Rousseau Educational Philosophy

2. (1712 – 1778)

3. famous as a French political
philosopher and
educationalist.
concept of 'modern
education' is directly
connected with Rousseau's
theory of education.
one of those philosophers
who has been greatly
misunderstood and
criticized.

4. Brief Life Sketch of Rousseau
born in
Geneva
on 28th
June,
1712.
lost his
mother
at an
early
age
brought up by
his father -
poor watch
maker – could
not provide
regular
schooling
no
experience
of being a
pupil in a
class.
early
educatio
n under
the care
of a
tutor

5. tried
unsuccessfully
all sorts of
occupations
From age 12-20 was a
Vagabond - met different
types of people, learnt to
sympathies with the poor,
love for nature, defied the
conventional rules of
society.
After wandering
for a number of
years, he settled
down in Paris
(France)
Brief Life Sketch of Rousseau

6. Rousseau
was greatly
influenced
by three
factors
His love of
nature.
designated by the
term Naturalism.
the corrupt
practices that
existed in France
the varied
experiences of
his life

7. • He contends
that all the ills
and miseries of
civilization are
due to a
departure from
a state of
nature.
• Return to
nature was
his method
to cure the
world of ills
and
miseries.
• “Men are
inherently
good, but we
become
corrupted by
the evils of
the society”

8. ' The
Progress
of the
Art and
the
Science'.
(1750)
(at the age
of 38)
'The
Origin
of
Inequalit
y among
Men'
(1753)
' The
New
Heloise
—a
romance
' (1759)
'Social
Contract
' (1762)
'Emile' or
Concerning
Education
(1762)

9. criticized the existing institutions
revolted against the established (canons) of
society
attributed the existing oppression and
corruption of the society to the advancement of
civilization
It is the main cause of the differences and
inequalities among men

10. advocated the doctrine of "Back to nature“
"Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains“
His ideas were vehemently opposed by the
establishment
live in exile for many years
much disgusted and disappointed that he committed
suicide in 1778.
had tremendous influence on the outbreak of the
French Revolution in 1789.

11. 'Return to nature'
was the theme of his
two educational
publications (novels)
"The New Heloise"
(1759) and “Emile”
(1762)
Rousseau’s Educational Philosophy

12. Rousseau’s Educational Philosophy
arch enemy of
child neglect ‘Emile' made
Europe child
conscious.

13. Sources of Education
• Education of
Nature -
development
according to
the child's
endowments
and
capacities
• Education
given by Men
- importance
of social
environment,
-teaching
how to make
use of that
development.
• Education
from
Circumstances
- physical
environment,
- helping to
gain
experience by
ourselves
three main sources of education

14. harmonious
development
of these three
factors
constitutes an
ideal scheme
of education
harmony in
education is
possible by
subordinating
the education
of men and
things to that
of nature
Sources of Education

15. everything is
good as it comes
from nature
therefore
education of the
child should be
purely negative
not be taught the
principle truth
and virtue but
guarded against
evil
tends to perfect
the organs that
are the
instruments of
knowledge
Rousseau's Theory of Negative Education
Positive education - tends to form the mind prematurely and
to instruct the child in duties that belong to him.

16. , "I call a positive education one that tends
to form the mind prematurely and to
instruct the child in duties that belong to
him. I call negative education one that
tends to perfect the organs that are the
instruments of knowledge and endeavors
to process the way for reasons, by the
proper exercises of senses"

17. attainment of
fullest natural
growth of the
individual
leading to
balanced,
harmonious
useful and
natural life
real aim -
help the child
to live his life
"To live is not merely to breathe. It is to act, to make use of our organs, senses, our
faculties and of all those parts of ourselves, which give us the feeling of our existence".

18. Infancy
( 0-5
years)
Develop a
well-
regulated
freedom
Develops
physical
strength
No formal
education
Play-things
should be
very
simple
No
expensive
toys
split up by Rousseau, according to the nature, at different stages of human development.

19. strength which he needs
for the attainment of
well-regulated freedom
'Negative Education’
development of
senses
no verbal lessons
for him
learning must come by
play-way
no need for the
child to learn
anything by heart.
no curriculum
Childhood
(5-12
years)

20. knowledge which may satisfy the
wants of the child and must be
functionally useful
period for intellectual education
Period for of instruction, labour and
study
Formal education is recommended
here
introduce to studies that reveal
nature - astronomy, science and the
arts and crafts.
Boyhood or
pre-
adolescent
period (12-15
years)

21. • training of
heart
• to make the child
loving and tender-
hearted - to live
peacefully in
social relationship
• religious, moral
and social
education is
recommended
• Period to grow
emotionally,
aesthetically,
socially and
morally
• sex instinct -
redirecting it to
the love of some
noble idea
• moral education
should be given
through activities
and occupations
and not through
lectures on ethics.
Adolescent Period (15-20 years)

22. introduced
to his
ideal
partner
learns
about
love, and
is ready to
return to
society
instruct
the young
couple in
their
marital
rights and
duties
Women’s
education
was to be
different
from men.
Adulthood (20-25 years)

23. Curriculum
at the First
Stage (0-5
years)
curriculum in accordance with the nature of each stage of
the child.
develops physical
strength
allowed to
wander freely on
the country-side
play-things
should be very
simple

24. • development of
senses – if not -
independent
reasoning and
judgment are
impossible
• greatest
freedom of
physical
movement,
simple diet and
light clothing
• no verbal
lessons
• not be
instructed in
language,
history
geography
• learn from
his own
experience
• No moral
instruction
Curriculum at the Second Stage (5 to 12 years)

25. • Exercise the
body, the
organs, the
senses and
powers
• Training for
senses means
learning to
judge, foresee
and reason
through them
• learning
must come
by play-
way
• no
curriculum
• learn by
activity
and
experience
Curriculum at the Second Stage (5 to 12 years)

26. built around curiosity which should
create an urge for knowledge
period for developing intellect
Subjects - nature, astronomy,
science and the arts and crafts
learning of manual and industrial
arts
Curriculum at the Third Stage (12 to 15 years)

27. boy must be taken from one workshop -
try his hand at every trade
teach him industrial exchange, banking
and transportation
not recommend the study of books
only book he recommends - Robinson
Crusoe A Study of Life According to
Nature.
Curriculum at the Third Stage (12 to 15 years)

28. training of
heart
Train to be
social and
adapt
himself to
the conduct
and interest
of others
study of
society,
politics,
economics,
history and
religion - to
understand
complex
social
relationships
training in
moral
education –
in moral
qualities
such as
benevolence,
kindness,
service and
sympathy
Curriculum at the Fourth Stage (15-20)

29. moral
education
should be
given through
activities and
occupations
History - as a
means of
moral
instruction
Travel is
recommended
Sex instruction
- moral
instruction on
chastity and
an explanation
of the
mysteries of
creation in a
dispassionate
manner.
Curriculum at the Fourth Stage (15-20)

30. • education was to be different from men
women were the makers of men
• learn to suffer and bear the wrongs of her
husband without complaint
taught to be soft and sweet
• her studies should be practical.
duty of women towards man
• Education of Women

31. Observation of the
nature of the child
simple and direct
methods of instruction
- experience before
expression
- objects before words
Direct Self Experience
- experience and
observation of natural
phenomena
Art of Teaching
unsympathetic methods
- repress the natural
inclinations and
tendencies of the child
Methods of Teaching

32. Learning by
doing
The Heuristic
method
Individualized
Instruction
Social
participation
Play way
method
Example
better than
percept
Methods of Teaching

33. Role of the Teacher
minor place to the teacher
not an instructor but only a guide
main responsibility is to motivate
the child to learn
possess a profound understanding
of the child's nature

34. Role of the Teacher
able to control child’s emotional
reactions
allow him perfect freedom and
guide him properly
stress on developing the
reasoning power of the child

35. Freedom of the Child—Discipline by Natural
Consequences
He believes in
freedom of the
child
Not believe in
punishing the child -
child is not able to link
up the punishment
administered and the
mischief done by him
Left alone to
experience the
consequences of
the mischief done
by them

36. Freedom of the Child—Discipline by
Natural Consequences
Nature is a great teacher
If child commit mistakes and violate the
principles of nature, they naturally invite the
retribution of nature - Discipline by natural
consequences
Nature of child is essentially good
hence he should have freedom in his actions
He believes that
 the child will not commit any immoral act
 if he commits - learn morality by the natural
consequences of the action done

37. EMILE: AN IMPORTANT TREATISE ON
EDUCATION
Cast in the form of a novel
Three characters
 Emile - as 'Rousseau' while a boy,
 His tutor - Rousseau, as a man
 Sophie - the mate of Emile.
Emile' consists of five books or parts

38. EMILE: AN
IMPORTANT
TREATISE ON
EDUCATION
Book I-
infant
Book II -
childhood
Book III -
pre-
adolescent
Book IV –
adolescence
Book V -
education
of girls

39. Lord
Morley
“Emile touched the deeper things of character. It
filled parents with a sense of the dignity of their
task. It cleared away the accumulation of clogging
prejudices and obscure inveterate usage, which
made education one of the dark formalistic arts. It
admitted floods of light and air into the tightly
closed nurseries and school rooms. It effected the
substitution of growth for mechanism... It was the
charter of youthful deliverance".
Archbishop of Paris
Parliament of Paris

40. AN ANALYSIS OF ROUSSEAU'S
VIEWS ON EDUCATION
•Rousseau stands
to modern
education as
Plato to ancient
education
•'Emile' made
Europe child
conscious

41. 1. Rousseau was
the fore-runner
of the modern
educational
psychology. He
ushered a new
movement in
education by
emphasizing the
importance of
individual
differences.
2. He laid
stress on the
spontaneous
unfolding of
child's
capacities.
3. He pointed
out the
importance of
observing the
natural traits
of children.
4. Child
Centered
Education:
He stressed
that in the
drama of
education, child
must play the
role of the
'hero' and all
actors
subordinate
roles.
Rousseau’s Contribution to Education

42. 5. Rousseau emphasized the
importance of individual
instruction, principle of
learning by doing, direct
experience of the child, the
heuristic method, social
knowledge by social
participation, the
importance of example than
precept in learning process,
learning observation etc.
6. Rousseau
emphasized the
place of child in
the process of
education. He
advises mankind
to Move
childhood'.
7. No formal
lessons: He is
against any
formal teaching
in the class. He
believes that
verbal lessons
are useless
burden on the
memory of the
child.
Rousseau’s Contribution to Education

43. 8. His educational
ideals influenced
many of the later
educational
thinkers such as
Pestalozzi,
Froebbel,
Montessori,
Dewey etc.
9. He laid
emphasis on
curiosity and
interest and
recommended
that these should
be used as aids
for study.
10. The idea of
developing the
innate
potentialities of
the child in a
natural way was
first stated by
Rousseau.
Rousseau’s Contribution to Education

44. 1. Rousseau has not suggested a formal system of education.
2. Physical nature alone is not sufficient for providing education.
3. Rousseau almost ignores the importance of books and other media. It is
difficult to assume that we can neglect the vast intellectual heritage.
4. Absolute freedom as recommended by Rousseau is a myth. It cannot
exist. It never existed and will not exist.
punishment by natural consequences - We cannot allow the child to have a
taste of poison and suffer the natural consequences of his action.
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45. 8. Rousseau's educational principles are the outcome of his theorizing.
These were not put to test in any realistic educational setting.
7. Rousseau's ideas about the role and education of women are very
conservative and do not appeal to the modern mind.
6. It is very difficult to find naturalistic surroundings to locate
educational institutions.
5. Rousseau does not give due importance to the role of the teacher in
the education of the child.
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