educational philosophy of Jean Jacque Rousseau

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF JEAN JACQUE ROUSSEAU

by Santa Singh Subba

                                                                                         

Abstract

This study was undertaken to analyze the philosophical ideas of one of the prominent philosopher cum educationists – Jean Jacque Rousseau and the manifestation of his educational ideas in the contemporary educational system in India. The educational ideas of Rousseau are analyzed from various sources like books, internet, lectures etc. Rousseau’s contribution to education has been profound and influenced education in its various broad aspects. His educational ideas have gained great relevance in the contemporary educational system in India.

Introduction

Every educational theory employs a philosophy.  Philosophy deals with the nature of reality, the nature of man, the goal of life, and the fundamental beliefs and value of life pertinent to there; and education helps to understand or the achieve these. Thus, philosophy and education are ultimately connected. Philosophies of education are connected primarily with the broad aspects of education.

            There are as many philosophies of education as there are philosophies of life and such many philosophers. Among the leading philosophers, Jean Jacque Rousseau had a profound influence in the field of education. In this paper, his philosophy, educational ideas and its relevance in the contemporary educational system is discussed.

            Rousseau has exerted great influence of education in its manifold aspects. Many important principles in modern pedagogy can be traced back to him.

# Jean Jacque Rousseau

Jean Jacque Rousseau was born in June28, 1712 in Geneva and died in July2, 1778 in Ermenoville, France. He was one of the most important philosophers of the French enlightenment. Rousseau, a vagabond without family bonds or social status, with no literacy and with little knowledge, has influenced education in its organization, aims, method and content, with all his wisdom or Comenius with all his philanthropy or Locke with all his reason and truth.

            In modern times, Rousseau was undoubtedly, the most important Naturalist Philosopher of education. He is known as a revolutionary philosopher, who wrote against the contemporary social and political set up, hypocrisy, artificiality, cruelty, correlation, despotism prevalent at that time. His writings were published since1750 A.D. onwards. Some of his famous works are – Discourse on the Arts and sciences, Social Contract, New Heloise etc. of these, the most important are Emile and Social Contract. Emile is a novel in which the author has described the education is essentially a work that details Rousseau’s philosophy of education.

# Rousseau’s Philosophy

Rousseau is known as a revolutionary philosopher, who wrote against the contemporary social and political set up, hypocrisy, artificiality, cruelty, correlation, despotism prevalent at that time. The key notes of his philosophy is termed Naturalism, It contains his concepts of “Natural state”, “Natural man” and Natural civilization.

‘Natural state’ is a simple farming community or state without the evils of large cities corrupt rulers, social classes and luxury. He believed that ‘Goodness was innate and evils as acquired’. About natural man he says,” Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains” In the words of Rousseau, “Civilized man born, lives and dies in a state of slavery”

‘Natural man’ according to Rousseau is governed and directed by the laws of his own nature rather than those of social institutions. He believed the man would have been happier if he had been allowed to remain in his natural stage. He was against so called Civilization.

By natural civilizations, he meant the simple farming life. Rousseau, “God makes all the things good; man meddles with them and they become evil”. He declared that Everything is good as it comes from the hands of the Author of nature, but everything degenerates in the hands of man.

Rousseau remarked, “Leave the child alone. Let him be a natural man rather than a civilized man. Let him have a state of nature rather than artificial surroundings that stunt the proper growth and arrest his natural development”. Natural civilization is free from artificial surroundings and rigid barriers that pollute the goodness of our nature. ‘Return to nature’ was his method to cure all troubles, human nature his natural heritage is essentially good and must be given the full opportunities for free development. He advocated the concept of liberty, equality and fraternity.

# Fundamentals of Nature:

He has given three fundamentals of the Nature considering them the best sources of education.

1. Isolation from society: Child should be isolated from society and brought up by laws of nature. He should not be allowed to acquire the evils of the society.

2. Innate Tendencies of the child: In the words of Rousseau, the innate tendencies to primitive emotions, instinctive judgment and natural instinct are more reliable bases for action than the experience gained from the society .In this sense education means the spontaneous development of these innate tendencies of the child .

3. Contact with Natural Environment: Allow individual to make contact with the natural environment i.e. hills, trees, plants, birds, animals, woods, stones and physical forces. Thus the child should be brought up in natural environment. As a result of it, he will automatically become a rational being and act according to the voice of his conscience.

# Concept of Education – Rousseau:

      For Rousseau education does not mean merely imparting information or storing knowledge. It is not accretion from without. It is the development of the child’s natural powers and abilities from within. According to nature, Men, Things.

    

A] Education from Nature: By education of nature, he meant development according to the child’s natural endowments, abilities and capacities. It consists in the spontaneous development of our endowment and faculties. i. e of child’s natural tendencies and interests. He gave it the top priority.

B] Education from Man: By education from men, he emphasized the importance of social environment in development. It consists in influencing our social contacts and various groups. He did not favor it at least in initial stages.

C] Education from Things: By education from things, he understood physical environment, helping to gain experience by ourselves. It consists in the acquisition of knowledge and information through contact with physical surroundings and our experience of dealings with the things.

Rousseau conviction was that education should be considered as “the process of development into an enjoyable, rational harmoniously balanced useful and hence natural life”.

 #  Types of Education:

Jean Jacque Rousseau is known for his Negative Education, although he said little about the Positive Education too. His two educational ideas are –

                        A. Negative Education and

                        B. Positive Education.

A] Negative Education: Rousseau wanted that the first education to the child should be given in negative. During the age of 5 to 12, the child should be given negative education. Rousseau held the opinion, “I call negative education that which tends to perfect the organs that are the instruments of the knowledge, and before giving this knowledge directly and that endeavors to prepare the way for reason by proper exercise of the sense. A negative education does the time of idleness, far from it. It does not give virtues, it projects from vice. It does not inculcate truth. It projects from errors”. Following are the characteristics of negative education.

                        1.  Time saving not favored: Rousseau said, “Do not save the time but lose it” By running, dancing, playing the child will have continuous reconstruction of experiences, which is nothing but education.

                        2. Book learning not favored: Rousseau said, “Reading is the curse of childhood”. He hates books, as they are of no value. He considers them to be the cause of child’s misery and suggest a remedy for its removal by saying, “By relieving school children of their courses and books, we can take away the cause of their misery”.

                        3. Formal Lessons Not Favored: Rousseau did not believe in the efficacy of verbal lessons. He stated, “Get rid of the lesson and we get rid of the chief cause of their sorrow”. Rousseau remarked “give me a child of five who know nothing and at the fifteen I shall return him to you knowing as much as those who have been under instruction since infancy with difference that your pupil only knows things by heart while mine know how to use his knowledge.”

                        4.  Habit Formation Not Favored: Rousseau holds the views “The only habit which the child should be allowed to form is to contract no habit at all.” He did not want the children to be slaves of their habits. He wished them to be free in their unrestricted activities. If any habits are to be formed let the children for natural habits.

                        5.  Direct Moral Education Favored: Rousseau believed that no moral training should be imparted to the child. Let him get moral training through natural consequences.

                       

                        6.   Social Education Not Favored: He held the view that the society is corrupt and it degenerates him.     So child should be protected from its evil influences.

                        7.  Formal Discipline Not Favored: Rousseau believed in discipline according to natural consequences. If the child climbs a tree, let him fall and learn not to attempt it again.

                        8.  Old Customary Procedure Favored: Rousseau was dissatisfied with the prevailing conditions of the country and that is why he remarked, “Man was once happy, now he is miserable. Undo what has been done and he will be happy again.”

B] Positive Education: Rousseau viewed that the positive education is one that tends to form the mind prematurely and to instruct the child in the duties that belongs to man. The characteristics of positive education are -

1. Stress on verbalism

2. Stress on duty, morality and religion

3. Stress on strict discipline

4. Stress on Social education

5. Emphasis on formation of habits.

Though Rousseau put forwarded the idea of positive education, he revolted against the positive education and also these characteristics. He termed it as unnatural and inhuman and opposed it fully. It was in revolt this that he introduced negative education.

#  Rousseau’s Aims of Education:

Aimless education is like an oar less boat which has no specific destination. Hence, Rousseau put forwarded the following mentioned aims that guided the education to meet its real goal.

i. Development of child’s inner facilities: Rousseau says that the most important aim of education is the natural development of the child’s inner faculties and powers. To live is to work, to develop and to properly utilize the various part of the body. In his book, ‘Emile’, Rousseau seeks to train Emile in the profession of living so that he may become a human being before becoming a soldier, a magistrate, or a priest education aim at making the child a real human being.

ii. Different aim at different stages: In addition to the above mentioned aim, education should be different at each stage in the life of the individual.

 a] Development of well-regulated freedom: During the period of infancy i.e. .up to 5 years the aim of education is to develop well regulated freedom according to his capacities.

b] Develop sufficient strength at childhood stage: At the childhood stage i.e. from 5 to 12 years, the aim of education is to develop the child sufficient in order to have well regulated freedom. Rousseau’s advice for this period is that Exercise the body, the organs, the senses and powers and keeps the soul lying fellow, as long as one can.

c] Intellectual development in Pre- adolescent Period: At the boyhood stage i.e., from 12 to 15 years, the aim of education is to develop the intellect of the child. Education should help in the acquisition of knowledge which may enable him to the practical needs of life.

d] Emotional, Moral and religious development during Adolescence: During the fourth stage i.e., from 15 to 24 years, child should learn to live for others and to live together in social relationships. His emotions should be sublimated. Moral and religious bias should be given to education. In short, during this stage, education should aim at emotional, moral and religious development of the child.

#  Rousseau’s Curriculum:

Even in framing the curriculum, Rousseau paid attention to these four stages in development, which have discussed under aims above infancy, childhood, boyhood and adolescence.

A] Infancy state [up to 5 years]: “A feeble body makes a feeble mind. All wickedness comes from weakness. Give his body constant exercise, make it strong and healthy.” During this stage of infancy the child should be properly protected.

B] For childhood stage [from 5 to 12 years]: Rousseau says, “childhood is the sleep of reason and the educator is not to disturb him in this sleep”.

 So at this stage, neither intellect nor moral or social education is to be imparted to the child. Negative education will consists of the free development of his physical organs and the exercises of his senses. The child should be given maximum freedom. There should be no verbal lessons, in language, History and geography. Physical exercises constitute the core of the curriculum at his stage.

C] For Boyhood Stage [from 12 to 15 years]: Physical sciences, languages, mathematics, manual work, a trade, social relations, music and drawing will constitute the curriculum at this stage. Sciences will develop heuristic attitude, mathematics will develop precise thinking, manual craft will develop qualities of character of drawing will train eyes and muscles. However the knowledge of social relations will impress upon the boy the need of cooperation an economic inter dependence of man upon man.

D] For Adolescence Stage (from 15 to 20 years): Rousseau laid special stress on moral and religious education at this stage. Moral education is to be given through activities and occupations and not through lectures on ethics. Besides moral and religious education, history Geography sex education, physical culture and aesthetics are to constitute the curriculum. For all these subjects he has specific aims i.e. History is to be taught for the service of moral instructions. Religious education for realizing the existence of god and sex education about sex affairs. Aesthetics is to be taught for the cultivation and improvement of tastes.

#  Rousseau’s Methods of Teaching:

 A] Learning by Doing: Rousseau says, “Learning by doing whenever you can, and only for fall back upon words when doing is out of question.”  The child should take part in various activities and learn in natural way. It will help him in satisfaction of creative activity.

B] Direct Experience: Knowledge acquired through books is easily forgotten. On the other hand knowledge directly acquired from various learning situations is permanent. He also urged experience before expression and object before words.

C] Method of Individual Instruction: Rousseau asserted that the teacher should properly recognize the individual difference of the child and place emphasized individual instructions according to the needs and requirement of the child.

D] Heuristic Method: In this method the child is placed in the position of a discoverer. He is to be given an opportunity to make experiment with the apparatus that he made himself or invented. Rousseau also advocates the heuristic method of teaching.

E] Example is better than precept: For imparting moral education Rousseau stated, “Example is better than precept”. Teacher should practice morality before going to teach. He should provide opportunities to practice virtue. Lectures on morality will not prove useful.

I] Social Participation: During the period of adolescence, child will get knowledge about social relations by actually visiting places and establishing contact with the members of the community practically.

#  Rousseau’s concept of Discipline:

1. No imposed discipline: Rousseau was strictly against the imposed discipline. He was in favour of ‘leave the child free’. It is only free atmosphere that the child can develop his innate power.

2. No Punishment: Rousseau opines that the punishment hinders development of the child. No punishment should be given to the child for improving his behavior.

3. Discipline by Natural Consequences: Rousseau advocated discipline by natural consequences. He remarked that the child should allow suffering the natural results of his acts. E.g. the child puts his hand into fire let him burn his hand and learn by consequence.

 #  Role of the teacher:

1. As Facilitator: Rousseau did not assign high place to the teacher. Teacher should see that the education of the pupil in the free development of their interest and motives. Here the teachers role is to simply facilitate the pupil for development of students.

2. Opportunity Provider: Rousseau opines that the role of a teacher should be as an opportunity provider. He should provide suitable opportunities to the learner for their overall development. For instant, a student is good in the track event of athletics; here teacher’s role is to provide that opportunity which helps him/her to be specialized in that specific field of sports.

3. Repression Protector: According to Rousseau’s education, the teacher should protect the child from repression (suppression, crush) mental conflicts and mental disorders for all kids.

#  Relevance of Rousseau’s Educational Philosophy in the Contemporary Education of India:

The contemporary education of India is largely influenced by the philosophical ideas of different philosophers of different ages. Close observation of Indian Education shows that a partial relevance of Rousseau’s idea is exist in the said system. Following points shows the relevance –

1. Relevance in the Aim of Education:

            i. Balanced and Harmonious Development: Rousseau emphasized on the balanced and harmonious development of the child should be the aim of education. To fulfill the same goal of education, different courses, subjects and contents are included in the curriculum of the contemporary education of India is seen. These course, subjects and contents are prepared according to the general mental capacities and abilities of the targeted section of students.

            ii. Well regulated freedom: About the freedom of learner, Rousseau said about the well regulated freedom for learners learning. A conducive environment of freedom should provide by the teacher to develop his learner to get holistic development. In the present education scenario of India, a well regulated freedom is seen. RTE keeps provision for that.

            iii. Sound health for stable mind: Rousseau said that the aim of education is to develop a stable and stretch free mind. This can be possible only when the child is the owner of a good health. To attain a sound health and stretch free mind, different physical and mental co-curriculums are included in the present education of India.

            iv.  Moral and religious development: Rousseau emphasized on moral and religious education through work and natural consequences not by lectures on ethics. In some extent the moral and religious education is providing in secondary education of India by observing festivals like, Saraswati Puja, Mi-lad-ul-navi, Tithi of Sankardeva etc.

2. Relevance of the Curriculum:

            i. No fixed curriculum: Rousseau was in against of a fixed curriculum. He thought that a fixed curriculum hinders development. A flexible curriculum as Rousseau thinks is not found in the education of India. Thus, his idea of a flexible curriculum has no relevance.

            ii. Exercise of senses and physical organs development: As Rousseau opines negative education where the child in initial stage keeps away from books; free physical development of organs and exercise of senses has included in his curriculum. Such exercises for development of senses and organs are seen in the pre-primary section in Indian education. E.g. to give the idea of sounds of animal, audio systems are used. Hence, it has the relevance in the present education of India.

            iii. Rousseau’s curriculum includes physical science, language, mathematics, manual works, social relations, music and drama for the learners of 12 -15 years age group. All these subjects are seen in the present educational curriculum. Hence, the relevance is existed in the contemporary education of India.

            iv. Moral and religious education was favored by Rousseau for adolescence. Relevance of such moral and religious education is seen in the Indian education.

3. Relevance in the Methods of Teaching:

            i. Contemporary education of India has great relevance of learning by doing, a method of teaching forwarded by Rousseau. In every field of study practical work is practiced to get first-hand knowledge and experience.

            ii. Individualized instruction is another method of teaching according to Rousseau. This method of teaching is frequently used by teachers when they found isolated or weak students. As well as whenever students need teacher is always eager to help as individual instruction. Thus, this method of teaching has its relevance. 

            iii. Rousseau advocates Heuristic methods of teaching where the learner is provided opportunity to experiment his own creation, discoveries or inventions. Relevance of this method in the present education of India is seen in the creative writings, creative drama etc.

            iv. Example is better than precept; this is a method of teaching where teacher should be the example of morally ideal before going to say about the morality to students. An ideal teacher always goes through professional ethics in his teaching. These are the people who keep this pious profession to its zenith.

3. Relevance of Discipline:

            i. Rousseau was against the imposed discipline. He was in favor of leave the child free. It is the free atmosphere that child can develop his innet power. A manageable level of rigidity is seen in the present education system of India. Thus, partial relevance of his imposed discipline is existing.

            ii. Rousseau’s discipline says that there should not any punishment to the child for improving behavior. Corporal punishment is completely abolished from the Indian education through acts and rules. Thus punishment free discipline has its prevalence in the present education of India.

4. Relevance of Role of the Teacher:

            i. Rousseau said that the role of a teacher in education is of a facilitator, who facilitate learner in their free development according to their interest. Now-a-days, this role is played by the teacher as the teaching system is tending towards teacher centered education.  Hence, the relevance is seen.

            ii. Opportunity provider is another role of teacher in Rousseau’s education. Teacher has to provide opportunities to each and every student of the classroom in every aspect. It is nothing but the opportunity which gives a platform to express his/her dormant talent. Addition of co-curriculum activities in contemporary education to provide such opportunity as well as the active role of teacher in implementing those activities are mostly seen.

#  Limitations of the Educational Philosophy of Rousseau:

1] Anti-social Attitude: Rousseau had no faith in the influence and goodness of the society. One of the fundamental aim of education in democratic way of life is socialization community through the activity involved in the development of the child. All is not bad with the social set-up.

2] Women Education: Rousseau’s views, that literary education of women of culture is the plague to all. It doesn’t reflect the modern concept of equality of the sexes in all aspects of life enshrined in democratic way of life.

3] Little important to positive virtue: Rousseau laid stress on negative education and hence he left little scope for the inculcation of the positive virtues.

4] No higher ideals: There is no place for higher morality and ideals in Rousseau’s educational theory, while these are a must for a dignified society.

5] Faulty Theory of Discipline: Rousseau’s theory of discipline through natural consequences is very dangerous and not suitable to the modern way of life where the modern gadgets can prove to be fatal if proper human care or the teacher is not there.

#  Conclusion:

In gist Rousseau’s contribution to education has been profound. He influenced education in its organization, aims, methods, curriculum and discipline, the auto development of personality , free discipline , lack of any restrain , utilizing the senses , interests and activities of the child have influenced the moderns education in many other ways. The rights of childhood, the human welfare are the natural rights of every man can be realized through proper type of education. A renowned philosopher cum educationist Sir Munro rightly said, “Out of Rousseau’s teachings derive ‘new education’ of nineteenth century based on interest. It gave clear formulations of direct impetus to psychological, sociological and scientific conception of education”. Rousseau was in facts the founder of the grand idea of liberty, equality and fraternity.

#  References:

1. Chaliha, A; Borah, S and Neog, S, “Foundations of Education”: Jorhat: Bidya Bhawan, 2016

2. Chaube, S.P, : “History of Education in India”: Vinod Pustak Mandir, Agra

3. Internet: Google Search Engine