Abstract

This paper has been developed in response to what appears to be a growing rejection of the value of the philosophy of education within pre‐service programs. We seek to develop a view of the teaching of the philosophy of education which, we believe, shows an important place for the discipline in initial teacher education. Our major assumption has been that the discipline has not been well‐served in the teaching approaches used in its presentation to generations of teachers. This paper suggests alternative approaches which emphasise the weaving together of the students' background knowledge and experience with philosophic conversations on educating, teaching and learning and professional action. It suggested that professional preparation requires that students encounter the philosophy of education as a disciplined discourse which recognises the problematic, ambiguous, tentative and uncertain nature of human action and understanding in areas as complex as those of educating, teaching and learning. Philosophy of education should enable students to comprehend diverse and contrasting perspectives and to act in ways which respect the inevitable and serious ironies of Education