HISTORICAL DIMENSION OF EDUCATION


Education is as old as life itself. No one can present an accurate account concerning the origin of education. There are 2 opposing school of thoughts when it comes to origin of education.
1.    Evolutionist – education started form primitive people. Some of these evolutionists do not believe in any type of god. Others believe in one or more gods who are not involved in the process.
2.    Creationist - education started from Adam and Eve
 
Modern day education owes much of it system to the institutions established by the ancient civilizations of China, India, Israel, Egypt, Greece and Rome
 
  Chinese Education   
         Chinese are descendants from the rivers banks of Huang Ho and Yangtze River.
             Aimed at selecting and training people for public services.
            Emphasis on modeling a person‘s character and moral values.
        Believed that government has responsibility to provide education
  Centered on the mastery of Chinese language and classical literature particularly the work of Confucius (the first teacher in China).
  Analects- the most revered Chinese classical literature which contains the sayings of Confucius.
 
  Egyptian Education 
             Egyptians were polytheist people (worshippers of many gods)
             Pharaohs were considered their god and king
             Priest and scribes were teachers of noble class
             Parents were teachers of lower class or fellahin
             Education was highly practical and empirical
             They devised a system of picture writing called hieroglyphics.
       Provide the modern world with the basic foundation of education, art, music, literature, mathematics, engineering, architecture, astronomy, geography, geology, medicine etc.
 
  Greek Education
             Ancient Greece was divided into several Poleis (small city-states)
             Greeks were mixture of Germanic and Aryan stock ( strong race)
             Sparta and Athens were two or more popular poleis
             Constant struggle between Sparta and Athens resulted in Peloponnesian War which lasted for 27 years.
 
  Spartan Education  
             Sparta was the largest polis
             Purely military city-state
             Mothers functioned as state nurses
             At age 7 boys were turned over to Paidonomus - a military commander who cared for boys until age 18
             Boys stayed with the paidonomoud
             At 18 boys prepare for the military training
             At 20 get assigned for actual war
             At 30 they are compelled to many
             Girl‘s education was limited to the instructions given by their mothers
             Because of their system, there was no famous Spartan
 
  Athenian Education
             Men sana en coporesano‘ (sound mind sound body). This is the ultimate aim of Athenian education
 
             Democratic form of living, democracy is the lasting legacy of Athens to the world
 
             Athens preserved the family
 
             All schools were private
 
             Boys were separated from girls
 
             Form 0-7 yr. old, boys stayed at home received training form Paidogogus ( an educated slave)
 
             Palaestra - a public gymnasium were boys had their physical training under a Paedotribe
 
             Pentathlon (running, jumping, discus, javelin and wrestling
 
             Kitharistes- music teacher, teaches poetry like lliad and Odyssey
 
             Grammarian - Writing teacher
 
             At 18 if Athenian boy finished his training he will be called an Ephebos ( novice citizen), after
 
             The Sophist ( New Class of Teachers)
 
             Sophist were well traveled men who were mostly non-citizen of Athens, they offered new perspective in learning through declamation and oration, grammar, rhetoric, critical and reflective thinking. Protagoras - Chief of the Sophist
 
 
  The 3 Great Educational Theorists:
 
1.          Socrates - he postulated know thyself and accepted the fundamental principles of Protagoras that man is the measure of all things
2.          Plato – wrote the ―Republic, he advocated a government which he termed Aristocratic Socialism (philosophical king, warrior and artisan)
3.          Aristotle - father of modern sciences
 
  Greek Universities: 
 
1.    Rhetorical Schools ( founded by Sophists)
 
2.    Philosophical Schools
 
a.  Academy- founded by Plato
b.  Lyceum- founded by Aristotle
c.   School of Stoics- by Zeno
d.  Epicurean-by Epicurus
 
3.    Combined Rhetorical and Philosophical School
 
a.          University of Athens-most teachers were Sophist supported by Athenian Government bust disappeared when Constantine declared Christianity as official religion
 
4.    School Outside Greece- University of Alexandra (Egypt) Built in honor of Alexander the Great Famous Alumni - Euclid (geometry), Eratosthenes (Geography and Astronomy), Archimedes (Physics)
 
Roman Education- Pragmatic education-strived to find practical application of the knowledge they acquired and activities they pursued.
 
a.          Early Roman Education (home based education)
 
b.          Hellenized Roman education- started when Rome‘s contact with Greek civilization then finally conquering Greece.
 
  Stages of Roman Education:     
 
1.    Elementary (7-10) = Literator
2.    Secondary (10-16) =Grammaticus
3.    Higher Education (16 up) = Rhetorical
 
  Medieval Education 
             Medieval education started when the roman empire fell around 400 Ad
             Christianity was declared as the official religion of the state by Constantine the Great, therefore Catholics grew in number and power
             Hierarchy of Church in Middle ages:
 
1.    Pope-leader of the church and held office in Rome
2.    Cardinal
3.    Archbishop
4.    Bishop
5.    Priest/Clergy
 
  Movements during middle Ages     
 
1.          Monasticism - advocated by St. Benedict. They were called as ”monks” and stayed in monasteries which serve as repositories of classical literature.
2.          Scholasticism -―Education as an intellectual discipline.
Anseim - Father of Scholasticism
Abelard - One of the famous schoolmen
St. Thomas Aquinas - wrote “SummaTheolagiae”(official doctrine of Catholic Church)
 
  Early School during middle Ages   
 
             Catechumenal School - ―catechumens are new converts, they held their classes in small churches
             Catechetical School - for in-depth training in religion
             Episcopal/Cathedral School - organized by bishop to train clergy
 
  The Medieval University     
             The most important contribution of the middle ages
             The first universities focused on teaching medicine
             University of Napes (the first organized university
 
  Composition of Medieval University    
1.          Stadium Generale ( entire studentry)
2.          Nation (students and teachers who came from same place of origin)
3.          Councilor (leader of Nation)
4.          Facultas (teachers who teaches the same subjects
5.          Dean (leader of Facultas)
6.          Rector (chosen by councilors and facultas)
 
  Degree Offered by Medieval University    
             At 13 to 14, a boy may enter a university and study Liberal Arts
             At 21 teach younger boys
             At 25 writethesis
             If the students pass the thesis defense he will receive Licential Docebdi
             Renaissance Period (the peak of Arts and Sciences)- Renaissance is considered the start of modern period
             Reformation Period- Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses containing the abuses of the church to the door of his church.
             Counter Reformation =to win back protestants, the pope assigned 3 congregations to head counter-reformation.
1.          Brothers of Christian School (founded by St. La Salle)
2.          Society of Jesus ( founded by St. Francis of Loyola)
3.          Jansenites ( founded by St. Cyrene)
 
  Notable Names in Education   
             Socrates -―know thy self
 
             Plato - wrote the ―Republic
 
 
             Aristotle - Father of Modern Sciences
 
             Ciero - Wrote the ―Oratore
 
 
             Quintillian - Wrote Institution Oratoria he was a famous Grammaticus
 
             Anselm - father of scholasticism
 
 
             Abelard - spearheaded Conceptualism
 
             St. Thomas Aquinas - ―wrote Summa Theolgiae

             Erasmus - suggested that education be in accordance with the needs of society, he was a humanist who advocated the importance of studying the character of the child
 
             Ascham - wrote the ―Schoolmaster condemning brutal punishment in English schools during his time.
 
             John Amos Comenius - father of modern education, he wrote the first picture bookOrbis Senualium Pictus
 
             Mulcaster - said that Education should be in accordance with nature
 
             John Locke-―tabula rasa‘ ( blank sheet)
             John Jacques Rosseau - wroteEmile (Education should be in accordance with the nature of the child)
 
             Pestallozzi - defined education as natural ,symmetrical and harmonious development of the faculties of the child
 
             Herbart - conceived education as aimed towards the development of morality and virtue. He is famous for the Herbatian Method in psychology
 
             Froebel - father of kindergarden
 
             John Dewey - ―Education is not preparation for life, it is life
 
             St.John Baptiste de la Salle - patron saint of teachers
 
             Maria Montessori - advocated the child- centered education and prepared environment


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