Assignment:
Compare the ideas in the other student's post to those of either Jane Addams or John Dewey.
Reply with at least 160 words in length. Analyze ideas through the lens of worldview articles. Cite both the Gutek textbook and worldview articles.
Worldview Articles:
• "Developing a Biblical Worldview" (Ethan Hope, Foundations for Living)
• "Importance of a Christian Worldview" (Matt Capps, The Gospel Project)
• "On Education" (Francis Schaeffer)
• "What Is a Christian Worldview?" (Focus on the Family)
• "What Is a Christian Worldview?" (Israel Wayne)
• "Writings in Christian Education" (Calvin College)
Part 1
Mann and Owen
Horace Mann (1796-1859) politically advocated for public schooling, knowing a representative democracy succeeded only with a literate and educated populace. Mann joined the Whig party because he disagreed with the direction of President Andrew Jackson and instead sought to establish a state-supported school system (Gutek, 2011). Even though he later converted to Unitarianism, he was guided by his Calvinistic upbringing. He applied the moral codes of humanitarianism to his philosophy of public schooling (Gutek, 2011). His ideas of American exceptionalism, that the people of the new nation were divinely appointed to lead the world morally, were also evident in his philosophy (Gutek, 2011). He used his skills as a lawyer to argue for a school system that should be offered to all children. The schools should be used to educate citizens, equalize the classes, and teach students moral values, but do so without religious instruction. The schools should be supported by taxes and classrooms should be funded. He also sought for a professionalized teacher education system. During his career, he served as the secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education, a U. S. representative, and president of Antioch college.
In marked contrast to Mann's political prowess and ability to convince an electorate of the need for state supported education, Robert Owen (1771-1858) developed a utopian model of society that used education as a social reformation tool. He believed this type of utopian planned community would peacefully persuade society to conform and voluntarily give up their property and privileges for the common good (Gutek, 2011). Though his vision didn't support an individualistic society, his ideas for education are noteworthy. He promoted early childhood education, but also set aside continual education for adults. His curriculum was well rounded, including core subjects and arts, and he emphasized an open, large classroom supplied with various teaching tools. He understood attention span, and scheduled recess, or break times. He also understood child readiness, and introduced reading at the right time.
Both Mann and Owen supported the goal of education to make lives better by reducing socioeconomic disparities. Both felt education should be used as a method of moral instruction. However, Owen argued against religious instruction, because it would bring prejudice. Owen also felt the family structure and home environment would taint a child's ability to acclimate to his utopian community. Mann's schools included more of a Protestant influence in moral and ethics instruction. As Owen created his own society based on his own ideals, and not God's moral code, his worldview was not biblical (Pope, 2000). A biblical worldview also places importance on the family unit, and Owen's views did not advocate for a strong home environment.
References
Gutek, G.L. (2011). Historical and philosophical foundations of education: A biographical introduction. Chicago, IL: Pearson.
Pope, E. (2000). Developing a biblical worldview.
• Compare the ideas in the other student's post to those of either William Chandler Bagley or Maria Montessori.
Reply with at least 160 words in length. Analyze ideas through the lens of worldview articles. Cite both the Gutek textbook and worldview articles.
Part 2: Mann/Froebel
Horace Mann was a politician who was the first to successful setup a common school that received money from the local cities and state. While he was not the first to have such an idea, he was the first to institute the idea that set the U.S. on the path of funding their public schools (Gutek, 2011). Horace Mann also believed that education should be more than just reading, writing and arithmetic. Education and experiences in early life help develop child and how they will act as they get older based on his Unitarian beliefs. He also saw education as a way to bring different groups of people together towards a common good, hence the common school (Gutek, 2011). Education was a way to lift people in American society.
Comparatively, Mann shared many of the same thoughts and ideals as many of his time. Friedrich Froebel often the considered the founder of kindergarten shared similar philosophy when it came to early development. A child was a blank slate and through experiences, they developed thoughts and ideas that would later affect how they made choices later in life (Gutek, 2011). One area they disagreed upon was the of predestination. Froebel believed that children had a vocation that was ordained by God and through play they would discover that path. Mann believed that education and experience helped us make choice in our path, as God gave us free will. Froebel and Mann also did agree that school was more than reading, writing, and arithmetic. Froebel saw that education could be brought about through play activities that followed vocations.
Both men contained some biblical worldviews. Mann believed that the bible should be incorporated in school as it taught moral and ethical values. Froebel believed that we are children of God and he endowed us to take care of his creation. Froebel, I felt had a much more biblical worldview. He saw God in everything, people and nature. He felt that by exploring nature with children, we could grow closer to God as he came to understand his creation and our place in it (Gutek, 2011). On the other hand, Mann also was willing to leave out parts of religion to please others in his bid for votes (Gutek, 2011). This willingness to not follow the bible as the truth and forgo some religious aspects was more of a worldview (Tackett, 2006).
References
Gutek, G. L. (2011). Historical and philosophical foundations of education: A biographical introduction (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Tackett, D. (2006). What's a Christian worldview? Focus on the Family.