Philosophy of Humanism

Humanism is a paradigm/philosophy/pedagogical approach that believes learning is viewed as a personal

act to fulfill one’s potential. It emerged in the 1960s, focuses on the human freedom, dignity, and potential. A
central assumption of humanism, according to Huitt (2001), is that people act with intentionality and values.
This is in contrast to the behaviorist notion of operant conditioning (which argues that all behavior is the result
of the application of consequences) and the cognitive psychologist belief that the discovering knowledge or
constructing meaning is central to learning. Humanists also believe that it is necessary to study the person as a
whole, especially as an individual grows and develops over the lifespan. It follows that the study of the self,
motivation, and goals are areas of particular interest.

A primary purpose of humanism could be described as the development of self-actualized, autonomous

people. In humanism, learning is student centered and personalized, and the educator’s role is that of a
facilitator. Affective and cognitive needs are key, and the goal is to develop self-actualized people in a
cooperative, supportive environment.

A humanistic approach to education and development is based on the foundation of an integrated

approach to knowledge, learning and development. Some core principles are important: respect for life and
human dignity; equal rights and social justice; respect for cultural diversity, as well as a sense of shared
responsibility and a commitment to international solidarity. These principles are all fundamental aspects of
our common humanity. It is an approach that recognizes the diversity of knowledge systems, worldviews, and
conceptions of well-being as a source of wealth. It recognizes the diversity of lived realities while reaffirming a
common core of universal values. A humanistic approach implies a central concern for sustainable human and
social development, in which the fundamental purpose of education should be to sustain and enhance the
dignity, capacity and welfare of the human person in relation to others and to nature.
This implies inclusive policy-making, as well as transparency and accountability in the provision of meaningful
learning opportunities for all.

Within the humanistic approach, education is about creating a need within the student, or cooperate
with the student his self-motivation. Humanism is about rewarding yourself. Intrinsic rewards are rewards
from within oneself, rather like a satisfaction of a need.

Gage and Berliner (1991) described 4 basic objectives:

1. Promote and develop positive self-direction and independence;

2. Develop the ability to take responsibility for what is learned;

3. Promote and develop creativity;

4. Promote and develop curiosity.

From a humanistic approach on education and learning students will learn best what they want and
need to know. That is, when they have developed the skills of analysing what is important to them and why.
Besides that they need the skills of directing their behaviour towards those wants and needs. The result is: they
will learn more easily and quickly.

Knowing how to learn is more important than acquiring a lot of knowledge. In our present society
where knowledge is changing rapidly, this view is shared by many educators from a cognitive perspective.

Self-evaluation is the most meaningful evaluation of students work. The emphasis here is on internal
development and self-regulation. Most educators would likely agree with this emphasis, but would also
advocate a need to develop a students ability to meet external expectations.

Feelings are as important as facts. Much work from the humanistic view seems to validate this point
and is one area where humanistically oriented educators are making significant contributions to our knowledge
base.
Key Proponent:

Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)

An American psychologist.
Born in April 1, 1908 and was raised in Brooklyn, New York, and died in June 8, 1970.
Father of Humanistic Psychology.

Humanistic Theory of Learning

Maslow’s theory is based on the notion that experience is the primary phenomenon in the study of
human learning and behavior. He placed emphasis on choice, creativity, values, self-realization, all
distinctively human qualities, and believed that meaningfulness and subjectivity were more important than
objectivity. Maslow is famous for proposing that human motivation is based on the Hierarchy of needs.
Hierarchy of Needs

Physiological Needs - These are biological needs. They consist of needs for oxygen, food, water, and a
relatively constant body temperature. They are the strongest needs because if a person were deprived of all
needs, the physiological ones would come first in the person's search for satisfaction.
Safety Needs - When all physiological needs are satisfied and are no longer controlling thoughts and
behaviors, the needs for security can become active. Adults have little awareness of their security needs
except in times of emergency or periods of disorganization in the social structure.
Needs of Love, Affection and Belongingness - Maslow states that people seek to overcome feelings of
loneliness and alienation. This involves both giving and receiving love, affection and the sense of belonging.
Needs for Esteem - These involve needs for both selfesteem and for the esteem a person gets from others.
Humans have a need for a stable, firmly based, high level of selfrespect, and respect from others. When these
needs are satisfied, the person feels self-confident and valuable as a person in the world.
Needs for Self-Actualization - Maslow describes selfactualization as a person's need to be and do that which
the person was "born to do." These needs make themselves felt in signs of restlessness. The person feels on
edge, tense, lacking something, in short, restless.
Maslow proposed other goals of learning, including the following:
1. one’s vocation or destiny
2. knowledge of values
3. realization of life as precious
4. acquisition of peak experiences
5. sense of accomplishment
6. satisfaction of psychological needs
7. awareness of beauty and wonder of life
8. impulse control
9. developing choice
10. grappling with the critical existential problems of life.

To start with making you teaching more humanistic the following implications can help:

– Allow the student to have a choice in the selection of tasks and activities whenever possible;

– Help students learn to set realistic and challenging goals;

– Have students participate in group work, especially cooperative learning, in order to develop social and
affective skills;

– Teacher act as a facilitator for group discussions when appropriate;

– Teacher be a role model for the attitudes, beliefs and habits you wish to foster.

Thank You! 