FACULTY OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Assignment No 1

Name ELESTINA SHAMUDZARIRA

Programme BACHELOR OF EDUCATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

AND DEVELOPMENT

Module title & Code HISTORICAL & PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATION IN

EARLY CHILDHOOD (BEE .

Module Tutor/Lecturer .

Due Date .

1|Page
QUESTION: - Examine the significance of Rousseau’s ideas on the relationship
between mother and child to the early childhood development (ECD) program
ANSWER

Our modern society’s system for early childhood education has been influenced by
many changing ideas over the years of its development. Jean-Jacques Rousseau,
John Locke, and Maria Montessori all contributed philosophies concerning early
childhood education in their times; some of their ideas have lasted throughout history
and have made it into our system today, while others have not lasted. Some of these
lasting patterns have been beneficial to our modern system, while others have not
been as strongly encouraged due to changing times and developments. The ideas
that have lasted from these philosophers’ times to ours are descriptive of each
individual’s beliefs. Allowing children to focus on physical education and their natural
inclinations stems from Rousseau’s writings. Encouraging educators and parents to
teach a love of learning to children comes from Locke, and scientifically-influenced
curriculum that takes into account the way children learn how information is processed
in their minds from Montessori. These theories on education have lasted throughout
history to make up the education system we see in the United States today and have
been beneficial for the way we teach young children and how we understand their
learning processes. Utilizing these ideas that have proven their worth over time
strengthens our education system for the benefit of individual children.

Rousseau presents his ideas about early childhood education in his work titled Emile,
the story of a fictional child and his transitions through education. Rousseau
communicates that he believes the best way for a child to learn is in stages that focus
on virtue as their life progresses. His work outlines a specific plan for each stage in a
child’s life, beginning with infancy to 12 years, then 12 to 19 years, followed by 20-25
years, and finally the Age of Happiness.

The first stage of education according to Rousseau is characterized by physical

education and learning. Rousseau states that the child cannot wear tight clothing and
that they must be breast-fed by their mother. The child must also play outside to gain
a better understanding of nature. Rousseau, in Emile and his Confessions, references
his beliefs that the modern man must also be a natural man who remains uncorrupted
by his society. In regards to the natural man in his Confessions, Rousseau employs
metaphors and personal experiences to summarize that it is a man’s education that
can nurture him towards a virtuous life.

2|Page
The second stage, from 12 to 19 years, focuses on further augmentation of physical
capabilities along with hand-brain coordination. This is about the time when the child
reaches puberty, so Rousseau believes that while their body is changing, their
perception of the world must also change. It is suggested here that the male children
learn a trade to encourage an inner development of skills. This is also the time when
the child must begin their formal education with a private tutor trained to determine the
child’s unique skills. The child must only study and read what is naturally interesting
to him. By this form, Rousseau believes that Emile will educate himself and develop
a natural love for all things beautiful. In addition, this is the time in the child’s life when
they are ready for the beginning of their religious education. This portion of a child’s
education is portrayed through Rousseau’s work The Creed of the Savoyard Priest.

This particular work outlines what Rousseau believes to be the proper relationship
between a virtuous man and God, scripture, and the church. Rousseau believed that
children and young adults should approach religion as a skeptic and free thinker who
should be able to question religion while still discovering the greatness and truth of
God through his own discovery not through the force of the church. The final learning
stage of life, from 20 to 25 years, must be focused on studying history and learning
about how society corrupts the natural, educated man. It is at this point in Emile’s life
that he encounters Sophie, his female counterpart. Here, Rousseau briefly discusses
his beliefs on educating the young female child, which communicate that females need
less education and should be taught how to be a mother and wife after 8 years of age.

Rousseau, through his work Emile, communicated his beliefs that early childhood
education should circulate around physical development that coordinates with mental
development, a love of the natural world, and nurturing a virtuous man adapted to their
society. During his time, his work was not popular because it rejected religious ideas
that were overall accepted by those around him. His work later prompted an arrest
order against Rousseau by the French parliament, but popularity eventually rose
enough to make Emile a well-known work in educational philosophy. Rousseau’s
ideas are prevalent in today’s educational system through Waldorf Schools, which are
focused on students cultivating a “lifelong love of learning as well as the intellectual,
emotional, physical and spiritual capabilities” (Association of Waldorf Schools of North
America) that come with encouraging a child to be true to their personal path in
life. Philosophies from Rousseau’s time are clearly incorporated into today’s system
in these schools by encouraging young people to have an “enthusiasm for
learning”. This teaching style promotes an overall love of learning for children as well
as developing teaching styles that best adhere to every child’s learning style and

3|Page
preferences. In terms of how an individual should raise their children, Locke believed
that parents should nurture a child’s natural aptitudes and curiosities. He writes that
parents should “observe what their native stock is, how it may be improved, and what
it is fit for” (Locke, Some Thoughts). Children should nurture their physical habits
before pursuing their academic education. Locke agreed with Rousseau that a child’s
education must be focused on encouraging virtues and developing an individual that
remains untainted by society.

Locke believes that it is the responsibility of the parents and teachers to teach a child
how to learn before a formal schooling system is introduced. Locke writes that the
instructor “should remember that his business is not so much to teach [the child] all
that is knowable; and to put him in the right way of knowing and improving himself”
(Locke, Some Thoughts). He communicates that selecting a proper teacher for their
child will benefit them by teaching them the ways of their country and how to function
as an adult once the child leaves their family.

Locke was also known for being at the forefront of the Scientific Revolution in
England. He encouraged an emphasis on science and practical professional training
for children. He believed in teaching geography, astronomy, and anatomy along with
recommending that every male child learns a trade.

Locke’s pedagogical suggestions marked the beginning of a new education system

that defined Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries. The main focus of his works were
on male children but believed that the education for boys and girls should be basically
the same and that both genders should be taught to be rational and virtuous. While
this contrasts with Rousseau’s beliefs on the differences between a boy’s and a girl’s
education, the fundamental goals are similar.

Locke’s essays were well-received by those around him at the time of their publication
and were respected as noble philosophies on education. Locke’s beliefs centralized
around three major philosophies: that education truly determines how a child will be in
their adult life, that it is crucial that parents find a proper teacher for their child who is
the most educated they can find so that their child will be clever, and that if a child’s
education is “successful,” they will be virtuous adults who love learning and who can
function in society. If Locke was correct in believing that education is the true
determinant of how a child will be in their adult life, then his methods of teaching with
the intention of creating a virtuous individual seem beneficial and applicable to today’s
educational system. We see examples of Locke’s philosophies through artistic

4|Page
education in schools today. In preschools, teachers are faced with the dilemma of
teaching art in a “product oriented” fashion or a “process oriented” fashion (National
Association for Educating Young Children). While both these processes are beneficial
to the overall learning for the child, a more process-focused experience will be more
beneficial. Through this method, the child will create personalized and specific work
that reflects their emotions and preferences. This process teaches children “open-
ended play” that makes learning more enjoyable for the child. There are connections
between Locke’s philosophies on education and the process-oriented teaching
method in that children should be focused on play and their free will rather than
inflexible instructions and plans.

Finally, Montessori developed her ideas concerning early childhood education with the
aid of psychiatry and an understanding of how children learn in 1907. She is known
for having immersed herself in the knowledge of many topics before focusing on
education, skills and information she later used in her curriculum. Montessori’s
curriculum focuses on the educator having respect for the child, understanding that
the child has an absorbent mind, that each child will have sensitive periods, providing
a prepared environment, and the idea of auto education: that children are capable of
educating themselves (Montessori Northwest). Her method began in her first school
in Rome which began the spread of her philosophies all over the world. It is clear that
her method is extremely popular in many countries and will continue to be in use in
educational systems. Her influences were present in the 1900’s educational system
where she was most directly relevant and have lasted through to today’s system. This
system was very well received in the United States in 1911 and was described as
“intense and positive” (18 Montessori International). The Montessori education
system has had a global impact by implementing this teaching system in many places
around the world while putting into use a researched and developed teaching style
that has clearly, positively impacted children in their early educational experiences.

It may seem like Rousseau’s, Locke’s, and Montessori’s methods will only make a
significant impact on today’s educational system if they are globally implemented in a
way that fully includes all children. Despite not all schools in the United States not
immediately using these techniques, if these ideas are taught to teachers and more
children as generations pass, the continued use of these methods will positively
influence our system. In addition, while some schools teach vocationally and teach
trades, it is important to implement Rousseau’s, Locke’s, and Montessori’s ideas into
educating teachers on how to encourage children to gain a love of learning.

5|Page
All three of these philosophers agree that children must pursue a physical, natural
education through playing outside and finding their natural talents before beginning
their formal education later in life. They all also generally agree that education should
be focused on the ever-changing idea of virtue. Rousseau’s ideas are still present in
today’s educational system in terms of a natural and physically-oriented way of
learning and playing with physical objects that promote hand-brain
coordination. Today’s preschool curriculums are focused on “cognitive and social
development” and “complex play” that encourage higher “thinking ability and language
development” (NAEYC). Locke’s beliefs that educators and parents should
encourage a love of learning, education, and knowledge rather than facts and lists is
encouraged for students but does not always last throughout their education. Children
are not as strongly encouraged to focus on what they are naturally curious about but
are more directed towards learning many subjects. Locke’s ideas are present in a
liberal arts education setting in terms of nurturing a “well-rounded” individual with
knowledge about many things rather than choosing one topic. Montessori’s curriculum
is the most present in today’s educational systems with 22,000 schools in 110
countries (Maria Montessori Biography) labeled as “Montessori Schools” that teach
her system. All three of these philosophers have strongly influenced our modern
educational system in regards to early childhood education. Their methods of
teaching children have proven their reliability by their remnants in today’s system.

It is important for schools today to more strongly incorporate Rousseau, Locke, and
Montessori’s ideas into our education system. All three of these philosophers
promoted a natural form of education where children are free to show interest in many
different things and can learn through experiences. Today, children are limited in their
activity and are losing time to “play, and explore on their own, as they were in the past
and are designed by nature to do,” (Psychology Today). While their ideas are present
in our educational system in terms of general beliefs and goals, more educators and
schools should incorporate these timeless philosophies in order to fulfill the
philosopher’s intentions of nurturing a virtuous individual who can function in society
and remain uncorrupted by society.

6|Page
Reference

 Gray, Peter. “K & Preschool Teachers: Last Stand in War on Childhood?”

Psychology Today. N.p., 8 July 2015. Web. 14 Nov. 2015.
 Maria Montessori Biography. American Montessori Society. N.p., 2015. Web.
10 Nov. 2015.
 Modern History Sourcebook: John Locke (1632-1704): Some Thoughts
Concerning Education, 1692. Internet History Sourcebooks. Fordham
University, Aug. 1998. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
 Theaetetus. The Internet Classics Archive. N.p., 2009. Web. 14 Nov. 2015.
 The Project Gutenberg EBook of Emile, by Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
Gutenburg (n.d.): n. pag. Apr. 2004. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
 Waldorf Education: An Introduction. Why Waldorf Works. N.p., n.d. Web. 17
Nov. 2015.
 Whitescarver, Keith. Montessori in America-The First 100 Years. Montessori
International (2010): 18-19. Web. 11 Nov. 2015
 Barry, B. (1967) The Public Interest, in Quinton, A. (ed.) Political Philosophy,
Oxford: Oxford University Press
 Bloom, A. (1991) Introduction to Rousseau, J-J. (1762) Emile, London:
Penguin.
 Darling, J. (1994) Child-Centred Education and its Critics, London: Paul
Chapman.
 Dent, N.J.H. (1988) Rousseau: An Introduction to his Psychological, Social
and Political Theory, Oxford: Basil Blackwell
 Melzer, A.M. (1990) The Natural Goodness of Man: On the Sytem of
Rousseau’s Thought, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
 Miller, J. (1984) Rousseau: Dreamer of Democracy, London: Yale University
Press
 Quinton, A. (1996) ‘Philosophical romanticism’ in T. Honderich (ed.) The
Oxford Companion to Philosophy, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
 Soëtard, M. (1995) ‘Jean-Jacques Rousseau’ in Z. Morsy (ed.) Thinkers on
Education Volume 4, Paris: UNESCO.
 Stewart, W. A. C. and McCann, W. P. (1967) The Educational Innovators.
Volume 1 1750–1880, London: Macmillan

7|Page