Ralph Waldo Emerson Education Summary

He once brought up a time when he [acquainted] with Sir Charles Fellows, learned that he was interested in the beauty of scriptures then decided to take in further consideration in forming a college himself which demonstrated how a man wanted to learn more about the concept and taught himself. This example refers back to the “Genius and Drill” one where Charles took the idea of doing something, actually went with it and executed it. He also compares a school and court when stating “[they] know as much as the judge of a police court, and his love of learning is lost in the routine of grammar and books of elements”. Emerson explains how a teacher was frustrated by students in which shows their is a punishment for them, also meaning the children will face many obstacles that they will learn off of. Another example is when he explains the difficulty of learning so many types of different material compared to learning one thing at a time in which he writes it takes patience. Emerson exemplifies on how the education system is when teaching material quickly, students may not actually be learning it but he also states that if they learn their own pace, they will learn. These examples help assist his analogy on nature of education and children in which he discusses comparisons between the

Every morning students arrive at school with only one thing on their minds: how much longer until they can leave. Forced to look at white walls and white boards with blank, empty expressions, imagine a school where these miserable government subjects of a harsh educational experiment could feel human again. In Education by Ralph Waldo Emerson, he discusses how humanity can be put back into classrooms and that the ideal form of learning should allow children to be enthusiastic about school. Emerson believes that self-education is the most proficient way to create academic success. His idea of a personal, yet rigorous, learning environment should be implemented throughout Appoquinimink School District by altering the curriculum, modifying

In the essay, “Education”, Ralph Waldo Emerson, a transcendentalist thinker, asserts that Education is damaged and he knows of a solution – the educators. He develops this claim by first introducing the paradox linking “Genius and Drill”, expressing his ideal method of teaching. Throughout the essay, Emerson tends to have a condemning tone against the educator but towards the end he changes it into a comforting one. Emerson’s purpose is to present an alternative style of teaching in order to persuade educators to use the teaching method by using paradoxes, rhetorical questions, and shifts in tone. He establishes an informative and didactic tone for educators who value attention to detail.

As a student of education, I have been able to gather many ideas and opinions about practices and ideals I want to implement in my future classroom. My philosophies about education are still being formed and continually change with every class I visit and with every educator I encounter. My ideas, admittedly, come from random experiences and intangible texts, but as I gain more experience in the field through my courses, my philosophies about teaching will become more clearly defined. These few ideas I have now will undoubtedly be added upon as I enter student teaching and my professional career, nevertheless, they are concepts of which I hope to never lose sight.

1. Emerson's view of an ideal education is respect for what the child wants to pursue. Emerson talks about how a teacher and the parents should respect a childs interests and curiosity. Emerson says, "…to keep his naturel, but to stop off his uproar, fooling, and horseplay." (pg.102). Here Emerson suggests that while a teacher should respect the child's interests, the teacher should also discipline and teach the child manners. Emerson also believes that a child should not be in a strict, traditional classroom, and instead should be allowed to pursue their interests independently.

Disc 1. The defining characteristics of Emerson’s ideal education are free, patient, respectful, and with proper amount of practices and instructions. According to Emerson, teachers or parents have to respect the kids’ nature with patience. The educators should not blindly discipline the kids with rules and punishments just for time-saving, but encourage the them to follow their nature and passion. Even though Emerson has emphasized that teachers should respect the kids’ nature, he still points out the importance of the instruction and teaching from a “master”. Teachers should instruct and teach the kids fundamental disciplines because the kids need their help to practice their passion and knowledge, and the teachers should teach without destroying the kids’ nature.

"In the woods, we return to reason and faith. There I feel that nothing can befall me in life, - no disgrace, no calamity (leaving me my eyes), which nature cannot repair. Standing on the bare ground, - my head bathed by the blithe air and uplifted into infinite space, - all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eyeball. I am nothing. I see all. The currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God."

In this essay, Ralph Waldo Emerson describes his view of an ideal education. What are its defining characteristics?

The second principle in support of educational philosophy is that educators should allow the student’s natural curiosity to steer his or her learning for personal development. It is significant that students have the opportunity to study things

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emerson is a firm believer of maintaining self-reliance and values rather than following the crowd. He also explains that in order to be truly successful in life, a person must make decisions and trust in his or her judgment. In today’s society, teenagers are more likely to not be self-reliant because the teens feel they will be judged for having different beliefs. People today need to realize that they should not conform to be like the rest of the world, they must not depend on the judgment and criticism of others, and people must refuse to travel somewhere in order to forget their personal problems. Through Emerson’s piece, readers are able to

In chapter 5, Reforming America’s Schools, I learned many things that affect me as an educator. An important fact that interests me was that there are four goals that schools should follow. The first one is academic, including a broad array of knowledge and intellectual skills. The second one is vocational, aimed at readiness for the world of work and economic responsibilities. The third one is social and civic, including skills and behavior for participating in a complex democratic society. The fourth one is personal, including the development of individual talent and self-expression. This will affect me as an educator so that I can follow and do my best to complete these goals. Now I am aware of what should be done in a classroom.

           Ralph Waldo Emerson, a philosopher of the 1860s, wrote the essay, “Education.” Emerson took on the challenge to influence the current school system to change its current mechanical ways to a more natural approach. Emerson used many appeals to pathos, strong diction, and repetition to formulate his argument. Jeffery Froyd and Nancy Simpson had a similar idea to Emerson with student-centered learning. Quite a time after Emerson in 2007, Froyd and Simpson wrote the academic article, “Student-Centered Learning Addressing Faculty Questions about Student-centered Learning.” Froyd and Simpson also wanted to challenge the current lecture style teaching and integrate a student-centered learning. Froyd and Simpson use an abundant amount of logos to convey their argument. Froyd and Simpson also used a question/answer format to answer any oppositions.

Many educators operate their classrooms using a “learning theory” that they feel optimizes the best learning environment for their students. As an educator it is very important to create your own customized learning theory to use in your classroom. A customized learning theory is developed to create an optimum learning environment for students. Educators have to research and put into practice the ideas that they feel may work best in their classroom. In this paper, I will be discussing my own customized learning theory incorporating theoretical perspectives that I believe make an ideal learning environment.

“What the educator does in teaching is to make it possible for the students to become themselves.” 1A teachers objective should not be to shape the students as a reflection of that educators image, instead they should see themselves as the medium of which the information in communicated, they should see themselves a person who elevates that students to higher concepts of learning, aspiration and liberation. A good teacher must recognize the strength and weaknesses in skills of the individual and class and reflect on how to leverage strength amongst learners to

John Dewey, another educational philosopher believed “Education is a social process. Education is growth. Education is, not a preparation for life; education is life itself.” (Inc.) He felt that learning took place only when students had internalized what they had gained through experience and practiced it in their own lives. In a progressive classroom, the teacher designs experiences for students with the idea that through experience, students build knowledge and skills. A society of individuals conforming to studying flashcards may be good, but a society of literate individuals consciously aware of why and how the facts on the flashcards and in mass media can solve new problems is better.