHER/SUBJECT-CENTERED = Essentialism and Perennialism. LEARNER/SOCIETY-CENTERED = Progressivism and Reconstructionism.
• ESSENTIALISM: Champion = WILLIAM BAGLEY. 'Back to basics.' Schools transmit ESSENTIAL skills and knowledge every person needs: the 3 Rs (Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic) and core academic disciplines. TEACHER-CENTERED. Values discipline, hard work, mastery of content. Rooted in idealism and realism. Example: A Grade 2 teacher drills multiplication tables every morning and requires mastery before moving on.
• PERENNIALISM: Champions = ROBERT HUTCHINS and MORTIMER ADLER. Teaches UNIVERSAL, EVERLASTING TRUTHS through the GREAT BOOKS (classic literature, philosophy, theology). Aim: DEVELOP THE RATIONAL INTELLECT. Because human nature is constant, what was worth learning centuries ago is still worth learning today. MOST CONSERVATIVE and intellectual. Rooted in idealism. Example: A teacher has students analyze a Rizal essay as a timeless moral text.
• PROGRESSIVISM: Rooted in PRAGMATISM (JOHN DEWEY). CHILD-CENTERED. Learning is active, experiential, problem-solving, connected to the student's interests and needs. 'Education is life, not merely preparation for life.' Methods: projects, field study, cooperative learning, inquiry. Strongly reflected in the K to 12 spiral progression and Activity-Based Learning. Example: A Grade 4 class designs a garden to learn about plant life cycles.
• RECONSTRUCTIONISM (Social Reconstructionism): Champions = THEODORE BRAMELD and GEORGE COUNTS. Schools are AGENTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE. Curriculum centers on CONTROVERSIAL SOCIAL ISSUES (poverty, injustice, environment, inequality). Learners are prepared to REFORM and REBUILD SOCIETY. It shares progressivism's methods but adds an ACTIVIST SOCIAL MISSION. Example: A teacher has students research child labor in the Philippines and plan a community action project.
• KEY DISTINCTIONS: Essentialism vs. Perennialism — both are teacher-centered, but essentialism focuses on PRACTICAL BASIC SKILLS while perennialism focuses on TIMELESS INTELLECTUAL TRUTHS. Progressivism vs. Reconstructionism — both are child-centered and activity-based, but progressivism focuses on the INDIVIDUAL CHILD's growth while reconstructionism focuses on CHANGING SOCIETY.
• SIGNAL WORDS: Essentialism = 'basics,' 'drill,' '3 Rs,' 'mastery,' 'discipline.' Perennialism = 'Great Books,' 'classics,' 'reason,' 'timeless,' 'Hutchins/Adler.' Progressivism = 'child-centered,' 'experience,' 'problem-solving,' 'projects,' 'Dewey.' Reconstructionism = 'social issues,' 'reform,' 'equity,' 'community action,' 'Brameld/Counts.'

Definitions

Section Title

The Four Educational Theories (Philosophies of Schooling)

Common Mistakes

• Saying progressivism = social action. Progressivism focuses on the INDIVIDUAL CHILD's active learning. Social action is RECONSTRUCTIONISM.
• Confusing essentialism with perennialism. Remember: essentialism = BASICS (skills for life), perennialism = GREAT BOOKS (classics for intellect).
• Thinking progressivism has no structure — it does have structure, but it is organized around the child's experience and problem-solving rather than a fixed syllabus.
• Forgetting that reconstructionism shares METHODS with progressivism (activity-based) but has a different PURPOSE (social reform, not just individual growth).
• Associating Dewey with essentialism — Dewey is the father of PROGRESSIVISM and pragmatism, not essentialism.

Exam Tips

• Memorize the four KEY MARKERS: Baybayin (pre-colonial), Educational Decree of 1863 + UST 1611 (Spanish), Thomasites + Act No. 74 (American), Institute of National Language (Commonwealth).
• LET items may ask: 'What was the character of education during the Spanish period?' Answer: religion-centered, parochial, elitist.
• LET items may ask: 'What law created the Department of Public Instruction?' Answer: Act No. 74 (1901).
• For the American period, remember the THREE keywords: FREE, PUBLIC, SECULAR + English medium of instruction.

Key Points

• Philippine education has been shaped by each era's colonial or national context. Knowing the KEY MARKERS for each period is essential for the LET.
• PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD: Education was INFORMAL, PRACTICAL, and community-based. No formal schools. Parents, tribal elders, and the community taught survival skills, values, customs, rituals, and trade. Early Filipinos had a writing system called the BAYBAYIN (also called alibata). Education aimed to prepare the young for adult life in the BARANGAY.
• SPANISH PERIOD (1565-1898): Education became RELIGION-CENTERED, controlled mainly by MISSIONARY FRIARS. Goal: convert Filipinos to Catholicism. Content: catechism, reading, writing, some arithmetic. Often in local languages; Spanish was restricted. Education was PAROCHIAL, ELITIST, and GENDER/CLASS-SEGREGATED. UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS (UST) founded in 1611 — the OLDEST university in the Philippines and in Asia. KEY LANDMARK: EDUCATIONAL DECREE OF 1863 — established FREE PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS in every town and a NORMAL SCHOOL to train male teachers. This is one of the most tested Spanish-era facts on the LET.
• AMERICAN PERIOD (1898-1946): Americans introduced a FREE, PUBLIC, SECULAR, and DEMOCRATIC system open to all, using ENGLISH as the medium of instruction. KEY LAW: ACT NO. 74 (1901) — created the Department of Public Instruction and established the PHILIPPINE NORMAL SCHOOL (now Philippine Normal University/PNU) to prepare Filipino teachers. THE THOMASITES: About 500 American teachers arrived in 1901 aboard the transport ship USS THOMAS. They were the first American public school teachers in the Philippines and fanned out across the country to teach. THE MONROE SURVEY (1925): Evaluated and critiqued the American-style school system. Public education under the Americans is credited with MASS LITERACY and the spread of English.
• COMMONWEALTH PERIOD (1935-1946): Under the 1935 Constitution, education stressed CIVIC CONSCIENCE, VOCATIONAL EFFICIENCY, and MORAL CHARACTER. The INSTITUTE OF NATIONAL LANGUAGE was established and a national language based on TAGALOG was developed. Adult and vocational education expanded. Universal elementary education was a stated national goal.
• JAPANESE OCCUPATION (1942-1945): The Japanese promoted NIPPONGO (Japanese language), love of labor, and vocational/physical education. Goal: erase Western (American) influence and support the GREATER EAST ASIA CO-PROSPERITY SPHERE. Schooling was severely disrupted by the war.

Definitions

Section Title

History of Philippine Education: Pre-colonial to Commonwealth

Common Mistakes

• Confusing the Educational Decree of 1863 (Spanish era) with Act No. 74 (American era). The Decree = Spanish/1863/free primary schools + normal school. Act 74 = American/1901/Department of Public Instruction + Philippine Normal School.
• Forgetting that UST was founded in 1611 — making it the oldest university in the Philippines AND in Asia.
• Saying the Thomasites came on any ship other than the USS Thomas. The ship name is the source of the nickname 'Thomasites.'
• Thinking pre-colonial Filipinos were uneducated — they had a writing system (baybayin) and a functional, though informal, education system.
• Mixing up the Commonwealth's Institute of National Language (Tagalog-based) with later bilingual education policies.

Exam Tips

• The LET will ask about RA 7836 in the context of professional conduct and teacher qualifications. Always connect it to the Code of Ethics and the PRC.
• Memorize: K to 12 = RA 10533. MTB-MLE = Grades 1-3. Spiral Progression = revisiting concepts with increasing complexity.
• For child protection items: RA 7610 = protection of children. Any teacher who harms, humiliates, or neglects to report child abuse violates RA 7610 AND the Code of Ethics.
• The trifocalization acronym: DCT = DepEd (basic), CHED (college), TESDA (tech-voc).
• RA 1425 = Rizal Law. Frequently appears in history of education items.

Key Points

• POST-WAR AND INDEPENDENCE (1946 onward): The school system was restored and expanded. Major laws and milestones followed in succession.
• RA 1425 (RIZAL LAW, 1956): Mandates the study of the life, works, and writings of JOSE RIZAL in all schools. Frequently tested on the LET.
• BILINGUAL EDUCATION POLICIES: Over the decades, the Philippines shifted between English-only, Filipino-dominant, and bilingual approaches. The 1974 and 1987 Bilingual Education Policies required Filipino and English as media of instruction for different subjects.
• DEPARTMENT REORGANIZATION: Originally the Department of Education, the agency was later renamed the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CULTURE AND SPORTS (DECS). Then, with the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001 (RA 9155), education was reorganized and renamed the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DepEd), with the TRIFOCALIZATION of education: DepEd (basic education), CHED (higher education, under RA 7722), and TESDA (technical-vocational, under RA 7796).
• RA 7836 (PHILIPPINE TEACHERS PROFESSIONALIZATION ACT OF 1994): Created the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) and established the PRC Board for Professional Teachers. Defines the qualifications and responsibilities of professional teachers. The Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers was issued under this law. Every LET candidate must know RA 7836.
• ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION ACT OF 2013 (RA 10533) — THE K TO 12 PROGRAM: The most sweeping recent reform in Philippine education. KEY FEATURES: (1) KINDERGARTEN — one year of compulsory Kindergarten. (2) 6 years of Elementary (Grades 1-6). (3) 4 years of Junior High School (Grades 7-10). (4) 2 years of SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL (Grades 11-12) — the major addition. (5) MOTHER TONGUE-BASED MULTILINGUAL EDUCATION (MTB-MLE) — use of the learner's first language as medium of instruction in Grades 1-3. (6) SPIRAL PROGRESSION — subjects revisit concepts at increasing complexity across grade levels. (7) Tracks and strands in Senior High School (Academic, Technical-Vocational, Sports, Arts & Design).
• CHILD PROTECTION: RA 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act) is a cornerstone child protection law. All teachers are mandated reporters under this law and under DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012 (Child Protection Policy). Teachers must report suspected abuse. Any form of corporal punishment, humiliation, or degrading treatment violates RA 7610 and the Code of Ethics.
• RA 9293 amended RA 7836 to require that all teachers be LET passers. RA 10533 (K to 12) is the legal foundation of the current curriculum that future teachers will implement.
• The HISTORY of Philippine education can be seen as a progressive democratization: from informal barangay learning → elitist friar schools → democratic American public schools → nationalist Commonwealth system → current inclusive K to 12.

Definitions

Section Title

History of Philippine Education: Post-war to K to 12

Common Mistakes

• Confusing RA 7836 (LET/Teacher Professionalization) with RA 10533 (K to 12). RA 7836 = your right to take the LET. RA 10533 = the curriculum you will teach.
• Forgetting that RA 7610 applies to teachers — teachers who use corporal punishment, humiliation, or intimidation of pupils can be charged under this law.
• Thinking K to 12 only added 2 years of Senior High School — it also added Kindergarten and introduced MTB-MLE and spiral progression.
• Confusing DECS (old name) with DepEd (current name). The reorganization happened with RA 9155 (Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001).
• Forgetting the three agencies of trifocalization: DepEd, CHED, TESDA.