Jean-Jacques Rousseau

NATURE, WHOLENESS & ROMANTICISM

The work of Jean-Jacques Rosseau brings much insight into life and especally the thought of education. He was born in 1712 in Geneva and became famous as a 'French' political philosopher and educationalist. He believed that people are born natuarally good and society currupts us to become evil. As we grow older we try to become good again; to live a simple life. He had more interest in people being natural:

We are born capable of sensation and from birth are affected in diverse ways by the objects around us. As soon as we become conscious of our sensations we are inclined to seek or to avoid the objects which produce them: at first, because they are agreeable or disagreeable to us, later because we discover that they suit or do not suit us, and ultimately because of the judgements we pass on them by reference to the idea of happiness of perfection we get from reason. These inclinations extend and strengthen with the growth of sensibility and intelligence, but under the pressure of habit they are changed to some extent with our opinions. The inclinations before this change are what I call our nature. In my view everything ought to be in conformity with these original inclinations. (Émile, Book 1 - translation by Boyd 1956: 13; see also, 1911 edition p. 7).

He has a belief in education, also.

From the first moment of life, men ought to begin learning to deserve to live; and, as at the instant of birth we partake of the rights of citizenship, that instant ought to be the beginning of the exercise of our duty. If there are laws for the age of maturity, there ought to be laws for infancy, teaching obedience to others: and as the reason of each man is not left to be the sole arbiter of his duties, government ought the less indiscriminately to abandon to the intelligence and prejudices of fathers the education of their children, as that education is of still greater importance to the State than to the fathers: for, according to the course of nature, the death of the father often deprives him of the final fruits of education; but his country sooner or later perceives its effects. Families dissolve but the State remains. (Rousseau 1755: 148-9)

Important parts of his beliefs are:

• a view of children as very different to adults - children are naturally good.


• the idea that people develop through various stages - and that different forms of education may be appropriate to each.


• a guiding principle that what is to be learned should be determined by an understanding of the person's nature at each stage of their development.


• an appreciation that individuals vary within stages - and that education must as a result be individualized. 'Every mind has its own form'


• each and every child has some fundamental impulse to activity. Restlessness in time being replaced by curiosity; mental activity being a direct development of bodily activity.


• the power of the environment in determining the success of educational encounters. It was crucial - as Dewey also recognized - that educators attend to the environment. The more they were able to control it - the more effective would be the education.


• the controlling function of the educator - The child, Rousseau argues, should remain in complete ignorance of those ideas which are beyond his/her grasp. (This he sees as a fundamental principle).


• the importance of developing ideas for ourselves, to make sense of the world in our own way. People must be encouraged to reason their way through to their own conclusions - they should not rely on the authority of the teacher. Thus, instead of being taught other people's ideas.


• What we know today as 'discovery learning'

I agree with the beliefs of Jean-Jacques Roussau. His belief that people are born naturally good and the society brings evil into them. I can see this in young children. My baby sister has not fully been introduced in society yet. She is so innocent and run around all day playing with her toys and her friends, but my brother who is now in school and introduced to society has become a little devil with the influence of friends and the "evils of society". I believe the best thing to do it to teach children how important it is to be individuals and as my dad always said "Be a leader not a follower". I grew up by this rule and I feel as though it has lead me to become who I am today. Being your own person is important when it comes to education. The beliefs of his education philosophy are listed above, I belive his bullets make very good points about children and their education. Especailly, 'every mind has a form of its own' and the next bullet "each and every child has some fundamental impulse to activity. Restlessness in time being replaced by curiosity; mental activity being a direct development of bodily activity." All children are active and cannot sit all day, teachers need to let them release their restlessness, and the best way is interaction, which will help students become individuals and introduce diversity.

http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-rous.htm