Philosophical Perspectives of Education

(BED101)
TOPIC:
Rousseau’s and Education

Submitted to: Submitted by:

Dr. Ram Prakash Pratiksha Shukla
Saini B.Ed 1st semester
Roll No. BD22001

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Session- 2022-24

CHHATRAPATI SHAHU JI MAHARAJ

UNIVERSITY,
KANPUR
(Formerly Kanpur University)
 INDEX
1. Biography of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
2. Philosophy of Education
3. Aims of Education
4. Methods of Teaching
5. Discipline
6. Role of Teacher
7. Curriculum
8. Women Education
9. Aims of Women Education
10.Curriculum of Women Education
11.Discipline of Women Education
12.Methods of Women Education
13.Rousseau three concept of Nature
14.Types of Education
15.Philosophical thoughts of Rousseau
16.Limitations of Rousseau Educational
Philosophy
17.Conclusion
18.References
 Jean-Jacques Rousseau
 French Philosopher, great
writer and political
philosopher.

 Born on June 28, 1712 in

Geneva Switzerland.

 Left Geneva at 16 and

settled in Paris in 1742 at the
age of 30.

 Father name was ISSAC

ROUSSEAU

 His first philosophy work

was,”A Discourse on the
Sciences and Arts”.

 Books: The Social Contract

or Emile (here the idea of
education is visible)

 Died: 2 July 1778, France

 Philosophy of Education
Rousseau was naturalist. His philosophy concepts of
“Natural state”, “Natural man and Natural Civilization”,
”Civilized man born lives and dies in a state of slavery”.
Rousseau has remarked that “leave the child alone. Let him a
natural man rather than a civilized man”. Natural civilization
is free from artificial surroundings and barriers that pollute
the goodness of our nature.” ’Return to natural’ was his
method to cure all troubles. He stated that “ man is born free,
but everywhere he is in chains”. He believed that children
should be educated in nature and according to nature far from
the madding crowd. He stated that “God makes all things
good ;man meddles with them and they become evil.”
According to Rousseau there are three meaning of nature:

(1) Isolation from society he wanted that child should be

isolated from the society.
(2) Innate tendencies of the child- he advocated that
innate tendencies are more reliable base for action
than the experience gained from society.
(3) Contact with Natural environment.

He believed that the child should be brought up in

natural environment and he will automatically become a
natural being.
 Aims and objectives of
Education

According to Rousseau following aims

should of education;
1. Attainment of Freedom
2. Learning from Circumstances
3. Child Centred Education
4. Developing Innate Capabilities
5. Holistic Development
6. Moral Education
 Methods of teaching

Rousseau has suggested the following

methods for teaching:

1. Learning by doing method

should be applied.

2.Learning by Senses.

3. Discovery/Exploration Method.

4. Self Education Method.

5. Self Experience Method.

 Discipline

Rousseau has emphasized on the free and

natural discipline. He has raised the slogan
“ leave the child free” and “ there should
be absence of restraint from Emile”. He
also advocated that discipline by natural
consequence. He Remarked “Allow the
child to suffer the natural results of his
acts.
For Example, if the child puts his hand
into fire, let him burn his hand and learn by
consequences. No punishment should be
given to the children for improving his
behaviour because the child fails to
understand the cause of punishment.
 Curriculum
Rousseau believes that following subjects should be
included in curriculum:
1. Sciences which deal with nature should be included i.e.
physics, chemistry, zoology and botany etc.
2. Mathematics and languages should be included in the
curriculum because they are considered tools for
understanding science subjects.
3. Drawing should be included for free expression of ideas
and speech.
4. For traditional subjects no place should be given.
5. He was in favoured in moral training through the theory
of natural experience so he emphasized on moral
education.
6. He was favoured in liberal education. He advocated that
liberal education means free cultivation of all human
powers in the interest of perfect individual development.
7. Physical and health training should be given to the child
i.e. Running, jumping, climbing and swimming. The
child must be allowed utmost freedom of movement.
8. For the past experiences history and social studies
subjects should be included.
9. Agriculture and carpentry subjects should be included
for development of sense perception and practical
judgement.
 Role of Teacher
Rousseau said that teacher should
protect the child from mental
conflicts, repressions, and mental
disorders of all kinds. He believed
that teacher should not interfere with
the activities of the children. The
teacher duty is that he should see that
the education of the students is the
free development of their interests
and motives. Rousseau has not given
the higher place to the teacher.
 Women education

He believed that woman should not possess any

individuality of her own. She should be
regarded as subordinate to the nature of man. He
remarked that women were born to govern
the men. Rousseau has stated that “A man seeks
to serve women seeks to please, the one
knowledge, the other taste” it is clear from the
earlier works of the Rousseau he gave a higher
place than men. She should be regarded as
subordinate to the nature to man. Rousseau has
discussed in his fifth part of Emile about an
imaginary girl named soppy, who has to become
the ideal wife of Emile. Rousseau has stated that
women nature should be modest, gentle,
tolerant, ,sensitive to rebuke, amical, chaste and
charitable in her thoughts and words.
 Aims of women Education
According to Rousseau aims of education
should make her perfect and efficient house
wife.

Curriculum of Women
Education
Rousseau believed that literary education
does not suit for women. He also stated
that “ A woman of culture is the plague of
her husband, her children, her family, ,her
servants everybody”.
He said that she should given moral
education, religion education, demotic
education and physical education.
 Discipline in women
education
Rousseau was in favour of control
and strict discipline in women
education. He also said that a
woman tries to go beyond limits of
demotic life not only makes herself
unhappy but her husband also. It
means that he did not believe in
giving freedom to women. He stated
that women should have best
qualities like tolerance, gentleness,
patience, obedience etc.
 Methods of women
Education
Rousseau believed that busy method is the
best method of women education. He also
stated that she should have proper rest to
body as well as mind.

Major works of Rousseau

1. Discourse on Arts and Sciences.1750.
2. Discourse the origin and basic of inequality
Among men,1754.
3. Discourse on political Economy,1755.
4. Julie, or the New Heloise,1761.
5. Emile or, on Education,1762.
6. The social contract.1762.
7. Confession of Jean-Jacques
Rousseau,1770,published
1782
8. Emile the origin of language, published 1781.
9. Dialogue: Rousseau Judge of Rousseau,
published 1762.
Rousseau's Three Concepts of
Nature

Rousseau is the most important

naturalistic philosopher. According to
him, ‘Nature’ has several
connotations, but he has stated three
concepts of nature:

 Nature as "endowment"-
innate tendencies.
 Nature-isolation from society.
 Natural phenomena-living
according to nature.
 Types of Education by
Rousseau
 Positive Education
 Negative Education

Positive Education
The Educational system existed
during the time of Rousseau is called
“Positive Education.” He was
completely against this system of
Education.

"I call positive education, which

tends to prematurely form the spirit
of the child, and instruct him in the
duties that correspond to man”.
 Negative Education
The concept of negative education is
propounded by Rousseau One of the very
important contribution of Rousseau towards
educational theory and practice is his theory
of negative education ‘Theory of Negative
Education.’
Salient features of
Negative Education
1. Direct experience of the child
2. No time saving in childhood
3. No book learning
4. No habit formation
5. No direct moral education
6. No formal discipline
7. No sticking to traditional procedure of
education
 Philosophical thoughts of
Rousseau
1. Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.
2. I hate books, they teach us only to talk
about what we do not know.
3. Gratitude is a duty which ought to be paid,
but which is right to except.
4. Absolute silence leads to sadness.
5. The world of reality has its limits; the world
of imagination is boundless.
6. Nature never deceives us, it is we who
deceive ourselves.
7. Man is born free and everywhere he is in
shackles.
8. It is very difficult to think nobly when one
thinks only of earning a living.
9. The person who has lived the most is not
the one with the most years but the one with
the richest experiences.
 Limitations of Rousseau
Educational Philosophy
We have discussed the Rousseau
educational philosophy thoroughly and
found following limitations:
1 He had stressed on negative education.
2 There was no higher place given to
morality and ideals.
3 He had no faith in the goodness and
influence of society.
4 He had given the faulty theory of
discipline i.e. natural consequences.
5 He had expressed faulty views
concerning women education i.e. literary
education will
not suit women.
 Conclusion
After the deep study of Rousseau and his
philosophy, it has found that he was Naturalist.
He believed that nature is supreme and there is
nothing beyond and behind the nature. He
believed in natural consequences. He believed in
isolation of individual than society. He was totally
against the society. He had laid stress on negative
education. He had no place for positive virtues.
He believed in free discipline, free personality and
free education. He had not given the higher place
to the teacher. He was anti of physical
punishment. He has stated that man born free, but
everywhere he is in chain. He did not like
artificiality. His philosophy is totally based on
natural things and natural man. He has stated that
natural sciences, social sciences, mathematics,
craft, physical education, religion, demotic
activities and moral education should be included
in the curriculum. No doubt, Rousseau
contribution in the field of education is admirable.
He influenced education in its organizations,
aims, curriculum, methods, teacher and
discipline. He wanted the child-centred
education. His written works inspire to readers
to self-expression and to write, raised the voice
against the cruelty, and corrupted persons. He
has given modern theories and practices in
education. He has given fundamental
principles of education, which have accepted
by most of thinkers and educationist. His
concept of teaching is warning to the teachers
and educators. He has empathises on direct
experiences, learning by doing, and practical
activities.
 REFERENCES
•https://slideplayer.com/slide/4303753/
•Bhatia,K.K. &Narang C.L.(na)
Principles of Education,
Ludhiana:Tandon Brothers.
•Khan Nelofer &Nanda S.K &Nanda
Vimple(2008) Philosophical and
Sociological Bases of Education,
Jalandher:Modern Publishers.
•Ruhela,Satya Pal &Nayak Raj
Kumar(2013) ,Philosophical and
sociological foundations of
•Education. Agra: Agarwal Publication.
Walia ,J.S (na) Philosophical bases of
Education,Jalandher :Paul Publishers.
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