Sarah Haskins' Sections Questions for 10/23-10/26
For this week's discussion blog and class, be sure to have read Locke's "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding" (185-187), the selections from the Education and Childhood section of Part 4 (Locke, Rousseau, and Priestley, 222-242), and Locke's "The Second Treatise of Civil Government" (395-404).
Discussion Prompt: How does Enlightenment thought about childhood and education relate to what the Puritans or the Quakers believed? How do they relate to modern understandings of the role of childhood and education? How can you relate this change in education to Locke's ideas of government in his "Second Treatise"?
Discussion Prompt: How does Enlightenment thought about childhood and education relate to what the Puritans or the Quakers believed? How do they relate to modern understandings of the role of childhood and education? How can you relate this change in education to Locke's ideas of government in his "Second Treatise"?
posted by shask at 3:17 PM
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Enlightenment thought toward a child’s rearing and education was in dark contrast to that of many established English religions, especially the Puritans and Quakers. These religions were firmly based on breaking a child’s will (a commonly held European belief) and that corporal punishment was often necessary. Enlightenment thinkers, such as Locke, thought this was ridiculous. In Locke’s Some Thoughts Concerning Education, Locke states that, “Such a sort of slavish discipline makes a slavish temper.” (Kramnick, 225) He clearly felt that treating children like slaves would make them grow up acting like a slave. Instead, Locke encouraged parents to keep a “steady hand” over their children. Locke summarized his beliefs on this in a quote on the same page as the previous, saying, “Beating then, and all other sorts of slavish and corporal punishments, are not the discipline fit to be used in the education of those who would have wise, good, and ingenuous men…”
Locke also encouraged parents to teach their kids useful, non-abstract, skills such as writing (pg 226) and speaking French (pg 227) before moving on to more complex things, such as learning Latin (pg 227). A central belief Locke had was that of “tabula rasa”, meaning that we are all born as clean, blank pieces of paper, and that through “sensation” and “reflection” experiences, we learn and develop as humans. In this development, he saw the need for teaching basic, practical skills to children to help them become efficient leaders in the future.
These beliefs laid the foundation for Locke’s view of government that he wrote about in The Second Treatise of Civil Government. In Chapter 2 (pg 395 of the Kramnick book), Locke writes, “To understand political power aright, and derive it from its original, we must consider what state all men are naturally in…a state of perfect freedom to order their actions…” Clearly, Locke wanted men to be educated well enough that when they become adults they could handle their affairs correctly, especially those concerning property, for which Locke wrote an entire chapter on. After realizing you are free, you had to handle that freedom intelligently. Also, in relation to corporal punishment, Locke also wanted government to have a “steady hand” over the affairs of the governed. He felt that teaching children that authority is not a bad thing when they are young, with a proper government system (not breaking the “social contract”) they will be able to act responsibly.
First to outline how Locke saw and understood humans. In his own words he said that people were born with "a blank slate on which the sensations provided by sensory experience produce ideas" (185, Kramnick). He did not think anyone was born with any knowledge or innate wisdom. He believed that they got it all from experience, primarily from external and internal observations. The external he called sensation. These were things that depended on the outside senses, such as heat, cold, bitter, sweet. The ONLY other way people could gain knowledge was through internal observations that he called Reflection. This consisted of things such as thinking, doubting, believing, willing, or knowing. He said that no one could get any ideas except from these two ways.
Rousseau talked about how teachers taught their students. He said that children tended to learn through intimidation instead of the will to learn and this was bad because it taught children to conceal their true character, to be decietful, and to mislead people. He said that from birth to the age of 12 was the most dangerous time so therefore people had to make sure that they didn't try to make 'learned men' out of children and that they must bring them up slow, because if they try to teach them reason right away then they will begin to dislike reason and now have it when they grow up.
Priestly talked a lot about the subjects that they taught in school much like what Locke believed. He said that many of the subjects such as Latin did not serve a great purpose becuase many of the students would seldomly speak it. He introduced the subjects of science, math, and commerce which he felt were much more useful to the kids and to society. He also believed that students should be able to speak up in class and not just have to sit their and listen and never be able to participate.
These views of Priestly and Locky most helped Locke frame the government beliefs that he had. He said that children needed to be taught and brought up correctly or else they would not know what to do with their freedom. He said they must know that it is not to do whatever you please, but to do whatever you please under a certain common law that everyone had to abide by. He also said that children must know that although complete freedom is nice, they must realize that to give some control over to an other power, this will provide much more peace and safety for everyone.
Locke and the others beliefs were much different than the puritans and quakers beliefs. Puritans especially had the theory of breaking the will in which they were very harsh on their children. Locke obviously did not agree with this, especially the possibility of corporal punishment. He though the children should be brought up with care and compassion. But the Quaker beliefs were also different in that they believed in 'intense, emotional, conversion' and Locke obviously would think that this would be to much for a young child and this would be something for them to do once they pass the age of 12. He would feel that this is much to early for a child to be going through such emotional strain.
The Enlightenment brought about many new thoughts about childhood and education. Its ideas were especially different to that of the Puritans. The Puritan’s main form of child rearing was breaking the will in which corporal punishment was most commonly used. In contrast to Puritanism, Quakers raised children in a more nurturing environment, however still focusing on a strict moral code. When the Enlightenment came about, new thoughts of childhood and education developed. Instead of breaking the will, Enlightenment encouraged less harsh forms of education and punishment. One new idea was Locke’s main teaching that people’s minds are blank slates in which ideas are produced by experiences of the sense and reflection upon those experiences. In “Some thoughts concerning education” Locke taught that being too strict would cause children to lose all spirit and vigor and put the children in a worse state than when they started. He also said that harsh punishment in childhood caused children to have a much harsher temper later in life. Concerning Education, Locke encouraged schools to teach things that children can actually use alter in life such as French for when they travel rather than learning Latin which was hardly used. In “Children and civic education” Rousseau, another Enlightenment thinker, taught that “nature insists that children be children before they are men” (229). Rousseau later explains to mean that children have their own way of feeling, seeing, and thinking. Adults need to let children do these things in their own way rather than impressing the adults’ way of doing it onto the children. As for education, the enlightenment encouraged new subjects to be taught. As I previously mentioned, Locke encouraged schools to teach more useful subjects. However, in “Education for civil and active life” Priestly also taught such things. In this document, Priestly stated that science, math, and commerce would better prepare children for a more active life in society and politics.
In “The second treatise of civil government”, Locke furthers his thoughts to include his ideas on government. Many of Locke’s ideas would be incorporated into our own constitution and used a basis for our government today. The basis of his ideas was that everyone was born in a state of natural liberty and equality. This lead to the idea that we all have the right to life, liberty, and estate, a major idea that was incorporated into our constitution with one small change. Another idea that we now use today is that of popular sovereignty. Locke taught that no man can be subject to political power without his own consent. This also tied into the idea that we must give up a few of our liberties to a government in order to have order. We also have the right to get rid of that government if it is abusing its power and ignoring our rights. With all these ideas, Locke came to have a huge impact on how america’s government is shaped today.
The Enlightenment era, Locke’s perspective to be exact, is very different than that off the Puritan and Quaker beliefs. The Puritans and Quakers both believed that when a child is born they are born with a natural sin, originating from the fall of Adam. Due to this fall, the Puritan and Quaker families “break the will” of their children in order to rid them of their sinful nature. This process is believed to be necessary for their children to live natural, normal lives. In regards to education, these families also insisted upon strict upbringing and teaching.
However, Locke’s ideas and beliefs are very different from the Puritan and Quaker beliefs. Locke states, “…Mind to be, as we say, white paper, void of all characters, without any ideas” (Kramnick, 186). He felt that children are not born consumed in sin, only purely blank slates to written on by personal “Sensations and reflections” (186). He also states that there should be a natural balance between the strictness and rewarding of teachers towards their students. He shows this when he says, “He that has found a way how to keep up a child’s spirit, easy, active, free; and yet, at the same time, to restrain him from many things he has a mind to do” (224). He believes that it is extremely important to maintain this balance in order for the children to become well developed and adaptable men into society.
In today's society, I feel that we are more closely resembled to Locke’s ideas. The balance of punishment and reward compared to the strict slave like environment of the Puritan and Quaker societies. Also, Locke’s ideas of government seem to prevail as important ideas that we recognize today. For instance, when Locke states, “Absolute monarchy, which by some men is counted the only government in the world, is indeed inconsistent with civil society, and so can be no form of civil government at all” (401). This shows the same point of view that the United States of America expresses today about absolute monarchies. We feel that there is no way an absolute monarchy can be in working order, while the people are still constituting a civil government. All and all, Locke’s ideas are harsh, but do have similarities with societies view of education and government today.
Enlightenment was a dominant intellectual movement. The enlightenment stressed educating children on ideas they could actually use productively when they became adults. The enlightenment did not see why children were forced to learn to speak French when they would not have any use for it years after schooling. The enlightenment also did not believe in using coercive force. Breaking the child’s will did not serve a purpose for the child. The child would not learn any quicker. It broke the child down and that was not the Enlightenment’s goal. The Enlightenment’s goal was to produce rational productive adults. This differed from the Puritans and the Quakers because both of these groups did not stress education of skills, but education of religion and foreign languages. Both groups also advocated coercive force on their children in discipline and education. They also used “breaking of the will” to cause the child to mind them. Our modern understandings are much more like the Enlightenment. Today there is no use of corporal punishment in schools and if a child is abused at home government services intervene and may remove the child from the household. We, today, do not advocate “breaking of the will” or coercive force on children at home or in school. Also, in education today students are taught a variety of subjects that are beneficial for the future. Students are allowed to choose if they wish to learn about religion or foreign language etc. Also, as students progress in the education system they get to be more selective on what they are being taught and eventually focus on the subject they plan to enter a career in. Thus, focusing on a particular productive skill they can use later in life. Locke’s “Second Treatise” relates to the change in education because he believes that all men are naturally free to order actions. In which case humans naturally have the ability make decisions and decide for themselves. Thus, in today’s time students are given more control in choosing their courses and career paths. Also, Locke believes in equality, no one is more powerful than another. This is demonstrated by equal opportunity. There are many ways for everyone to receive educations. Many government programs are provided for lower class families to have the same educational opportunities as upper class families. However, in education there are people who are more powerful and in charge. The teachers and principal are in control of the school within reason. Again, there is no form of corporal punishment or degradation.
The ideas of education and child raising of the Enlightenment are polar opposite to those of the Quakers. During Enlightenment child rearing and corpal punishment were stressed. Child rearing is also known as "breaking the will" which has empasis on immobilization and is usually done by force. Corpal punishment is punishing someone when they have done something wrong. The Quakers, on the other hand, stress more of a developmental environment while still focusing on a strict moral code. Discipline is firm, but not based on regimentation or the fear of punishment. It comes rather from trust and the expectation of hard work and sebsible behavior that leads to self discipline. Although the Enlightenment stressed more harmful ways, as time went on it brought about new forms of education. It soon sided with the Quaker way of life and supported less harsh forms of education and punishment. John Locke believed the goal of education is the welfare and prosperity of the nation. Locke conceived the nation's welfare and prosperity in terms of the personal happiness and social usefulness of its citizens. He promoted schools to teach only things that children would find helful later in life. He found education to provide the character necessary for becoming a person and a responsible citizen. Because of this the Enlightenment encouraged new subjects to be taught such as foreign language.
Our school life today relates very much to that of the Enlightenment. We are not corpally punished and we are taught subjects that will benefit us for our future. For example, once we get into higher level classes, the classes focus more on our major, what we will need for our future career.
In Locke's "Second Treatise" he taught that no man can have political power without his consent. He states "the natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth, and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man, but to have onl the law of nature for his rule." (Locke 396) In summary, John Locke stressed individual power but at the same time let people know there was still authorative power over them.
Enlightenment thoughts on childhood and education were similar to the Quakers in several ways. However, the Enlightenment added in some extra thoughts. Both the Quakers and Enlightenment thinkers practiced the belief that children should not be treated too harshly as pointed out by Locke in “Some Thoughts Concerning Education”. On one hand the Quakers did not bow down to their parents and had a looser sense of obedience. However, the Enlightenment thinkers such as Locke and Rousseau added in that children should not be reprimanded for being wrong or from playing games at a young age.
The Enlightenment was just a more relaxed though process on how children should be treated inside and outside of school. This transition began with the Puritans who were still pretty rigid yet began to loosen up slightly. With the Quakers taking it a set further towards no corporal punishment and such similar laws. To the Enlightenment which became very similar to the way things are practiced today.
The modern understandings of the role of childhood and education is that children should be left to develop on their own with guidance as to what is right and wrong / true and false. As for the education corporal punishment has been abolished and studies in school have become much more career oriented than what they use to be. These Enlightenment thinkers helped to bring about a change that resulted in the development of the modern understandings of childhood and education.
The change in education is particularly due to Locke’s ideas of government in his “Second Treatise”. In his “Second Treatise” Locke suggest that the government should be run by and subject to the citizens or public. In which laws could only be passed with the consent of the public. This new form of government in turn led to an educational environment that was influenced by the people and represented what the public wanted it to. These thoughts on government helped relax the education setting and helped turn it in the direction of career oriented schools. We should all be thankful that Locke, Rousseau, and Priestley among others suggested such ideas or we would still be ruled by a king and be subject to rules and an educational process that we would not agree with.
The Enlightenment compared to the Puritans and the Quakers were as similar as night and day. As the Puritans especially had a much more drastic approach to the development about childhood and education. The Puritans were all for the breaking the “children’s will” and for any reason they are able to use corporal punishment to those who do not abide by their rules. For the Enlightenment however it was a completely different story; the Enlightenments such as Locke, saw childhood education should be a very less coercive state of being. Children should be watched under the “steady hand” of the parents as opposed to beating them when they have disobeyed; beating may be in option but, only in the most extreme of situations. The Enlightenment also suggested that children were not to be looked at as people who were already made to be like their parents just because they are their children, children were like “white paper, void of all characters…” and the tools in which would cover that piece of paper were to be “sensations and reflection experiences.” (Kramnick pg.186) The beliefs of the Enlightenments set forth the start of Locke’s views of government in the section titled The Second Treatise of Civil Government. Basically, Locke wanted people to become well educated at least enough so that they would be able to handle their own affairs correctly, such as knowing how to deal and manage your own land. He wanted people to understand that they were free and that to appreciate their freedom and handle the freedom intellectually. Locke wanted people to understand that freedom is a gift and you have to have to be able to give some control over to the other powers just so that everyone could much more safer and live in peace.
In “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding,” John Locke refers to Experience as having all the materials of reason and knowledge. This ideal of experience and learning deeply reflects the thoughts of many Enlightenment thinkers. These viewpoints also carry over into issues such as education for children and how children were to be raised in general. Locke goes further in his “Some Thoughts Concerning Education” discussing that “if their spirits be abased and broken much, by too strict a hand over them; they lose all their vigor and industry” (224). Here Locke is showing how corporal punishment and force can have a negative effect on learning rather than positive. This insight of the Enlightenment was very different from the ideals of European settlers, namely the Puritans and the Quakers. They were often found using force and going against and breaking the will of their children. While the common belief of these colonists was to show a man’s power and control over the rest of the family, including women and children, the newer ideals of the Enlightenment were very contradicting. Locke is quoted saying, “For I advise their parents and governors always to carry this in their minds, that children are to be treated as rational creatures” (226). This overall thinking led to even more ideals about how children could be taught, and have a thirst for knowledge rather than be forced into learning, which can have negative effects. Rousseau to looked against customary practice of the Quakers and Puritans stating, “ By trying to make a learned man out of a child, fathers and tutors begin all too soon tormenting, correcting, reprimanding, flattering, threatening, bribing, instructing, and reasoning” (232). He instead offers the advice that “early educations should therefore be purely negative” (232). Rousseau’s solution lies within not teaching children to early things that they are not ready to learn, instead of burning them out and turning them off to knowledge, parents must wait until the time is right to teach their children, and do so in the proper manner. Locke felt it necessary to teach gradually and that children learn easier concepts at their own pace before they move on to more complex languages and subjects. As seen today centuries later, I feel as though we more so reflect the ideas of the Enlightenment thinkers. There is a certain balance of learning and reward which is given to young learners, and as they get older the complexities of the work they do increases. While schooling is still forced and a necessity, it is nowhere near the degree of force which was put on children of the newly settled Puritan and Quaker colonies. In addition, these new ideas and change in education can be directly related to Locke’s ideas of government. He preaches of “as state also of equality, wherein all the power and jurisdiction is reciprocal, no one having more than another” (395). He also stresses how important it is that society is knowledgeable and educated so that government and the state can move in a positive direction, and so order is maintained.
Enlightenment thoughts concerning childhood and education differ greatly from Puritans and certain modern people.As we learned earlier on in the class, in early modern Europe,Puritans embraced the idea that women and children were born inherently evil and needed to be controlled.They handled this by taking the "breaking the will" approach.This method of dealing with children was totally different from Quaker norms.
The Quakers were peaceful and preferred the therapeutic,loving, and patient way of handling deviance.On the education front, much of the same morals were applied to teaching.John Locke's popular essay, published in 1693, was a major influence on how people chose to raise their children.Some of the ideas that Locke outlined in regards to educating children were: no use of corporal punishment(i.e-a rod),importance of rewards, and building on useful,acquired skills such as languages they will use(Kramnick 226).He believed that "great severity of punishment does but very little good;nay, great harm in education(Kramnick 223)."Also, that"it be begun early(Kramnick 223)." Parent were viewed as a guide rather than a dictator who controls people.Locke elaborated on this later in his second treatise saying, " but though this be a state of liberty, yet it is not a state of license..."
Rousseau was also an advocate for "the humane treatment of children". He felt that reasoning should begin at an early age(Kramnick 229), one should be patient with the child, and also humane(Kramnick 231).The Quakers shared many of the same, less coercive methods and views as to the role of childhood. They felt that the most effective way of educating a child was without force.Unlike this peaceful group,the Puritans and the enlightenment thinkers believed in the opposite.They felt it was necessary, as I outlined previously, to teach a child with coercion and punishment.Since they were naturally born evil, that needed to be broken.Puritans didn't view them as the fragile beings that should be treated with tender love and patience.
Today's society tends to be mixed between both views.Generally, more liberal individuals take the enlightenment approach of therapeutic handling of deviance, while conservatives tend to see force as the best way to handle it.Also, in today's society we obviously don't have an absolute monarcy.Locke says in his second treatise(Kramnick 401) that " absolute monarchy...is indeed inconsistent with civil society...."This change of America as a democracy illustrates what Locke was saying didn't work in education.You can't be in absolute power over the child.There has to be some justice present.Just because one had the power doesn't mean they had to abuse it beyond what was necessary.
Overall, it can be concluded that among the Quakers and the englightment thinkers, Locke and Rousseau, there was common ground of peace and patience toward raising children, however, the Puritan's had a more forceful and punishable outlook that seemed not to work for society according to Locke.Even though our society has grown in what we percieve as the "right" way of educating and raising children, modern day society still contains both views.
The Enlightenment's thought on children and education is alot different than Puritan and Quaker's views. The Enlightenment believes in caring and nurturing their young, but yet still being strict. On the other hand Puritans and Quakers believed in breaking the will or punishing their children harshly. The puritans and quakers believed that children were born bad and they had to shape them into good people. However, Locke thought that everyone was born with a clean slate and their personality was formed through experience.
I think the Enlightenment's beliefs on education and child rearing are similar to that of today's styles. Locke had the idea of being strict when the children were young and giving them more freedom as they grew older. Also they had the idea that instead of being a scholar, children should be taught moral values. I agree with this because being taught morals will take you further in life than smarts. The enlightenment also had a good way of learning strategies. The kids weren't going to learn Latin and other languages they didn't need. They suggested kids learn geography first and then mathematics once their minds were ready to think abstractly.
This change in education is revolutionary just like Locke's ideas on government. Locke believed in power to the people. He beilieved in a government that is for the benefit of the people. The government was to protect people's liberty, property, and secure the justice of the people. Locke's ideas were similar to that of education in that he wanted to protect the people and have high moral standards. Locke's ideas helped revolutionize America into what it is today and played a big part in the Enlightenment period.
The Enlightenment view of child rearing was quite different than child rearing in Puritan and Quaker society as it was clearly explained in Locke‘s, “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding.” Both Puritans and Quakers supported the belief of “breaking the will”, as was popular among many other Europeans at the time. They also believed in patriarchy, meaning that the father was the head of the household and the children were to respect him as townspeople are to respect a king. Instead, the enlightened thinker believes that it is best to let children be carefree and have fun while they are young. They also believe that there should be a loving and open relationship between parents and their children, and not all decisions should be made by the parents. Enlightened thinkers emphasized the importance of education like Puritans did. However, the education they valued was not memorized Latin language, but skills that average people could use on a regular basis. Locke’s goal of education was to “create rational, self-controlled, productive persons.” This idea relates to current thoughts on child education because now more than ever it is a hands off. Children are learning to think for themselves and make decisions at a younger age then ever before. Locke stressed the importance of education in society and came up with his idea of civil government. He believed that in order to have a sensible, intellectual, and working society, people needed to be educated. The knowledge did not only affect their careers, but also enabled them to have logical conversations about disputes and eventually come to a reasonable conclusion. He made a point to let the people know that they were in fact free, and they should take advantage of their rights. He encouraged the people to stand up for what was rightfully theirs and raised the standard for the average person in society.
The Enlightenment view on childrearing was very different from the Puritan’s and Quaker’s view. Puritans and Quakers focused on strict discipline and a strong leading father. They felt that children became respectable members of society if they were given very little love and attention. They made their children study subjects like Latin and other classic courses. Strict rules were enforced in all aspects of a child’s life, and the best way to learn something was to memorize and recite it over and over. Enlightenment thinkers had completely opposite views on raising a child. They felt that the best way to teach a child was to teach them skills that would be useful in their life. They taught subjects like French, Accounting and writing. They focused on creating a self-controlled, productive citizen instead of making an emotionless citizen that behaved like a robot. They did not agree with beating a student to learn things, and criticized punishment completely in the education system. I feel that Enlightenment thinkers were very advanced in their ideas, because our childrearing system of today is very similar to theirs. In The Second Treatise of Civil Government, John Locke talks about his view of humans in society. He says that all men are created equal, and because of this they should all be given the same opportunity to be educated and become equals all throughout life. His feelings towards equality and education, restate the enlightenment view that education should create self-sufficient, controlled members of society, and this idea is futuristic idea is still see in our society today.
The Enlightenment thought about childhood and education differs greatly with that of previously believed forms. The Enlightenment’s teaching on how to raise a child was very different from that of the Puritans and the Quakers. The Puritans way of raising a child was by breaking their will. The Enlightenment taught that breaking a child’s will would make them have a slavish attitude, (always doing what others tell them, instead of producing their own thoughts) not producing the outcome that was wanted. Instead the enlightenment believed that it was better to build a child’s self esteem. Although the Quakers also believed in a more nurturing environment for children, they still differed in that they used a strict moral code in teaching. The Enlightenment attacked the strict moral code for education. It taught that the purpose of education was to create a rational, self controlled, productive adult. The enlightenment taught that the best way of producing a productive adult was to teach subjects in school that could be used in the future. Locke also taught that children were not born with knowledge, but were “blank slates on which the sensations provided by sensory experience produce ideas” (Kramnick, 185). This meant that experiences throughout their childhood would affect their future attitude later in life, and that raising a child by breaking their will would not produce the wanted outcome.
Our society today is very closely related with Locke’s ideas about raising children and education. His idea of raising a child with rewards but also with a “firm hand” more closely resembles our society rather than the Puritans way of breaking the child’s will. His idea about teaching things that can be useful in the future is also closely followed in today’s society. Locke’s idea of government in his “Second Treatise” was based on a good education. Locke believed that to be able to handle the pressures of being an adult you needed to learn how to be a rational, self controlled, productive adult, in previous education. Locke also believed that all men were in a state of freedom and to be able to handle the freedom you needed to be responsible. Locke believed that education was the key to government.
The age of Enlightenment featured some extreme changes to the way that children were educated and raised. John Locke was one of the most prominent philosophers of the time, and he challenged the idea that children had to learn such pointless and aristocratic topics like French, accounting and others. The Puritans and Quakers emphasized education in the same manner that Locke does in the Enlightenment, but they are in different areas of emphasis. The Puritans and Quakers had structured education curriculums, and the children learned things that their parents did, which were Latin and heavy memorization tactics among other things. Locke’s ideas emphasized that children learn things that they would use for sure in their lives and not waste their times with things they wouldn’t. This made the children more likely to think for themselves and solve problems on their own, which they would definitely have to do as adults. This is a reflection of today because as we are all in college now, we run our own lives and think independently, not relying on structure to run our lives. Kids now are more independent than they were decades ago, and they will continue to grow in their maturity. This is thanks to Locke and his Some Thoughts Concerning Education, the document in which all the ideas were expressed.
The way children were to be raised in Locke’s eyes was very similar to the ways they were to be educated. He saw people as blank slates with experience waiting to be written all over them. Children needed to learn for themselves and not be broken down like the Puritans and Quakers did. Breaking them down would do them no good in the future, so they needed to learn what life was all about for themselves. That is evident today, as corporal punishment is a virtually extinct practice and children are encouraged to do things for themselves and by themselves. Kids today are stronger than ever and they have more independence than the generations before them, and this is due to Locke’s practices that were enacted during the Enlightenment period.
The enlightenment brought many Europeans a new style of child-rearing rather than the typical Puritan and Quaker beliefs of submission and punishment. Quakers and Puritan styles of educating involved “Breaking of the will” which created slave like children. Intimidation was also a key method of raising children. The adults would you use these methods to purify there children from the original sin they have. Education was also based more on religion and Latin instead of useful subjects. The enlightenment brought revolutionary ideas on raising children to be individuals instead of slaves to society. The main theme was to not scare the child into learning, but encourage the child when doing good, and disciplining them, in moderation, when they are doing wrong.. They also placed a huge emphasis on letting the child live out there childhood instead of having the adults steal it from them. Education was more based on subjects that will be used in life, instead of the subjects that are old fashioned. The ultimate goal of the enlightenment on child rearing was to create productive children in society who used reason.
America was highly influenced by the enlightenment when it first became popular and took these childrearing ideas to heart. Now ‘a’ days you find that more kids are given the choice to live freely and without abuse in America more than you find in other countries. In Europe and Asia, parents stress schooling and education on their children intensely. Schools are much more difficult forcing the child to be studious instead of having fun. Many kids in America are allowed to do whatever they want until they reach an accountable age, which is about twelve or thirteen. When I kid misbehaves in America, they are disciplined to a certain point and child abuse is illegal, while in other countries, corporal punishment and intimidation is all the parents know how to do. Education is more based on career choice here too, instead of everyone learning all the information. Automotive careers go to teach school, math majors take more challenging math classes, etc.
Locke also had an influential say on the constitution we ratified. He stated that all men were born free and equal with each other and everyone had a right to own property, just like our constitution states. Locke also wrote that men had to accept some limitations on their freedom in order to sustain a working government because if every man did what they wanted all the time, it would impede on another man’s freedom. But the free people had the right to rid themselves of a corrupt government, if necessary.
� Nature intends that children shall be children before they are men. If we insist on reversing this order we shall have fruit early indeed, but unripe and tasteless, and liable to early decay; we shall have young savants and old children� ( 229). Jean-Jacques Rousseau believed this ideal to be true. Children needed to be children and act their age. Their childhood was a time for thinking, seeing , and understanding things. Education held a different role than of the Puritans and the Quakers. The major ideal that the Quakers and Puritans believed was the ideal of �breaking the will�. Children however in John Locke�s view did not need to be treated this way. Parents need to be more involved in the child�s life and their ideal of how to breed their children needs to change. Locke stated, � For I am very apt to think, that great severity of punishment does but very little good; nay, great harm in education......those children who have been most chastised, seldom make the best men� (223). �Breaking the will� does nothing to children, it only makes them more unhappy and less spirited. Beating and other forms of punishments are not necessary in education. Children are young and should be able to act their age. Also the ideal of a patriarchy should not exist because children need to be able to get along with the family. The man is not just the head of the house, he should be a role model and teach his son/daughter. This relates to the modern ideal of education because, children today are soaking up everything that they here or watching every move someone makes. Parents play a key role in this learning. Their minds are like sponges so soak up everything. They are learning at younger and younger ages these days and they should be able to learn, but not be forced to grow up so fast. If you did that, they would be as Rousseau stated � unripe and tasteless.� This change in education can relate to Locke�s ideals of government in many ways. One major way is, without an educated society we would have an absolute mess. No form of government would be present and there for, there would be no protection. Uneducated men, would have no ideals and no well put together societies. Locke�s ideal that everyone is created equal, gives everyone the opportunity to attribute the society. That way you could have good formed societies and a government that gave you protection. Just like Locke�s ideals during his time, everyone has natural rights today. Education is very important and everyone is allowed to an education. Without education there would be no government and well formed societies. We would all be tasteless fruit if not for education.
During the enlightenment, children are treated differently than during Puritan times. Children are not yelled at, spoken to negatively, treated with force, or beaten during the enlightenment, much unlike Puritan times. The treatment of children during the enilightenment compares more to the treatment of children in modern times. Children are treated positively and in a way they can grow with a positive mind. Children are also not bribed or flattered which can be found in all three societies. This relates to Locke's idea of government because he believes everyman has rights to freedom and property, and every man should be treated equally. By treating children positively and not making them fear things, they are more likely to treat others with respect and equality. The change in education relates directly to the change in government of the Puritan society and the society during the enlightenment.
Enlightenment thought about childhood and education was much different from the Quakers and the Puritans although they had few similarities with the Quakers. The Puritans and Quakers had some what of a hold on their children. Unlike the Enlightenment, they did not stress upon education of skills, but education of religion and foreign language. The Puritans in sense were the opposite of the Enlightenment. They had corporal punishment, and child rearing also known as breaking the will. They wanted their children to know who the head of the house was. The Quakers similar to the Enlightenment did not believe in corporal punishment, and they treated their children like individuals, but there was some obedience. In the Enlightenment, the parents watched the children with a steady hand as opposed to beating them. The only way they would resort to beating is if their children went to extremes.
In the Enlightenment strongly encourage their children to be educated. They wanted their children to be livelily and have high spirits set so that they could become great men. They frown upon children with low self esteem and dejected minds; they felt that this would make them less of a man. Education was a key factor to have as a child; it was preparing them for the world ahead. Parents wanted their children to have careers and make sometime of their lives. This way of thinking relates with modern understands of education. Today a degree is really important to be able to make something of your life. People who have little or no education rarely go far in life.
The beliefs of the Enlightenments set forth the start of Locke’s views of government in the section titled The Second Treatise of Civil Government. Locke wanted people to be well educated, a least enough to know how to farm their own land. Education is a very important factor that all of us must have. Not only did he want people to have education but also know and believe that they are free to do as they please to a certain degree. Locke states “the natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth, and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man, but to have only the law of nature for his rule ( Kramnick, 396).”
The ideas that were prominent during The Enlightenment differ very greatly from the ideas of the Puritans and the Quakers. These people believed that they needed to break the will of their children, and that they needed to discipline them in whatever way they could. Due to this belief, they were very strict and harsh when it came to punishment. Physically disciplining the children was not out of the question by any means. On the other side of things, John Locke took the stance that “beating…and all other sorts of slavish and corporal punishments, are not the discipline fit to be used” (Kramnick 225). Ideas similar to these are more like today’s roles of childhood and education than the methods of abuse and beatings. The enlightenment focused more on education, as we would think of it today, rather than the religious, slave-like education. The Enlightenment promoted the idea that children can think for themselves, and can be self-driven to make their own decisions. Locke also spoke of particular equalities and liberties that all men have. He believed that “the natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth” (Kramnick 396). This reflects his ideas on education in the sense that the Puritan system of education was a slave-like state. He wants these people to be free from the harsh punishment and ridicule that the children would receive, had they been a part of the Puritan or Quaker societies. This aspect of the enlightenment and John Locke’s work reflects the change in education from the Puritans and Quakers to the enlightenment.
The ideas in The Enlightenment differ is many ways from the Puritan and Quaker beliefs. Puritans beleived in the "breaking of the will" and Quakers believed in educating and encouraging the children. If you had to pick which was on the closest to being like in The Enlightenment it would have to be the Quakers. In The Enlightenment, they talked about how they focused a lot of education for their children. They believed that it was very important for their future. Locke explains the importance of education when he says "He that has not a mastery over his inclinations, he that knows not how to resist the importunity of present pleasure or pain, for the sake of what reason tells him is fit to be done, wants the true principle of virtue and industry; and is in danger of never being good for any thing."
Locke basically states that he believes that it is very important for our children to be educated otherwise they will be no use in society. Quakers thought it was important to educate children, but in the same ways as Locke talks about.
They also differed from the Quakers and Puritans because they didn't believe in their way of punishing children. Enlightenment talks more about how they wanted to guide their children through life and not punish them unless they absolutely needed to be punished.
The enlightenment distinctly revolutionized many of society’s norms. It definitely changed the status quo, especially in the field of child rearing, or “breeding.” Both Quakers and Puritans focused on religion for education, and taught what they wanted by any means possible. This included beating and treating their children as “slaves,” while raising them. The common phrase was the breaking of the will. John Locke’s, as well as the enlightenment’s view, was that beating children was not an effective way of raising and teaching them the parents’ preferred morals, knowledge, and attitude. Instead using physical punishment should be kept to a minimum. Locke said that using the perfect amount of force and praise was an art to be learned by the parents and applied to their children. This means that praise should also not be used in excess. He went on to state that using praise to promote good behavior would only create the same behavior that a parent is trying to stop.
These new techniques of teaching children that arose during the enlightenment affected the way children are taught now, although they have evolved quite a bit. Currently, physical punishment is strongly prohibited as well as looked down upon. Using rewards as a form of teaching children that they are doing something favorable is also a technique commonly used. Although these examples differ from the enlightenment’s views, they greatly differ from the views of child rearing before the enlightenment. It is possible to see the evolution of the techniques used to raise children.
Locke's ideas on child rearing and education relate to the Puritan and Quakers view in one sense. All three groups saw the importance of a dedicated upbringing by the parents, though their methods were fairly different. Puritans believed that children must be punished harshly and rigorously educated in classic subjects such as latin. The Quakers believed in a much more nurturing and gentle upbringing, teaching virtue through dialogue rather than punishment. They also did not emphasize classic studies, rather they did not emphasize education at all. Locke differed from both these in two seperate ways. Locke contrasts with the Puritans in that he was against violence as a method of teaching, "those children who have been most chastised, seldom make the best men". Locker further differed from the Quakers in that he did emphasize a good education, but his studies were more practical that Quaker or Puritan educations. He wanted subjects taught that were more practical, such as French as opposed to the dead language of Latin. Locke's view of a more gentle upbringing and practical education correlate well with modern society. Most modern Americans would see his beliefs as relating well to their own. For instance,"Corporeal punishments are not the discipline fit to be used in the education of those who would have wise, good...men; and is therefore very rarely to be applied." This change in child-rearing probably derives from Locke's political beliefs that no man is to be subject to the authority of another against his will. So just as citizens are not to be forced into submission by an inadequate ruler, so should children not necessarily be subject to harsh rule of their parents and other adults.
Seth Maberry-
The views of child rearing and education during the enlightenment could not have been more different to those of the Quakers and Puritans. The Quakers and Puritans had the idea, that basically, the more you could hit a child, the better it was for them. At that time, the father was the head of the household, and basically the childeren were to submit to whatever his wishes were. By the enlightenment, there was more of an exploratory view on rasing a child, much like there is today. Lock and Rousseau put heavy emphasis on reasoning with a child and starting that reasoning very early. So, basically not as much of a strict, forceful upbrining but more of a "heres why you shouldn't do what you just did" type of thing. They thought that you should start teaching childeren basic things like right from wrong at a very early age. Locke even says that the more strict and forceful you are with a child, the worse he or she will do in school. "For I am very apt to think, that great severity of punishment does but very little good; nay, great harm in education: and I believe it will be found that, caeteris paribus, those childeren who have been most chastised, seldom make the best men" (Locke "Some Thoughts concerning Education p223). As one could tell, this differs greatly from the early settlers views on child rearing in a much more patriarchal society. It parallels todays child rearing and education system in ways as well. If somone in todays society were to severley punish their childeren the way the Quakers and Puritans might, they would probably be turned in for child abuse. Instead, physical discipline is becoming more and more a thing of the past. Insead childeren are taught at home basic right and wrongs, but are at time free to explore those things on their own. Once they get into early education, they are punished less, and taught less of the three "r's" and more of how to interact and get along with others. This then goes hand in hand with Locke's views on government. The same way that his child upbrining and education differ from the Puritans, so does his governmental ideas. The big one is the fact that not one single man has a divine right to rule. This had to be just an astonishing idea to people just coming out of this highly patriarchal society that they were living in. Locke also talks about any man that is born has "a title to perfect freedom." Any man is equal to any other man. This was a completely different outlook to early modern europe and the Puritans and Quakers.
Locke had his own opinion on how one should go about educating their children. He thought that if punished the kids too harshly for incorrect answers or not grasping concepts as quickly as they were supposed to, then it would turn them off from the learning process as a whole. Rather than implementing a harsh consequence for everything, he believed that they would be more responsive to a more laid back and relaxed atmostphere. One of his beliefs was that you inhabit all of your ideas from experience. So if you had a bad experience with something, i.e. schooling, then you would no longer enjoy it. Whereas the positive experiment would bolster one's attention. The Puritans didn't quite see eye to eye with this method, they believed in a more rugged and stiff cirriculum that had everything from Latin to Mathematics. Locke thought that you should only study things that would benifit you in your actual day to day life. Current schooling cirriculum is sort of broad, making it more along the lines of the Puritan way. But not because we think that kids are going to need to know how to do linear equations, rather because it will allow their minds to continue to be open to new ideas and allow them to always continue learning.
In the Enlightenment it states that children should be children. The Puritans and the Quakers has a different way of handling them, they thought they needed strict discipline and rules to abide by. The education that they learned was Latin and when they needed to learn something they were to memorize it and recited things over and over. But, in the Enlightenment had a different way of raising there children. That thought at young ages children should act there age and be children. Some of the only things they taught there children were the things that were useful to there everyday life’s. They wanted their children to think on there own and be there own self. They wanted them to stand alone and not think like the rest of the town like the Puritans. The Enlightenment thinker had a very different way of raising their children, in my own opinion I would not want my child to be with the rest of the crowd I would want them to be there own self and think alone. The Puritans may have thought they were preparing their children for the future, but they were just making them think like emotionally and like every one else.
Enlightenment ideas about childhood and education came up with a quite different approach to child rearing than what had been in place before in early modern times. The most widely used child rearing practice was that of “breaking the will.” This was very prominent in Puritan society as a result of the idea of original sin which suggested that children were naturally evil and had to be broken of their evil propensities. Quakers on the other hand used a much more nurturing approach. They looked at children as “tender plants” and were trained through intense, emotional “holy conversation.” A lot of time, bribery was not out of the question in Quaker child rearing.
Enlightenment ideas would have disagreed with both methods, although I believe they would have disagreed with the Puritan approach more than the Quaker. They would have disagreed with the Puritans because they disagreed with the idea that they were born evil. They also disagreed that their wills had to be broken. Locke says, “…great severity of punishment does but very little good; …those children who have been most chastised, seldom make the best men….Such a sort of slavish discipline makes a slavish temper.” Breaking the will of children involved severe punishments including abuse.
Although the Enlightenment thinkers definitely disagreed with abuse and took more of a nurturing point of view, they definitely were not advocates of bribery which was sometimes used in the “training” of Quaker children. “…to flatter children by rewards of things that are pleasant to them, is as carefully to be avoided….[this] does but authorize his love of pleasure, and cocker up that dangerous propensity.”
Enlightenment thinkers thought that the approach to child rearing should lie somewhere in the middle of the two extremes by using reward and punishment equally, not too much of either, as “children are to be treated as rational creatures.”
Enlightenment ideas of education also differed with that of the standard of the time. Locke advocated studying more in depth those subjects which would be more useful in life, learning French rather than Latin for example. Rousseau advocated a similar curriculum which would be more widely used in life. He also suggested that education must be made a public entity for all to have a chance to learn. Priestley also suggested a more realistic curriculum especially history. Through these ideas, children would grow to love the public spirit rather than themselves and therefore would help society to grow.
In relating this change in education to Locke’s idea of government, one can see the suggested curriculum would help government to be more successful through learning of its history and what it is there for. Government to Locke was there only for preservation of human rights and was created by people. The government gets its authority from those which it regulates. Government was to promote the public welfare rather than the private. Since the suggested curriculum would help society to grow in a direction of public good, it would fit Locke’s idea perfectly.
One thing Enlightenment and Puritan thinkers disagreed on with respect to raising children was beliefs on punishment. Puritans believed the children should be punished harshly when they step out of line, in order to "break the will". Enlightenment thinkers, on the other hand, completely disagreed with this and believed that "slavish discipline makes a slavish temper." They believed that children should overall be kept free and active, so they could grow up and be more able to think for themselves. Also important in Enlightenment thought was the content of education. Puritans believed in the teaching of mostly useless skills, whereas the thinkers of the Enlightenment thought children should be taught things they would actually use in the future.
Obviously, the Enlightenment thought is a lot closer to present day beliefs on child-raising. Especially the idea of letting older children choose which classes to take, so that they are more free and active in their education, and also so that they can choose what they feel will be most useful to them in the future.
Just like earlier philosophers thought of government, Locke seemed to believe it was similar to a family. For earlier philosophers, this meant that the King should have complete control over the "children". But for Locke, this meant allowing freedom to the "children" in the family.
In the Patriarchal society in which the Puritans and the Quakers existed, the methods of child rearing and education were dramatically different to those ideas of the Enlightenment. While the emphasis of education put on rote learning certain high-class yet unnecessary subjects such as ancient romantic languages and slight misbehaviors resulting in severe disciplinary measures, children growing up as Puritans or Quakers were, in a sense, robbed of their childhood. John Locke, an Enlightenment thinker, believed that punishing children has far greater consequences than benefits. “And therefore I cannot think any correction useful to a child, where the shame of suffering for having done amiss does not work more upon him than the pain” (Some Thoughts Concerning Education, John Locke). Locke, unlike the Puritans and Quakers, believed that children should learn from their own experiences that they live through and use their senses to inspire ideas about objects and, life. “To this I answer, in one word, from EXPERIENCE; in that all our knowledge is founded, and from that ultimately derives itself (An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, John Locke). Locke firmly believed that the negative experiences children had from harsh discipline would ultimately result in their unwilling yet required participation in education; children, Locke theorized, had a great need to form their own ideas and views about life and the world they lived in.
Like any present people, about 350 years ago, John Locke said,” I have spoken so much of carrying a strict hand over children, that perhaps I shall be suspected of not considering enough what is due to their tender age and constitutions.”(223) The present time, we agree that words, but 350 years ago, that was really thinking of Enlightenment; that was new. Also Locke said “This kind of punishment contributes not at all to the mastery of our natural propensity to indulge corporal and present pleasure and to avoid pain at any rate; but rather encourages it.”(224) He thought more punishment makes their children go to not good way. Instead of punishment, he said we should encourage them. I totally agree with him, because I had both experiences. I’m Korean and I studied in South Korea. In Korea school, corporal punishment is not illegal, So most teachers do corporal punishment, and in that case, students loses self-confidence. That’s not real education. However, The Puritans and the Quakers has a different way of handling them. The Puritans way of raising a child was by breaking their will. Although, Quakers thought environment of nurture was really important, they still emphasized patriarchy and sovereignty. Base was totally different.
The differences between the enlightenment era and the Puritans is the Puritans believed in breaking the will of the child, that was suppose to create a good man, regardless of location harsh punishment was implemented, including a school setting or at home. The enlightenment was completely the opposite because in this era they believed in a steady hand which means bending the will without breaking it, Locke believed that using this concept before childern could retain the memory, it would grow familiar to them and it will word afterwards. Childern will grow up to be more understanding and become extravagant young fellows with liveliness and spirit. The Enlightenment reflects the modern understandings of the role of childhood because in today's society it's very uncommen to beat your child with all the law against child abuse, also the same goes for education. Childern today are ment to be free spirits and all the opportunities of anyone else. The change in education and Locke's ideas of government in his "Second Treastise" is related because of the idea of freedom in society. Locke wanted a free society for people to be able to have all the same opportunities and the governemtn was ment to be free, almost a democratic state.
Locke's thoughts about raising children can be summed up by his quote: "...I am very apt to think that great severity of punishment does very little good; nay, great harm in education" (Kramnick, 223) This new school of thought believed that raising children with force and violence hinders the growth and "breaks the mind," and if children are given the freedom of exploration and experience they may grow without as much opposition. This process of learning by interaction is the basis of the Englightment theories--"all ideas come from sensation or reflection" (Kramnick 186), where everything people learn is gained from physical sensations or experience.
The Englightment thoughts about childhood and education were vastly different to the traditional thoughts of the Puritans and the Quakers, however. The latter two believed in strict punishment to keep children in line from a young age. This process of "breaking the will" was imposed to keep children from questioning authority and becoming unruly, but the Enlightment thinkers believed that this education through experience was the only way to learn.
This "enlightened" thinking also applies to Locke's ideas of government in his Second Treatise. In it, he states the need of a government is strictly for the "preservation of their property" (403)--not for complete rule over its people. Locke believed man was equal to each other, and encouraged people to question the earlier beliefs of divine right and the patriarchal system.
The Enlightenment and the Puritans had two totally different ways of education and child rearing practices. The Puritans used corporal punishment with their children, which is harsh and sometimes physical. The Puritans are all about “breaking the will” and when rules were not followed they would be very coercive with the children, and apply strict disciplinary actions upon one. Unlike the Puritans the Enlightment used very calm methods of discipline and I think very successful. John Locke felt that corporal punishment was ridiculous and an absurd way of handling a child. His method was that you should punish a child by not giving him any luxuries and making him work for them. Just as if a kid wants a candy bar then the parent should make him clean his room first to receive it. This breeds the child to work hard for whatever he/she wants later in life rather than flooding them with luxuries and not teaching them the hard work it takes to get what they want. Also the Enlightment uses a similar technique with education. The Enlightment thought that instead of beating a child like the Puritans did when they were unsuccessful in education; that you should give he/she a “sugared plum” or “apples” so they will feel some sort of pleasure. Then they will be pleased to do any sort of learning because the child will be in a good mood. Also, once the child learns the English language then they should immediately learn French. This was applied because the child is still learning by what he hears so it would be easier, and also French is “living language” so that would be the best to learn. John Locke wanted people to be educated enough to make their own decisions and control their own life. Locke was a firm believer in self-reflective consciousness, and that people were not born with sin. People are their own leaders that make their own decisions.
The Enlightenment’s ideas about education and childrearing contrasted with ideas held during those times. Locke’s view of child rearing was different than the typical pre-modern rearing techniques. In that day and age, to raise a child was “to break his will”. Locke took a different view, “For I am very apt to think, that great severity of punishment does but very little good…. And I believe that it will be found, that, caeteris paribus, those children who have been most chastised, seldom make the best men.” Locke believed that when children were humbled or punished that they lost their vigor and ingenuity. He believed that free-willed children were lively and industrious whereas a child who had been raised under strict code was timid and incompetent to an extent. As far as disciplining with a rod, Locke strongly disagreed. Be believed that when a child was disciplined with a rod, the fear of it hung over him. When the child was removed from that form of discipline, Locke believed that the individual would become more aggressive and violent in manner.
Rousseau believed in some of the same concepts as Locke. Rousseau believed that you can use force with children but men you should use reason. He goes on later to say that “The wise man requires no laws…” Priestly believed that wisdom was the sole reason an individual could have impact on a political platform.
The Enlightenment view of child rearing and education obviously differed with the Quakers and Puritans. The Puritans believed in original sin and that man was inherently evil so the breakdown of a child’s will was the key to having a good individual whereas Enlightenment thinkers thought man was good, they believed that encouragement and nurturing was the best way for a child to mature and make an impact in society. The Quakers kind of stood in the middle in these two categories. They believed in nurturing of a child but also stood fairly true to the core values.
The Second Treatise of Civil Government by John Locke correlates directly with the change in mindset of childrearing and education. This treatise is a direct component of what Locke had written about in the previous passage. The treatise was about the free will of man and going against what monarchy was like in early modern times. He strongly disagrees with absolute monarchy. Locke basically goes through topics and describes his opinion which is one of free will and liberty from all.
The Enlightenment thought about children and education varied from those of the Puritans and Quakers. In John Locke’s, “Some Thoughts Concerning Education,” he expressed the Enlightenment belief that excessive punishment does children little good. Instead of the Puritan method of “breaking the will of the child,” he believed that compliance should be taught to children by steady handed parents because they would become less reluctant to obedience and submission over time. Locke said, “Beating then, and all other sorts of corporal punishments, are not the discipline fit to be used in the education of those who would have wise, good, and ingenuous men.” (225) He noticed that children that were in a situation of slavish obedience had humbled spirit, were inactive, and the discipline didn’t stick in the end because when these children were not watched they would break out more violently.
The Enlightenment theory is very close to the understandings of the roles of childhood and education today. Parents understand that they need to educate and discipline their children in appropriate ways so that their children become well developed, active individuals. I relate some of Locke’s views to children now days that grow up in families with a militaristic view on discipline. Those children either break out violently becoming their own individual, or they are submissive and inactive individuals. On the other hand, you cannot reward children with things that are pleasant to them to get them to do their work. Locke’s ideas of government from his “Second Treastise,” show his beliefs in people’s freedom in society. He believed in a free society so people could have equal opportunities and have a free government.
The Enlightenment era had a particular view on childhood and education. For once, children were given the freedom and respect they deserved in order to develop. Locke felt children should be free to play, in order to create a rational, self-controlled and productive person. Children were no longer to be treated like slaves or punished in a violent disciplinary manner. Puritans and Quakers viewed children as small adults; they were given chores and large responsibilities. When considering the controversy of nature versus nurture on the development of a child, Locke felt nature (in other words, a child ended up being the way they were due to the way nature developed them, not because of how their parents raised them) was the main course. Education during the Enlightenment was based off of the ideas of ration thinking: Science and mathematics. No longer was education strictly based upon memorization, but instead through advocated learning by developing skills. In today’s modern society, there is a much broader version of education for children. Including history, English and multiple other specified electives. Locke promoted literacy and ‘well-writing.’ But in similarities, the shape of education is still the same with focus on the classroom style of learning.
Locke felt government was developed by the people, not by God: that government was an artificial thing, and not natural. All together, Locke decided there should be as little of government as necessary. Locke also drops the idea of ‘original sin’ and develops the idea of preserving liberty in his “Second Treatise.”
During the Enlightenment era Locke’s view on child rearing showed that the constant abuse and beatings will break the child’s will and break him for being strong and active in the community. The child will learn to accept ever fate without questioning that. During our days now the teachers and parents use different type of reinforcement that will teach children to behave and do their work. There are times when children need to beat spanked in the present day to make sure that they stay focused. One should not always give candy to a child who does what is expected of him. The puritans had an extreme view of this as they brought up their children. They believed in “breaking the will”, they wanted their children to behave and act as if they were automatons and not individuals. Locke felt that this would limit society and one day we would disprove this theory of killing our children’s emotions at an early age. In the early years it was a requirement that students had to learn Latin; “[Latin] which he is never to use in the course of his life that he is designed to…” (pp. 228). Locke knew that Latin was a waste of time, and we should be teaching the youth about good hand writing and managing accounts, and not waste their time with a dead language. Locke also suggested that we wait for children to grow up so they will be more willing to accept the skills that they will build in school. In the present day Latin is only taught if the student would like to take it; the public schools do require a foreign language, however the students have their choice in that matter. We can start our children in school as early as the parents would like, and our system seems to work for many students. The present day take views from both the Quakers and the Puritans and takes the best from each view and opens the child up to what he would like to study, while keeping a certain curriculum. This keeps our students interested in school and hopefully gives them the skills that they will need in everyday life.
The Puritans and the Quakers were considered rebellious because they believed in freedom of religion. Enlightenment was the freedom of speech. Education was believed, by enlightenment thinkers, to be the main source of human well-being. Why shouldn't man have the right to think? After all, for these people having been so highly religious, it boggles my mind to think that free-will was the first thing God gave mankind, hence Adam and Eve and their betrayl with the fruit of knowledge, yet people would not except man having the right to think. It was seen as social deviance.
In the modern world, education is seen as the most important thing for growing children. The more they know the more likely they are to climb the ladder on the status scale. Locke, and other thinkers of this time, appear to be ahead of their time. They believed everyone should have the same chance in education, not just the elites. There should be equality.
"The natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth" (396). Basically, no man should tell an individual how to live or think. Government in Locke's day were religiously based. Mankind should be able to invoke their right to freedom of speech, whether the government accepts it or not.
During the Enlightment period, the children were raised in a way common to how children are raised in the present. Children were taught to be thinkers and individuals. They were able to choose what they wanted to study. They were taught to grow up free. The Puritans on the otherhand raised children in a more of a strict manner. The children were punished harshly and had selective education.
Locke believed that punishing children had more negative effects than positive. Locke believed that children should have plenty of freedom.
The Enlightenment had a different view about children and their education as opposed to the Puritans and the Quakers. The enlightenment thinkers believed that children had to learn through experience and needed to ponder about problems, society, the living world, and anything else they could put their mind to. The Puritans and Quakers believed that children had to follow strict guidelines and especially pursue and education about religion.
This does not relate well to modern understandings of the role of childhood and education. Today it is essential to have a college degree in something if you would like to work in a quality career. Today college is like the new high school. Everyone must graduate if they want to succeed. Kids today must learn about history, science, English, math and a few other elective courses. It takes over sixteen years of school for one to receive a bachelors degree from college and can take even more for further education. Today education never stops as there is always something new to discover.
Enlightenment thinkers related to Puritan and Quaker beliefs about child rearing and education in a few ways. Like Puritans, people of the Enlightenment valued education very highly. Enlightenment wanted public schooling with useful subjects like French and history. The means that they used to teach was much different. Puritans used physical punishment regularly as to break the child’s will. Enlightenment thinkers did not believe in corporal punishment. Like the Quakers, people of the Enlightenment felt it necessary to nurture their children. They both believed children were born with a good nature rather than original sin. To become a successful citizens they needed loving parents who reared with compassion rather than fear.
Locke wanted children to be raised as responsible, well-educated humans with respect for authority. He wanted men and women to able to understand and appreciate their freedom. In order for his thoughts on government to be successful, all children needed to have the opportunity to be educated. To grow into responsible citizens they needed a proper childhood without constant beatings and a well rounded education.
Enlightenment ideas on the subjects of childhood and education were quite different from the views of the Quakers and Puritans. Both of the groups believed in "original sin" thus causing their beliefs that the child's "will" must be broken. The Puritians did however, have some views that seperated them from the Quakers. The Puritians believed in corpal punishment, or beating of the child, whereas the Quakers, who although stressed obedience, chose to raise their children in a more nurturing and developing fashion. The obedience stressed by the Quakers was obtained by a strict adherence to a moral code. When it came to the subject of education, John Locke contributed greatly to Enlightenment thought. Locke thought that children should all be taught useful information that would in turn conrtibute to their sucess later in life. In comparision with modern thoughts about childhood and education, Enlightenment ideas obviously win out. Today corpal punishment is seldomly used and students are put throught years of extrensive learning to benefit them later in life.
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