In essentialism, what is necessary matters.
Essentialism, at its simplest, is defined as the view in which things have essences (the attribute, or set of attributes, that make an object or substance what it fundamentally is). Thus, for any specific kind of entity, there is a set of characteristics (or properties or traits), all of which any entity of that kind must have. (Source: philosophybasics.com)
For a teacher to become effective as an essentialist, he/she must focus on what is deemed necessary by society. There is an element of constant change depending on the context of what is happening and what is needed by the people in society.
In reality, this thinking of focusing on what is necessary implies practical logic as it will adjust everything according to what will benefit the greater good. Yet, the real question to examine is how does one determine the so-called things that are needed? Does he base it on popularity and what most people do? Or is there really a consideration on what really works or not?
The most ironic thing about essentialism is that it typically boils down to the teacher and what he/she considers as the correct manner of doing things. Does this mean that whatever he does or chooses automatically determines what is best for everyone? What if, he is wrong? Or worse, what if the students have already bought in to what is wrong because they are trained to think that it is right and it is what is needed. I mean, is essentialism just a good way of stating brainwashing?
Yet, here in the Philippines, essentialism in education is so prominent. The way most teachers teach and the way most students learn are very much patterned to how essentialism should be. And is this why we cannot seem to establish a society full of proactive people. Instead, society is so full of reactive people, who are so used to following, listening, and reacting based on what is given to them.
There is no sense of initiative from most people especially when it comes to actually doing something about the problem.
And so I ask, will the effective essentialist teacher who does everything necessary to become one, end up being really effective? Or is he just effective because of how everyone through his methods has been brainwashed already?
Source: youtube
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