An Analysis Of Plato And Rousseau Personal Philosophy of Education

I believe education to be an individualized process where students are encouraged to learn, especially outside the classroom; their learning and skills should extend to an entire group or society. I strongly relate with existentialism which aims to make students “free-thinking, self-actualized individuals engaged in a search for self” (Morrison 362). Furthermore, society is always evolving in response to changing political matters, governmental affairs, and environmental cases which all stem from the education of one person. The individuals who emerge in all different areas of careers are growing up in different societies, constantly bringing new and innovative information to the table. This circumstance is proof of social reconstructionism which declares “teachers, students, and the schools can play a key role in reconstructing society and building a social order” (Morrison 358). This cycle also lends to the fact that “knowledge is constantly evolving” and is a never-ending process, “highly integrated and interwoven” between all aspects of society (Epistemological Beliefs). 

Personal Philosophy of Education: Plato

Plato’s philosophy portrays evidence of both the encouragement of education and the spread of knowledge to enlighten others, the two parts that lay the foundation for my philosophy of education. In Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” the man is first exposed to new knowledge, then comes to remember “his old habitation, and the wisdom of the den and his fellow-prisoners” and “felicitate[s] himself on the change” (Plato 356). The obligation the man feels to enlighten the others and spark curiosity as to what awaits them in the real world is attempting to stimulate the want for learning. When he takes action to attempt this act, it is the intangible idea becoming a literal, observable experience that aims to indoctrinate the men still living in darkness, or ignorance. These two ideas work together to create a cycle of education and are also represented by Rousseau and Dewey, all of which strengthen my argument that education takes place both individually and societally.  

Personal Philosophy of Education: Rousseau

My philosophy of education is similar to Rousseau’s philosophy in that individualization and free-will are vital in the developmental stages of schooling. As children are introduced to more aspects of the world, they will be faced with trials and decisions where their natural instincts should be allowed to perform. In this regard, Rousseau’s philosophy incorporates parallels to humanism, my second-placing philosophy from the survey results, which “emphasizes the basic goodness of humans and our capacity for free will and self-fulfillment” (Morrison 360). Metaphorically, it is the job of the parents to “take him [their child or student] out into a meadow every day. There let him run, let him frisk about. If he falls a hundred times, so much the better. He will learn all the sooner how to pick himself up” (Rousseau 11). This is the first stage of encouragement, only in a disguised sense. If the child is not let alone to learn how to recover from failure, he or she will simply depend on others for the entirety of their life. How then will they advance at all in life? Their knowledge and training will be limited to the level of those who come to their aid. As Rousseau says, “Your pupils may have fewer bruises, but they are always constrained… I doubt whether they are any better off” (Rousseau 11). The purpose of learning is not to limit individuals so that they will only do the right thing; it is to encourage exploration and adaptation so they can experience successes, failures, and growth from each. 

Once the individual can explore on their own, the next vital piece to their education journey is verbal and more direct encouragement in their search for knowledge from the educator. Not only is encouragement offering positive feedback, but it is also the teacher’s self-discipline of “never [hastening] to satisfy it [curiosity]” (Rousseau 23). Be persistent in enmeshing the student in critical thinking so they can find answers for themselves and new unknowns to dig into after they find answers for the previous ones. This tender treatment of curiosity credits that human nature, which Rousseau sees as an essential part of learning, is best effective when propelled by inquiry. Layana portrayed this perfectly when she said “I have always been someone who really liked learning different things and different perspectives. … there are so many different things out there in the world that we have no idea about” (Sariah 16:14). This personal statement shows that the drive which comes from curiosity and inquisitiveness motivates students to advance academically and personally, creating a citizen that possesses critical thinking skills. Furthermore, as this information comes from an honors student, it demonstrates that the desire for knowledge and learning assists in striving to accomplish goals in life.

Personal Philosophy of Education: Dewey

Dewey believes that education should be taught with an “outcome of the process in mind”, and “denote the specific continuity of the surroundings with … active tendencies,” keyword being active (Dewey 10-11). My philosophy is that education begins with the individual, but it must extend to benefit a larger population. This two-part convention is essential because schooling is not done for education’s sake. If an individual merely sat with their education and did nothing with it, it would be lost with the individual, and society would not develop further as a result of the education. “Without this communication of ideals, hopes, expectations, standards, opinions… social life could not survive” (Dewey 3). Instead, the knowledge should be passed along to others to be continually used. Education should be dynamic and inquisitive, not stagnant and concealed. 

This application of knowledge extends outside of a lecture setting where students can interact with each other and experience hands-on, practical application of knowledge. Dewey supports the fact that “schools are, indeed, one important method of the transmission… but it is only one means, and, compared with other agencies, a relatively superficial means” (Dewey 4). Learning can take place from reading a book or exploring the wilderness to encountering an entirely new culture. Further reflecting on the experience of encountering a new culture, one might learn the traditions and history of this culture from living with them. This education process is arguably more influential than sitting in a classroom because the first-hand experience eliminates the third party who would be translating the message to the student in the classroom. Moreover, it lessens the chance for misinformation to be delivered or received. 

This belief is further supported considering Dewey also believes one’s education should also serve as a social function, while the social aspect simultaneously serves as an education in itself; “a being whose activities are associated with others has a social environment. What he does and what he can do depend upon the expectations, demands, approvals, and condemnations of others” (Dewey 12). This idea contains two perspectives. One perspective is an individual, the “being”, may be influenced by a society which affects their thought process and mannerisms, indirectly or directly. This idea portrays the importance of society’s continual progressive movement so the practices it lays on those involved can be the most relevant and influential in the given time. On the contrary, the “being” may be a society itself in which individual people interconnect their values and ideas through interactions. This idea stresses the significance of individuals contributing to society so that society can be constantly evolving. Without both practices working together, society would not be able to achieve progression of development and values. 

Conclusion

My philosophy of education consists of two instrumental stages: encouragement for a diverse experience of an individual who then uses their knowledge to strengthen a society. Plato lays down the philosophical foundations used by the more recent philosophers. He introduces aspects of both an individual and societal-driven education. Rousseau’s philosophies of the “natural man” and relation with humanism have strong similarities with my philosophy and survey results. Each person has the capacity for free-will and should be persuaded to utilize said capacity to mature and develop, following which educators should provide sensible encouragement. Dewey supports the next phase of my philosophy which recognizes the value of societal experiences and education not only as a personal journey but as a social journey during its more advanced times. From studying Plato to Rousseau and Dewy and finally constructing my philosophy, philosophical connections between thousands of years can be observed and compared to identify differences and similarities.