Outlines of Educational DoctrineHerbart, Johann Friedrich
Philosophy
Outlines of Educational Doctrine
Herbart, Johann Friedrich
Education -- Philosophy
fraction of their bearing upon life. This awakens an interest in them
as ends. He must, then, by conformity to the psychological order of
learning, by enthusiasm and ingenuity, so teach the subjects that
the natural interest in the end will be constantly enhanced through
a lively interest in the daily lesson as the means of reaching it.
The result is unified attention, zeal in the pursuit of knowledge,
hospitality for ethical ideals.
[4] “Interest as Related to the Will,” second supplement to the Herbart
Year Book, revised and reprinted, Chicago University Press, 1899.
64. As regards the bearings of interest on virtue, we need to remember
that many-sidedness of interest alone, even of direct interest such as
instruction is to engender, is yet far from being identical with virtue
itself; also that, conversely, the weaker the original mental activity,
the less likelihood that virtue will be realized at all, not to speak
of the variety of manifestation possible in action. Imbeciles cannot be
virtuous. Virtue involves an awakening of mind.
The conception, that by awakening many-sided direct interest in the
studies we can powerfully affect character, is perhaps peculiar to
the thought of Herbart. Yet when we consider that the knowledge
taught in the school goes to the root of every vital human relation,
that, in other words, the studies may be made instruments for
progressively revealing to the child his place and function in the
world, it follows as a necessary consequence, that to interest the
pupil thoroughly in these branches of learning, is to work at the
foundation of his character, so far, at least, as insight into duty
and disposition to do it are concerned. Even if interest in ethical
things is not of itself virtue, it is an important means for securing
virtue. This idea adds to the teacher’s resources for the development
of character. It also opens up to him a new realm for research. All
literature, history, science, mathematics, geography, language, may
be examined from this new standpoint, both with respect to selection
and to methods of presentation. Select the portions that pertain
intimately to life; teach them so that their important bearing upon
it may be seen.
=Note.=--As has been stated already (17), the most immediate of
the practical ideas demanding recognition from the teacher is the
idea of perfection. Now, with reference to this idea, three factors
are to be considered: the intensity, the range, the unification of
intellectual effort. Intensity is implied in the word _interest_;
extension is connoted by many-sidedness; what is meant by
unification will be briefly indicated in the next paragraph.
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