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7 Educational Philosophies, Explored
23rd September, 2024
12-19 mintues

I’ll do my best to keep it brief. Not only because I want you to read the entire article (I really do), but also as a practice for myself. I’ve struggled to explain each educational idea to people in a succinct manner, so I hope writing this will enable me to speak clearly and coherently about them.

Throughout 2023 and the first half of 2024, I explored 7 educational methodologies; Genius, Unschooling, Montessori, Waldorf, Project Based Learning (PBL), Charlotte Mason and Classical Education. I will discuss them according to the age of the philosophy – from the newest to oldest.

I’d like to stress that in this article I’ll be giving little to none of my opinions on the ideologies. There are two reasons for this, first, it would make this essay long and tedious. Secondly, I don’t want my opinion to be a distraction from understanding the knowledge first. Just like I stated in my previous essay about education⁽¹⁾, it’s important to absorb and assimilate the information before application takes place. So, let’s delve in with much endeavour to be brief!

1. Genius

Originator
László Polgár (1946 – )

Origin Date
Mid to Late 20th Century

Book(s) Read
Raise a Genius! by László Polgár

Background

“Genius is not born, genius is raised.”⁽²⁾

– László Polgár

The genius education is not so much a movement as there’s no institution or group of people executing this idea at a substantial scale. The main reason I include this to my list of educational philosophies is not only because this was what ignited my interest in studying the field, but I believe it deserves to be a movement. It deserves to be taken seriously. It should be studied, analysed and most importantly, be experimented with.

The genius educational philosophy stemmed from the brain of the Polish chess master and pedagogue László Polgár. After reading hundreds of biographies of eminent people, he came to the conclusion that geniuses aren’t born, they are made.⁽³⁾In order to prove this thesis, he needed a spouse that would understand and agree to this daunting experiment. Fortunately, Polgár was able to find such a woman, Klara Polgár. The couple had three children, Zsuzsa(b.1969), Zsófia(b.1974) & Judit(b.1976) and using his methods, all three children became grand chess masters.⁽⁴⁾

Philosophy

“Therefore it is possible and necessary to raise geniuses, because among other things, this guarantees the most certain road to happiness.” ⁽²⁾

– László Polgár

There’s this axiom that geniuses are born, i.e. ordained from God. This isn’t the case according to Polgár. Every master of their fields worked tremendously hard to become experts in the craft. And with that knowledge, Polgár insists that every family should, and can aim to raise geniuses. As long as the child doesn’t have any mental difficulties, he or she is capable of becoming a genius.

Methodology

The first rule of thumb is that learning must start very early in the child’s life. Polgár suggests that genius education should start as early as three years old. That means you start teaching the child a speciality at the age of 3. For example, Polgár got his children to practice chess. Polgár stresses that you can pick any specialisation to focus on. It’s of the parent’s or guardian’s choosing. The most important thing is to start early and have the child work on that skill for many hours. I’d like to stress that the teaching was never forced upon the pupil. The child must enjoy what he or she is doing. Polgár calls the learning Serious Play.

It is important to train your child early to get used to long hours of studying. At the optimum learning capability, he suggested the following schedule:

4 Hours – Specialist Study
1 Hour – Foreign Language
Year 1: Esperanto
Year 2: English
Year 3: Your Choice
1 Hour – Computing
1 Hour – General Study (Native language / Natural Science / Social Studies)
1 Hour – Moral, Psychological & Pedagogical Studies 20 Minutes of humour every 1 hour
1 Hour – Gymnastics

2. Unschooling

Originator
John Holt (1923 – 1985)

Origin Date
20th Century

Book(s) Read
Teach Your Own by John Holt

Background

“We cannot even imagine a society without homes, even if these should be no more than tents, or mud huts, or holes in the ground….our chief educational problem is not to find a way to make homes more like schools. If anything, is to make schools less like schools.”⁽⁵⁾

– John Holt

After being a teacher for several years, the American teacher and writer John Holt⁽⁶⁾ found that schools, especially public schools, are incompetent in teaching children effectively. They tend to, if anything, disincentivize children’s innate desire to learn. After numerous efforts to rectify this systemic failure, he came to the realisation that not only that schools don’t want to improve, but that schools aren’t essential to educate. In fact, he goes further to say these institutions are detrimental to learning. Holt examines the core of what it is to learn. He believes that human beings are inborn learners and schools which normally have one way to learn and one way to examine a pupils knowledge, hampers true education.

Philosophy

“What is most important and valuable about the home as a base for children’s growth into the world is not that it is a better school than the schools but that it isn’t a school at all.”⁽⁵⁾

– John Holt

As the name of his book suggests –Teach Your Own, Holt is a firm believer in having the child learn at home. But it isn’t just that alone. He doesn’t believe there should be anything like school of the sort, as children will naturally want to learn, and we as parents/guardians should guide them. He believes school isn’t the best environment to nurture life long learning.

Methodology

There isn’t a particular methodology to John Holt’s philosophy, apart from the fact that it’s unstructured. Unschooling doesn’t necessarily believe in creating a curriculum and enforcing knowledge on them, per se. Living in the world will naturally teach them and ‘force’ them to learn things. The child’s interest should be followed in order to educate the child. If the child is interested in astronomy, then get books and toys that encourage deeper knowledge of the topic. The main aim of unschooling is that it shouldn’t look like school. Instead of having a child taught things in an artificial environment meant to teach about the real one, why don’t you just have the child learn in actual life?

3. Montessori

Originator
Maria Montessori (1970 – 1952)

Origin Date
20th Century

Book(s) Read
The Absorbent Mind by Maria Montessori

Background

“Follow the child.”⁽⁷⁾

– Maria Montessori

If you only recently became a mother, you’ve probably heard of Montessori education. It’s an education style that is very in vogue. Maria Montessori, the founder of Montessori was an Italian pedagogue and physician. Judging from her book, The Absorbent Mind, and many articles, she blends spirituality and intellectuality to form her educational ethos.

Philosophy

“Growth is a succession of births.”⁽⁷⁾

– Maria Montessori

Montessori believes that the beginning stages of development are extremely sensitive and critical. And the caretaker must take great caution when handling young ones during these stages. The younger the child, the more sensitive. She proposes that in a human life span, there are four developmental phases; Phase One is from 0-6 years old, Phase Two, 6-12 years, Phase Three is from 12-18 and the Fourth Phase is 18 and onwards. Maria Montessori predominantly focuses on phase one. She believes children in the first phase are much more in touch with the spiritual part of the world.

Methodology

“The child seems to say, ‘I do not mind how much you know, I want to know things for myself. I want to have experience in the world and to perceive it with my own effort; you keep your own knowledge and let me acquire mine.’”⁽⁷⁾

– Maria Montessori

From her observations, children naturally want to do things by themselves. Montessori advocates that we should not hamper that desire. In order to make this possible, she explains that you must create an enabling environment for the child. For example, in the house and in the classroom, you should have small scale furnitures that permit the child to live like an adult. Surround them with tools to enable them to learn on their own. The teacher shouldn’t necessarily teach, but be a guide to learning.

4. Waldorf

Originator

Rudolf Steiner (1861 – 1925)

Origin Date

19th Century

Book(s) Read
The Kingdom of Childhood by Rudolf Steiner

Background

“But it is what you are that matters; if you are good this goodness will appear in your gestures; and if you are bad-tempered this also will appear in your gestures – in short, everything that you do yourself passes over into the children and makes way within them.”⁽⁸⁾

– Rudolf Steiner

Rudolf Steiner was an Austrian spiritualist and lecturer.⁽⁹⁾ In his book, The Kingdom of Childhood he gives 7 lectures about the education of children. He speaks about the importance of using spirituality and practical life as a guide to education. For me, out of the 7 philosophies, this is the most spiritually led program.

Philosophy

“Everything expresses the human experience of breathing and of blood circulation when they come into the realm of the soul.”⁽⁸⁾

– Rudolf Steiner

Steiner formulated a movement called Anthroposophy. The philosophical movement is based on the belief that if your intellect connects to the spiritual world you are in the presence of ‘pure’ thought.⁽¹⁰⁾Anthroposophy is the foundation of his education so, anything that is done in the schools stem from this concept. An idea from this philosophy teaches that music is vital for good early stage development. There are also specific things and ways a teacher should teach before the child loses his baby teeth versus after he or she has lost them.

Methodology

There are a lot of specific things done in Wardolf education, but I’ll highlight a few. You should teach in the most practical, closely resembling to real life manner when possible. This education tries to have one teacher teach throughout their entire schooling journey. Continuity and connection is important. Also, they do not have the typical period teaching, of every 45 minutes, a different subject. The class can focus on a subject for many weeks before they switch to another subject. They also teach reading and writing at what would be considered late, around 8-9 years of age. Steiner believes this is the most apt time based on Anthroposophy teachings.

5. Project-Based Learning

Originator

John Dewey (1859 – 1952)

Origin Date

19th Century

Book(s) Read
My Pedagogic Creed by John Dewey
Setting the Standard for Project Based Learning by John Larmer, John Mergendoller and Susie Boss

Background

“I believe that this educational process has two sides – one psychological and one sociological; and that neither can be subordinated to the other or neglected without evil results following.”⁽¹¹⁾

– John Dewey

Even though he was the pioneer of this philosophy, Project-Based Learning (PBL) wasn’t John Dewey’s creation. Dewey, an American theorist and philosopher, believed that in order to have a more just society, one that looks after human interests, the society should be an educated one.

Philosophy

The idea of PBL aims to make learning resemble actual life situations as much as possible. Learning shouldn’t be just about knowledge absorption but application of what is being learned. PBL does its best to create projects surrounding and using real life issues.

Methodology

There are 5 main types of projects in Project Based Learning that is used to create topics to teach⁽¹²⁾:

Solving a Real World Problem. e.g. The NYSC has an ineffective way of collecting graduate student data.
Meeting a Design Challenge. e.g. Draw blue prints for a home that is conducive to our Lagos climate.
Exploring an Abstract Question. e.g. Can Hausas and Igbos live peacefully?
Conducting an Investigation. e.g. Is the oil rig really damaging the society of Port harcourt?
Taking a Position on an Issue. e.g. Should prostitution be legalised?

6. Charlotte Mason

Originator

Charlotte Mason (1842-1923)

Origin Date

Late 19th Century – Early 20th Century

Book(s) Read
Home Education by Charlotte M. Mason

For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay

Background

Charlotte Mason was a British educator. During her time, children were educated according to their social class. This led to the lower class being taught trade while the upper class learnt subjects such as fine arts and literature. Mason believed in equal quality for education regardless of social status.⁽¹³⁾

Philosophy

Charlotte Mason herself, is an interesting person because I believe that in today’s world she would be looked at as ‘old school’. For example, she fundamentally uses the scripture to differentiate right from wrong. ⁽¹⁴⁾ She also emphasises the importance of a mother’s role in the upbringing of children. This too would be considered old school or a form of misogyny. During her own times, she was definitely forward thinking. She had this term ‘Children are persons’, explaining that we should consider children full individuals. Yes, it might sound obvious now but at that time, adults thought children needed to be beaten and moulded into ‘proper’ citizens. To be frank, I don’t think that way of thinking has shifted that much. I just think today it is more psychological than physical moulding. Mason asks that caretakers should look at children as individuals who have their own thoughts and ideas. Do not belittle them.

Methodology

Mason used many principles to guide her teaching. Home Education⁽¹⁵⁾ goes into much depth of how to teach pupils. One of the most prominent teachings is to have the student read what she calls living books. Textbooks give information in a mundane and chopped up manner. She says books should be rich in language and story. For example, instead of a science textbook about space, one should find an author who has an avid interest in space that delves into the topic in an entertaining, lively manner.

7. Classical

Originator

Greek Empire (1200 BCE – 323 BCE)⁽¹⁶⁾ & Roman Civilisation (27 BCE – 476 CE)⁽¹⁷⁾

Origin Date

10th Century

Book(s) Read
The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home by Susie Wise Bauer

Jessie Wise and Lost Tools for Learning by Dorothy Sayers.

Background

The Classical education that we use today should really be called “Neo-Classical” because it has continuously evolved over the centuries.⁽¹⁸⁾From the Greeks and Romans to the Medieval times, then, to present day; the subjects have been altered but the methodology has withstood the test of time.

Philosophy

“Is it not the great defect of our education to-day…that although we often succeed in teaching our pupils “subjects,” we fail lamentably on the whole in teaching them to think? They learn everything, except the art of learning.”⁽¹⁹⁾

– Dorothy Sayers

Classical education is a rigorous system. It is language intensive. It aims to produce a pupil who can not only read proficiently but also capable of expressing themselves intelligently through writing and speaking. Classical education does not believe in child-led education, its aim is to instil the foundational skill of gathering, assimilating and applying knowledge. To sum up, this education gives students the tools to think, to learn by themselves.

Methodology

Classical education uses a regimented system to achieve its goal of a well thinking individual. The system capitalises on the way they believe human mind organically develops. Humans have 3 phases in learning development. The first stage, the Grammar stage, is from birth to about 9-10 years of age. This is when then brain easily absorbs information. Have you noticed how a toddler can take in words so seamlessly like drinking water? Well, according to this education program, you need to fill the child’s head with information. Logic is the second stage, which is from 10 to about 14 years old, and this is when we are questioning the world around us. So, the information that the toddler had absorbed, they are now taught how to organise it to make sense. Lastly, the third – Rhetoric, starts at around 14 and onwards, is when we are trying to figure out how to express ourselves in the world. This methodology is called the trivium. ⁽²⁰⁾ Grammar is when you give the child facts to take in, Logic is when you teach the child how to organise and use the facts and the Rhetoric asks the student what he or she thinks and teaches the student the art of self-expression.

Written by Modé

This is the third essay on my series on education. You can find the following piece here, On Choosing a Style of Learning.

Sources

The 3 stages to learning. (2024, September 16). Composed of Bones. https://studioofmode.wordpress.com/2024/06/25/the-3-stages-to-learning/
Polgár, L. (2004). Raise a Genius! (1st ed.). https://slatestarcodex.com/Stuff/genius.pdf
How to raise a genius: Laszlo Polgar. (n.d.). https://www.takeoverpod.com/episodes/how-to-raise-a-genius-laszlo-polgar
Wikipedia contributors. (2024, September 11). László Polgár. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A1szl%C3%B3_Polg%C3%A1r
Holt, J. (1981b). Teach your own: A New and Hopeful Path for Parents and Educators. a Merloyd Lawrence Book. Delacorte Press.
Gaither, M. (2024, September 10). John Holt. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Holt
Montessori, M. (1967). The Absorbent Mind.
Steiner, R. (1995). The kingdom of childhood: Seven Lectures and Answers to Questions Given in Torquay, August 12-20, 1924. Steiner Books.
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2024, May 14). Rudolf Steiner. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rudolf-Steiner
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2024, September 7). anthroposophy. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/anthroposophy
Dewey, J. (1897). My pedagogic creed.
Larmer, J., Mergendoller, J., & Boss, S. (2015). Setting the standard for project based learning. ASCD.
Smith, D. (2022, July 3). Who was Charlotte Mason? – Simply Charlotte Mason. Simply Charlotte Mason. https://simplycharlottemason.com/what-is-the-charlotte-mason-method/who-was-charlotte-mason/
Macaulay, S. S. (2009). For the Children’s Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School. Crossway.
Mason, C. (2017). Home education. Living Book Press.
Hornblower, S. (2024, August 13). ancient Greek civilization. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Greece
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2024, September 9). Roman Empire. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Roman-Empire
The Well-Trained Mind podcast | What is Classical Education? (2023, September 13). The Well-Trained Mind Podcast. https://thewelltrainedmindpodcast.transistor.fm/episodes/wtm-002
Sayers, D. (1948). The lost tools of learning. Vacation Course in Education, Oxford, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. https://www.pccs.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/LostToolsOfLearning-DorothySayers.pdf
Wise Bauer, S., & Wise, J. (2009). The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home (3rd ed.). W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

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