The Philosophy of Teaching: The Teacher, The Pupil, The School — John Shaqi
The Philosophy of Teaching: The Teacher, The Pupil, The SchoolSands, Nathaniel
Philosophy
The Philosophy of Teaching: The Teacher, The Pupil, The School
Sands, Nathaniel
Teaching
The necessity and meaning of light and cleanliness, the indifference of
the human body to all natural changes of temperature, when strengthened
and maintained in health by wholesome food and efficient bathing, might
lead to the taking of effective measures to restore the old Roman bath to
general use.
As regards shelter, why a building on the ground is generally to be
preferred to a cave or shelter in the ground--what materials are best
adapted for roofs, what for walls, floors, windows, why we use stone or
brick in one part of the country and wood in another; what sizes, shapes,
means of warmth and ventilation, for privacy and social enjoyment, should
be adopted, and as regards furniture and utensils, what are most suitable
for the several parts of a dwelling; what should guide our selection of
material, fabrics, shape, size and pattern; how to establish a
communication from one part of a building to another; how water and light
are to be had most readily. All these things should form the subject of
school study and inquiry.
The means of locomotion, how streets, roads and paths should be laid out
and maintained; the construction and use of carriages, cars, wagons,
tramways, railroads, ships, steamers, propelling power; where bridges
should be built, and how; viaducts and embankments to cross valleys,
cuttings and tunnels to penetrate hills and mountains; these, too, simply
at first, and afterwards in more elaborate detail, should form subjects of
school instruction, the rules determining the selection of each and the
methods of their construction not being preached in lectures, _ex
Cathedra_, but evolved by a patient questioning of nature, by experiment
and the Socratic method of inquiry. Exercise of the limbs under the
direction of a skilled instructor, so that all the muscles of the body may
be duly trained, and a healthy body built up to support a healthy mind.
The kinds of recreation to be selected, whether bull-baiting,
cock-fighting, rat-catching or prize-fighting, should be preferred to
games of skill and strength, to the drama, literature, works of art,
public walks, gardens, and museums; the comparative influence of all these
upon the health, strength, courage, activity, humanity, refinement and
happiness of society; how people may be led to prefer such as tend to
general well-being to those which have a tendency to brutalize and debase.
All these also should be dwelt upon in the school.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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