Hello again! As previously mentioned, I am a character in a novel written by Jean Jacques Rousseau. My purpose is the expression of Rousseau's opinions on the education of females. The education of a female should be different from that of a male because the two are different. Women should learn many things, but their studies must be restricted to what is useful. Girls should be taught the duties they will hold as women, which include being pleasing to men, being useful to men, and, to raise males when they are young as well as take care of them when they are grown. Additional duties are advising men, consoling men, and making their lives pleasant and sweet. All of the previously mentioned duties should be taught to females starting in their childhood.
Playing with dolls provides great training, and therefore should be encouraged. One day a girl will become her own doll, so to speak. Motivation for girls' earliest lessons is receiving favors. That is, allowing girls the things they enjoy and want as long as they are suitable. For example, most little girls gladly learn sewing. They take pleasure in believing that this talent will one day serve them for their own adornment. Valuable lessons in accordance with this interest are cutting material, embroidery, and lace-making. Another related lesson is drawing. However, drawing should focus on leaves, fruit, flowers, and draperies. Girls should not be taught to read until they are able to see the use of it. Arithmetic should probably come prior to reading because it's utility is evident; it will be useful for account keeping.
Educators should always justify tasks they set forth for little girls. Girls must be kept busy because idleness and insubordination are two very dangerous faults. They should be accustomed to annoyances early on because they will have to submit to the annoyances of proper decorum for their entire life. Girls should be taught to control themselves. Educators should prevent young girls from getting bored with their tasks and infatuated with their amusements. However, given the choice, there would be no teachers. Children could then learn on their own what they are already willing to learn. Furthermore, girls are too full of curiosity not to learn on their own when given the opportunity to do so.
An ideal learning environment would be a convent or a boarding school as they have plain food and ample opportunities for activities, races, and games in the open air. Females can obtain the necessary sound constitution via pleasant, moderate, and healthy exercise. The body is born before the soul, so the first lesson in this area should be nurturing the body. That is, girls need to be taught grace.
My questions are as follows:
1. How do others feel about males and females receiving different educations?
2. Are children, particularly girls, equipped and motivated to learn on their own?
3. Should the studies of our young people be restricted to only what is useful?
Males and females must receive varied educations because they have different roles in society. Girls are full of curiosity, but they must receive guidance to develop into graceful members of society and suitable wives.
ReplyDeleteJean-Jacques Rousseau (Emile)
Children (boys and girls alike) should be encouraged to challenge themselves on a daily basis. Girls should not be restricted concerning their learning. I am a female and have gained an entire lifetime of knowledge through my studies. I am glad that no one told me I could only learn certain things or I my not have contributed so much to helping struggling readers.
ReplyDeleteI believe children, boys and girls, are equipped to learn on their own given proper support and guidance from parents. Once this initial interest in the world has developed students can be given more direction. It is natural for children to be curious and interested and it is this quality, this innate desire to learn, that instruction is eventually effective. - Shinichi Suzuki
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is appropriate to have girls and boys receive seperate educations. I don't believe that children can learn on their own. They need traditional education. Studies should not be restricted to what is useful. The study of and appreciation of literature is an example of something that may not be particularly "useful," but is important to a well-rounded person.
ReplyDelete~ Johann Herbart
I think males and females should receive the same education. I feel girls are motivated enough to learn on their own. Student’s studies should not be restricted but should reflect his or her interests. After extensive research I feel, children’s studies should include Free Voluntary Reading (FVR). Students should not have to due book reports or read a book that they are not interested in.
ReplyDeleteTrue girls can learn about caretaking from playing with dolls and so can a boy. I really feel children learn best by play, but teaching should not be gender specificor guided by the teacher. All children can be self motivated to learn what is meaningful to them.
ReplyDeleteI feel that both boys and girls sould be entitled to the same education. We should not tell anyone, no matter what thier gender, that they are not entitled to an education. I think boys and girls are very motivated to learn on their own. Motivation comes from what we like and what we find interest in. Sure, dolls and such interest gilrs and they can learn from them but that is not all you will find that motivated girls. I am less concerened that you feel we should only teach what is useful and more concerned about how you find certain ideas useful and others not. Should we not look to the children to see what they find useful?
ReplyDelete-Eleanor Duckworth
I agree with you that girls (and boys for that matter) are equipped and motivated to learn on their own. Children have this motivation naturally and need restrained guidance. I disagree with you, however, that boys and girls should receive a different education. Too often girls are restricted from academic activities in which they are interested. I encountered this myself as a girl when I attended a boys technical school, as well as later when I went to medical school and became the first female doctor in Italy. To address your final question, I think that studies should be guided by the interest of the child, but that useful tasks, abilities, and knowledge should be incorporated. It depends on your definition of useful, I suppose. I see many tasks that people might see as useless in and of themselves to be important building blocks toward the learning of greater things.
ReplyDeleteI feel that all children alike (boys and girls) should receive the same education. I do feel, however, that it will be applied in different manners. I also feel that all children are equipped to learn, but some children need more motivation than others. I feel very strongly about the education of young people and I think that education should include what is useful, along with what is engaging, interesting and thought provoking for students.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Peabody
I do not think that males and females should receive different educations. Both genders should receive an equal education. I feel that both genders are motivated to learn. Both should be educated in an open and free environment. I think students should learn knowledge applicpable to the world today, not just academic subjects.
ReplyDeleteI believe all students should receive the same free and appropriate education. It cannot be fair to give one sex one treatment and another sex another treatment. This would only create unfair situations for one or the other ~Horace Mann
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that girls should be given different educations. I was not given a teaching job because of being female and I was more qualified than all my male counterparts. I do think that boys and girls have different interests and teachers might have to work harder at getting girls interested in say, science, and boys interested in writing. It takes practice and good teachers, but it can be done!
ReplyDeleteI don't agree that boys and girls should be taught different curriculum. I do agree that children need to be motivated to learn, but that motivation comes from a variety of sources-teachers being one of them. I believe they can learn the most valuable social lessons through play, but they need a facilitator(the teacher) to help them with the concept.
ReplyDeleteMales and females should receive the same education. There is no reason to differ their education unless the child’s interests are as such. Boys and girls are both equipped and motivated to learn on their own and should be allowed to explore whatever interests them. It would be a crime to restrict their learning.
ReplyDelete--Reggio Emilio
All children, no matter what their gender should have the right to equal education. Males and females are all capable of achieving the same goal. I think (I hope) that all good teachers find the right motivation for the students. Of course boys and girls and interested in different things. But that is one of the challenges of being a teacher.
ReplyDeleteAs a woman activist I disagree with the way you feel little girls should be educated. Women and men should be treated as equals. Children should be informed and prepared for life with a well rounded education. What one individual feels is "useful" is different from anothers. I don't feel it's fair to decided that at a child's young age. Women are just as equipped as men to learn and should be treated this way in all schools.
ReplyDelete