How had Plato classified the curriculum of education into different parts? Discuss in detail.
Course: Philosophy of Education
Course code 8609
Course code 8609
Level: B.Ed Solved Assignment
ANSWER
Curriculum of Education
Plato's education has its
objective in the realization of truth, a comprehensive truth, not
limited or narrow. Plato, therefore, believes that the development of the mind,
body, and soul is essential. For this reason, he has divided the curriculum into
three parts:
1. Bodily Development.
Plato's philosophy believes
bodily development to be of the utmost importance in education, but this bodily development is
achieved not merely through exercise and gymnastic activity, but also through a
regulated and controlled diet. The educator must guide and train the educator to
attend to his food. He must be the kind of doctor who advises a particular kind
of diet after acquainting himself with weaknesses of the educand's body. This
must be done to get rid of these debilities and finally to lead to the complete development of the body.
2.
Educational Impressions.
But it must be remembered that bodily
development is only a means to mental development because a healthy mind
resides only in a healthy body. Although much importance is attached to bodily
development, even greater importance is attached to mental development. Being
under the influence of Pythagoras, Plato recommended the teaching of
mathematics as of supreme importance. The first step in the teaching of
mathematics is the teaching of arithmetic. Geometry and algebra should then be taught.
Plato believed that the teaching of
mathematics could remove many mental defects. In addition to mathematics, Plato
considered the teaching of astronomy as of great significance, as part of
higher education.
3.
Training in Music.
To achieve balance in education,
Plato stressed the value of musical training as a supplement to training in
gymnastics. Exercise is the source of bodily development while music helps in
the development of the soul. But music and literature taught to the student
must be capable of building character.
Plato suggested that the child's
curriculum should be purged of all literature and musical epics which tended to
generate such qualities as cowardice, weakness, selfishness, egoism, etc. He was
critical of the epics of Homer and other contemporary poets on this ground.
Plato considered balance in human life to be of the greatest importance because, in the absence of such a balance, man should neither fulfill his social
obligations nor enjoy his own private life to the full. Hence it can be concluded that Plato suggested a balanced
curriculum for education.
Role of Educator
In Plato's plan of education, the
educator is considered to have the greatest importance. He is like the torch
bearer who leads a man, lying in a dark cave, out of the darkness into the
bright light of the outside world. His task is to bring the educator out of the
darkness of the cave into the light of the day. He is thus the guide.
In his methods of teaching Plato
believes imitation to be of the greatest importance, for he realizes that the
child learns a great deal through imitation. He will acquire the behavior of
the people among whom he is made to live. Hence, keeping in mind the status of
the child, he should be made to live among people from whom he can learn good habits
and avoid bad ones.
Education According to Classes
Plato's plan of education does
not envisage uniform education for one and all. He accepted the concept of
social stratification and suggested that since different individuals had to
perform different tasks in society, they should also be educated differently,
to train each one in his own respective sphere. He believed that
different individuals are made of different metals. Those made of gold should
take up administration and government, while those made of silver were best
suited for trade and defense. Others made of iron and baser metals should
become laborers and agriculturists. The state must make different arrangements
for the education of these different kinds of people, although Plato implicitly
agrees that the education of governing classes is of the greatest importance. The
education of the other classes in society does not concern him very much.
Faced with the problem of
determining the class of each individual, Plato suggested various kinds of
tests to be conducted at different age levels. In the first place, primary education
will be given to all between the ages of seven and twenty, following which a test
shall be administered to everyone. Those who fail the test are to be sent to
labor in various occupations and productive trades. The successful
candidates will be sent to the armed forces where training will be imparted to
them for the next ten years. This will again be followed by a test; the
failures will be compelled to remain in
the armed forces while the successful ones will be sent to join the government.
Then this governing class will be subjected to further education in science.
Later on, one from among the governing class will be elected as the philosopher
administrator whose task will be to look after the government and education of
the state. This individual will occupy the highest position in the land, his
word will be the law of the land. Apart from this supreme individual, all other
members of the governing class will
continue to receive education throughout their lives, most of this education
consisting of teachings in philosophy. It is thus evident that Plato granted
the highest place to philosophy in his educational scheme (Shrivastava, 2003).
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