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My Educational Philosophy |
With
some people it is want of discipline and instruction on their own part,
which makes them in turn unfit educators of their pupils. ~ Immanuel Kant,
Thoughts on Education
It is as important to the speculative mind, as it is sad to one who loves his fellow-men, to see how those in high rank generally care only for their own concerns, and take no part in the important experiments of education. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education Man's duty is to improve himself; to cultivate his mind; and, when he finds himself going astray, to bring the moral law to bear upon himself. Upon reflection we shall find this very difficult. Hence, the greatest and most difficult problem to which man can devote himself is the problem of education. For insight depends on education, and education in its turn depends on insight. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education Children ought to be educated, not for the present, but for a possibly improved condition of man in the future; that is, in a manner which is adapted to the idea of humanity and the whole destiny of man. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education It is, however, not enough that children should be merely broken in; for it is of greater importance that they shall learn to think. By learning to think, man comes to act according to fixed principles and not at random. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education Now we can always be frank in our demeanour, provided our frankness be united with a certain kindness. . . . ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education A refusal should always be final. This will shortly have the effect of making its repetition unnecessary. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education A man may be highly cultivated physically, he may have a well-cultivated mind; but if he lacks moral culture, he will be a wicked man. . . . ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education Men ought to be occupied in such a way that, filled with the idea of the end which they have before their eyes, they are not conscious of themselves, and the best rest for them is the rest which follows work. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education School is a place of compulsory culture. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education Intelligence divorced from judgment produces nothing but foolishness. Understanding is the knowledge of the general. Judgment is the application of the general to the particular. Reason is the power of understanding the connection between the general and the particular. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education But in teaching children we must seek insensibly to unite knowledge with the carrying out of that knowledge into practice. . . . Further, knowledge and speech (ease in speaking, fluency, eloquence) must be united. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education The best way of cultivating the mental faculties is to do ourselves all that we wish to accomplish. . . . The best way to understand is to do. That which we learn most thoroughly, and remember the best, is what we have in a way taught ourselves. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education But on the whole we should try to draw out [children's] own ideas, founded on reason, rather than to introduce such ideas into their minds. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education One often hears it said that we should put everything before children in such a way that they shall do it from inclination. In some cases, it is true, this is all very well, but there is much besides which we must place before them as duty. And this will be of great use to them throughout their life. For in the paying of rates and taxes, in the work of the office, and in many other cases, we must be led, not by inclination, but by duty. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education Punishments inflicted with signs of anger are useless. Children then look upon the punishment simply as the result of anger, and upon themselves merely as victims of that anger; and as a general rule punishment must be inflicted on children with great caution, that they may understand that its one aim is their improvement. . . . ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education The withdrawal of respect is the only fit punishment for lying. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education [A child] must form friendships with other children, and not be always by himself. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education Children should sometimes be released from the narrow constraint of school, otherwise their natural joyousness will soon be quenched. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education Many people imagine that the years of their youth are the pleasantest and best of their lives; but it is not really so. They are the most troublesome; for we are then under strict discipline, can seldom choose our own friends, and still more seldom can we have our freedom. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education At the same time the parents must not set great store by their own clothes, nor admire themselves; for here, as everywhere, example if all-powerful, and either strengthens or destroys good precepts. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education In order that a child may acquire prudence, he must learn to disguise his feelings and to be reserved, while at the same time he learns to read the character of others. It is chiefly with regard to his own character that he must cultivate reserve. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education It is better to know but little, and that little thoroughly, than to know a great deal and that superficially; for one becomes aware of the shallowness of superficial knowledge later on. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education Character consists in the firm purpose to accomplish something, and then also in the actual accomplishing of it. . . . For instance, if a man makes a promise, he must keep it, however inconvenient it may be to himself; for a man who makes a resolution and fails to keep it will have no more confidence in himself. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education We only excite envy in a child by telling him to compare his own worth with the worth of others. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education Everything in education depends upon establishing correct principles, and leading children to understand and accept them. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education Religious ideas always imply a theology; and how can young people be taught theology when they do not yet know themselves, much less the world? ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education The law that is within us we call conscience. ~ Immanuel Kant, Thoughts on Education Excerpts from Thoughts on Education
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