Realism can be defined as a philosophical position that asserts the existence of an objective order of reality and the possibility of human beings gaining knowledge about this reality. Many teachers support the philosophy of realism and it is seen that the realist curriculum is highly valued in the field of present educational system. Realism believes that in order to teach students effectively, an overall curriculum is of utmost importance. According to Gutek, the Realism’s educational goals involve cultivation of human rationality thorough the organized bodies of knowledge and should frame their choices rationally and should be encouraged to define themselves accordingly.
Under the realism philosophy of education, teachers must offer adequate teaching materials to the students based on their developmental levels. The curriculum is usually based by keeping in mind the readiness, maturity and previous learning of the student. The realistic teacher can be the model of an ideal teacher in today’s educational system. The realist teacher should command a variety of methods that may include lecture, discussions or experiments and should always use appropriate methods suitable to the learner’s background.
IDEALISM IN EDUCATION:
Under the idealist approach one must be clear on the purpose of learning. An idealist teacher is not concerned primarily with turning out students with specific technical or occupational skills, but they try to give the students an inner understanding of the world in which they live. The curriculum revolves around broad concepts rather than specific skills. Students in elementary and Pre School are encouraged to develop habits of understanding, patience and tolerance. They are imbibed with the notion that such habits along with hard work will assist them later when they undertake more substantial studies. Well, this does not mean that students cannot learn some important ideas at any age, but the early years of education