Montessori, Dewey, and Capitalism


Book Description

Synthesizing ideas from such disparate thinkers as educator Maria Montessori, philosophers John Dewey and Ayn Rand, and Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises, Montessori, Dewey, and Capitalism presents a philosophy of education-the theory of concentrated attention and independent judgment-that requires laissez-faire capitalism for its full realization. It is not an argument, except indirectly, for the separation of education and state nor is it a critique of present and past state-run schooling. It is an argument for the abolition of coercion in all areas of life. What is the ideal education system? asks the author. One that rejects the premise of obedience to authority. Not just in teaching, but also in parenting and in all social relations. Just as an ideal social system would allow citizens to pursue their values without interruption or control from an outside authority, namely the state, so also the ideal education system should allow children and students to concentrate without interruption on the learning tasks that interest them. The adult guides and nurtures the young, neither coercing nor neglecting them, to develop the confidence and independence required for an adult life in a capitalist society.




Democracy and Education


Book Description

. Renewal of Life by Transmission. The most notable distinction between living and inanimate things is that the former maintain themselves by renewal. A stone when struck resists. If its resistance is greater than the force of the blow struck, it remains outwardly unchanged. Otherwise, it is shattered into smaller bits. Never does the stone attempt to react in such a way that it may maintain itself against the blow, much less so as to render the blow a contributing factor to its own continued action. While the living thing may easily be crushed by superior force, it none the less tries to turn the energies which act upon it into means of its own further existence. If it cannot do so, it does not just split into smaller pieces (at least in the higher forms of life), but loses its identity as a living thing. As long as it endures, it struggles to use surrounding energies in its own behalf. It uses light, air, moisture, and the material of soil. To say that it uses them is to say that it turns them into means of its own conservation. As long as it is growing, the energy it expends in thus turning the environment to account is more than compensated for by the return it gets: it grows. Understanding the word "control" in this sense, it may be said that a living being is one that subjugates and controls for its own continued activity the energies that would otherwise use it up. Life is a self-renewing process through action upon the environment.




New Learning


Book Description

Fully updated and revised, the second edition of New Learning explores the contemporary debates and challenges in education and considers how schools can prepare their students for the future. New Learning, Second Edition is an inspiring and comprehensive resource for pre-service and in-service teachers alike.




What are Schools For?


Book Description

This book is a powerful exposition and critique of the historical context and cultural/philosophical foundations of contemporary mainstream American education.




Inclusive Education: Global Issues and Controversies


Book Description

This edited book considers the main issues and controversies within the current educational context of inclusive education, from an international perspective. Authorities in the field such as Norwich, Kauffman, and Boyle, amongst many other international scholars, provide an enticing insight into many of the issues and controversies around inclusive education, and whether it is achievable or not. We have reached a point in time where inclusive education has been the prevailing doctrine for universal education policies. However, there are still many challenges facing those working within the inclusive education space, with some countries actually becoming less inclusive. International and national legislation has continued to move towards inclusive education, yet there seems to be many gaps between the philosophy and the principles of inclusive education and systemic practice. The book aims to address the current debates surrounding the implementation of inclusive education, and also offers insights into the inconsistencies between policies and practices in inclusive environments. Moreover, it analyzes contemporary research evidence on the effectiveness of inclusion and identify directions for future research. Contributors are: Kelly-Ann Allen, Dimitris Anastasiou, Joanna Anderson, Adrian Ashman, Jeanmarie Badar, Christopher Boyle, Jonathan M. Campbell, Heather Craig, Leire Darretxe, Julian Elliott, Zuriñe Gaintza, Betty A. Hallenbeck, Divya Jindal-Snape, Marguerite Jones, James M. Kauffman, George Koutsouris, Fraser Lauchlan, Gerry Mac Ruairc, Sofia Mavropoulou, Daniel Mays, Brahm Norwich, Angela Page, Kirsten S. Railey, and Federico R. Waitoller.




In Defense of Advertising


Book Description

A theoretical defense of advertising, based on the philosophy of Ayn Rand and the economics of Ludwig von Mises. The author defends advertising because it appeals to the self-interest of consumers and promotes the profit-making gains of the capitalists.




The Montessori System Examined


Book Description




Pedagogy of the Oppressed


Book Description




Anarchism and Education


Book Description

Although there have been a few historical accounts of the anarchist school movement, there has been no systematic work on the philosophical underpinnings of anarchist educational ideas - until now. Anarchism and Education offers a philosophical account of the neglected tradition of anarchist thought on education. Although few anarchist thinkers wrote systematically on education, this analysis is based largely on a reconstruction of the educational thought of anarchist thinkers gleaned from their various ethical, philosophical and popular writings. Primarily drawing on the work of the nineteenth century anarchist theorists such as Bakunin, Kropotkin and Proudhon, the book also covers twentieth century anarchist thinkers such as Noam Chomsky, Paul Goodman, Daniel Guerin and Colin Ward. This original work will interest philosophers of education and educationalist thinkers as well as those with a general interest in anarchism.




Reasons for Realism


Book Description

James J. Gibson’s numerous theoretical and empirical contributions to the understanding of how people perceive were innovative, controversial, often radical, and always profound. Many of his ideas revolutionized the science of perception, and his influence continued to grow throughout the world. This book, originally published in 1982, is a collection of the most important of Gibson’s essays on the psychology of perception. Drawing from the entire corpus of Gibson’s papers, the editors have selected over thirty works dealing with such diverse topics as ecological optics, event perception, pictorial representation, and the conceptual foundations of psychology. The editors’ goals in preparing the volume were twofold: first to provide easy access to Gibson’s most outstanding papers and talks, including some that were previously unpublished; and second, to provide an intellectual biography of Gibson by including essays from the different periods of his career.