Medieval

Education

S t a r t ?

Report in prof. ed 1

Paula Juliana I. NavarroII – 2 BECED

Medieval education is about education that was conducted in the medieval period. Children were taught their basics,

such as how to read and write.In medieval times, there were many schools that operated without the use of books. Students were taught by skilled masters, and were often educated for dubious benefits. The rich or others that did provide education in medieval times did so for their personal gain. There were very few that really wanted to educate people in the true spirit of enlightening more minds.

Educational Attitudes and Practices of Jesus

Christianity came from Christ, the Greek word for Messiah.

It was founded on Judaism – also a monotheistic religion.Offered a new ethical force – humanitarianism – that provided the education for all.Jesus – one of the three greatest teachers, the other two being Socrates and Gautama.

Aims“seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”To renounce personal privileges and advantages that come from riches and selfishness of private ambition.Religious training – the development of the right relationship between man and his God.

Types

Highest type of ethical education. Universal and

democraticBy making everyone a child of God, he removed all distinctions of class and caste.By teaching that God is the father of mankind, He removed education from the clutches of national limits and racial prejudice.

ContentHis life was his curriculum; He

practiced what He taught.

Dealt with fundamental truths

Development of individual and social behavior based on human relationships.

Did not organize any school or social institution; used no textbooks

Methods

1. Conversational method - usually informal and intimate, this method was direct, natural and familiar. Questions were asked and answered and difficulties proposed were removed.

2. Gnomic Method – Jesus frequently resorted to the use of gnomes or proverbs. Jesus never delivered the analytical addresses common today.

3. Parables – a kind of comparison or analogy. On the surface the parable is a plain and simple description of life directed to the imagination and, therefore, understood by literate and illiterate alike; although a deeper spiritual significance could only be understood by minds not blinded by prejudice and religious formalism.

Jesus’ methods that are still being used today:

a) Adjusted lessons to the experiences of the students;

b) Used concrete everyday incidents for His examples;

c) Used the simplest language to teach the most profound truths;

d) Recognized what Dewey later popularized – learn to do by doing;

e) Encouraged students to question;f) Appealed to the imagination;

g) Stimulated thinking by power of suggestion; and

h) Recognized individual differences and adjusted his teaching methods to the needs and capacities of the learners.

The Early Christian Church

The first two centuries after Christ, the Christian congregation gained followers but were regarded with suspicion and were considered dangerous.A.D. 313, through the edict of Milan, emperor Constantine recognized Christianity as the official state religion. The Christian church (Roman Catholic) rose to power because of the force of its high moral & ethical doctrines and the intensity of the faith of its adherents.

AimsMoral regeneration of the individual.Reform of the society

TypesMoral and religious training. (given to prepare the child or convert for baptism. Believed to be necessary to save individual souls and to convert their fellowmen)No physical or aesthetic training, only musical training in relation to church services.Intellectual education. (none at first but converts on the educated class were trained later on to meet opponents and heretics.)

Content

Basic instruction to fit candidates for baptism, basic elements of church doctrine, church rituals and moral virtues of Christlike living.

Eliminated were: physical training, art, science, literature, and rhetoric because their origins were Pagan and, therefore, full of vices and corruption.)

Methods

(as sole agency for education) impromptu exposition and exhortationIn home: method of exampleIn schools established: catechetical (pertaining to teaching by quest

ion and answer.) method and rote recitation (pupils memorized to answer questions)

Monasticism

Monks were the regular clergy; they lived solitary lives under strict rules and regulations emphasizing the three main principles of monastic life – obedience, simplicity and industry.

Monasteries were completely self-supported and became centers for literacy and artistic and scholarly aspects of life.

AimsSalvation of individual souls.(a kind of moral and physical discipline based on bodily mortification and worldly renunciation for the sake of moral improvement.)

Vow of chastity – giving up the family and all human relationships.Vow of poverty – rejection of all material interests in life.Vow of obedience – renunciation of ranks and distinction.

Types

Literacy activities and manual training. Rule of

Benedict: seven hours of manual work and two hours of reading sacred literature daily.

Content

Readi

n

g Writing

Arithm

etic

Trivium – grammar, rhetoric and dialecticQuadrivium –

arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music.

Latin as language of

instruction.

Method

Catechetical

method. Dictation

was used and the

pupils were made

to memorize

everything.Meditation and discipline

Scholasticism

Early middle ages, from 6th to 10th century – era of faith.

11th century; movement to rationalize the

doctrine of the church.

Method

To support the doctrines of the church by rational argument

Intellectual discipline

Types

Limited to theology and religious philosophy.Scholastic realism; Anselm – Believed that ideas or concepts were the only real entities, and objects known through the senses were only copies of these ideas.Scholastic conceptualism; Abelard – although a universal concept had no objective existence, it was an expression of the sum total of characteristics that a group of individual objects had in common. In short, a universal was only a concept until it was expressed in the individual; then it became real.

Method

Lecture, repetition, disputation and examination.

Logical analysis

Syllogism

Chivalric Education

From 9th to 16th CenturyFeudalism ( complicated system of political and personal relationships.

To get the young nobles ready to assume obligations, the institute of chivalry became the basis for a set of ideals to guide their education and conduct.

Patterns of chivalry were based upon the usages in warfare, religion and courtesy for the upper class.

Aims

Teach the best ideals

To inculcate gallantry toward women, protection of the weak, honesty in everything, courage at all times.

Types

Form of social trainingEmphasized military training and social etiquette.Class education for entrance into aristocracy.

Content

Physical, social, military and religious activities.Training in reading and writing, health instruction, training in etiquette, obedience to superiors, playing musical instruments, riding and jousting, singing and playing chess.Girls were educated in religious faith and ceremonies, dancing and singing, courtesy, handicraft and management of the household servants.

Methods

Imitation, example, and learning by doing.

Motivation

Discipline

Guild Approach to EducationCrusaders increased trade and commerce which brought about the growth of new cities and the rise of a new social class – the burgher, bourgeoisie or middle class. This new class began to be as important as the nobles and the clergy and they demanded a different kind of education for their children.

Closely related to the development of commerce was the strengthening of the guilds, an organization composed of persons with common interests and mutual needs for protection and welfare.

AimsVocational training to prepare children for the requisites of commerce and industry.Content

Elementary instruction in reading and writing in the vernacular and arithmetic.Crafts on commerce and adequate religious instruction.

Methods

Much the same way as the monastic and parish schools.

Example, imitation and practice.

Dictation, memorization, and catechetical method.

Discipline was severe and harsh.

Saracenic Approach to Education

Six hundred years after the birth of Christ, a new religion, founded by Mohammed (Islam), took in root in

Arabia among the Arabs also known as Saracens.The western world is indebted to

them for the creation of the scientific spirit of investigation and

experimentation and for the invention and improvement of the

tools of science.

Methods

A search for knowledge and an application of scientific facts to the affairs of daily life.Development of individual initiative and social welfare-liberal education in its truest sense.Types

Vocational education.

Intellectual training.

Elementary education was open to all boys ad girls.Financial aid was provided to the needy students.

Content

Elementary level: reading, writing, arithmetic, religion, grammar and science.

Higher level: algebra, geometry, trigonometry, physics, chemistry, geography, astronomy, pharmacy, medicine, surgery, philology, history, literature, logic, metaphysics and law.

Koran was taught in all levels.

Method

Scientific method (use of repetition drills), catechetical method, memorization and lecture.Higher schools emphasized travel and explanation.

END