Existentialism I Should Seek Not the Way but My Way Classroom Existentialism Notes and Quotes Term Paper

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Existentialism

'I should seek not the way, but my way." Rather than follow a strict set of rules about what school should or should not be like, the existentialist chooses his or her own vision of education. There is truly no one right way for students to learn or one method of teaching that is universally applicable. Existentialism classrooms therefore offer freedom for both educator and student. The existentialist model also encourages growth and creativity through limitless freedom.

As Blaise Pascal said, "Live today as if you were to die tomorrow." According to this philosophy, the students and teachers would do whatever they felt inspired to do at that moment, and curriculum would be loose. The existentialist teacher eschews structure. The existentialist does not attempt to become a specialist because to do so is too restricting. I agree with the quote, "Specialization diminishes a man-He is a creature of knowledge, not the master of it." I also appreciate the existentialist vision of education as a "conversation between persons in which each person remains a subject for the other, a conversation." With this viewpoint, the teacher is not authoritarian, and does not stand up in front of the class and lecture all day.

Finally, the existentialist teacher helps students achieve self-realization. I agree that the purpose of education is more than just to memorize multiplication tables or vocabulary words. There is a reason why students don't like school, and if more teachers incorporated the fundamental philosophies of existentialism in their classrooms, more students would enjoy school.

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Learning would be more fun.

I had an existentialist teacher in high school. The class was social studies, but we did not have a textbook. Rather, the teacher taught to us from Buddhist teachings and encouraged each student in the class to discuss the meaning of life. Instead of memorizing historical data, we learned how to think creatively about our world and about our own selves.

The existentialist classroom can focus on any subject. In fact, the true existentialist classroom focuses on as many subjects as possible, and is not restricted to math, English, science, or history. However, when teaching restrictive subjects like math, the teacher uses highly creative methods rather than rote learning. The existentialist teacher brings in various multimedia materials, and welcomes technology as a tool for teaching. The teacher teaches whatever the students appear interested in on that day rather than force them to focus on one specific thing. The students and teacher might sit together in a circle, rather than in typical classroom format. Students are encouraged to tell stories and share jokes. They might perform some creative projects with art or music. Games are also encouraged. The existentialist class is frequently held outside on the lawn on sunny days, or….....

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