Education
‹ 4 · Outline · 6 ›
5.The learner: aptitude, desire and temper
5a.The ideal and the unteachable pupil
Homer, The OdysseyVol. 22
- p. 33Athene encourages the young Telemachus to speak boldly to an elder, overcoming his diffidence.read · scan
Confucius, The Sayings of ConfuciusVol. 44
- p. 6–7The learner-gentleman is temperate, earnest in deed, careful of speech; learning by hints, like polishing.read · scan
- p. 14–16Hui grasps ten from one; sleeping Yü is rotten wood; Master now watches deeds, not words.read · scan
- p. 16Being fond of learning and not ashamed to ask inferiors is what makes one cultured.read · scan
- p. 17–18Even a small hamlet has faithful men but none as fond of learning.read · scan
- p. 18Yen Hui is the model of one fond of learning, never angry unjustly nor repeating mistakes.read · scan
- p. 21–22He teaches only those eager and struggling; if a pupil cannot turn the whole from one corner, he desists.read · scan
- p. 26Love of learning with simple faith; study as though time were short and one feared to lose it.read · scan
- p. 28–29Praises Yen Yuan, who never stops going on.read · scan
- p. 33Confucius appraises his disciples' gifts and says Yen Hui alone loved learning.read · scan
- p. 50Master rebukes a youth who hurries to be a man rather than seeking to improve.read · scan
Buddhist WritingsVol. 45
- p. 716–717He quickly learns his teacher's doctrine and questions how far it conducts.read · scan
- p. 723Buddha weighs which learned, intelligent pupil would quickly comprehend the teaching.read · scan
Plutarch, CiceroVol. 12
- p. 218–219Young Cicero's quickness at school wins fathers' visits and respect, and he studies eagerly under Philo and the learned Greeks.read · scan
Epictetus, The Golden Sayings of EpictetusVol. 2
- p. 143Describes the ideal student coming to the School with proper intention.read · scan
- p. 146Criticizes a pupil who comes to school full of envy, complaints and conceit and expects to leave omniscient.read · scan
- p. 146–147Pupils carry home from school only what they bring; learning requires sincerity and willingness to be corrected.read · scan
- p. 147Hearing philosophers requires training; the listener must be prepared and rouse the teacher's desire to speak.read · scan
- p. 148Pupil must show himself worthy to hear a philosopher before he can move the speaker.read · scan
- p. 177Being told you know nothing without irritation shows learning has begun.read · scan
Saint Augustine, The Confessions of St. AugustineVol. 7
- p. 43The bishop declines to teach the puffed-up, unteachable Augustine, saying he will find the error by reading.read · scan
Dante Alighieri, PurgatoryVol. 20
- p. 216Dante the pupil timidly asks, and the teacher Virgil encourages and resolves his doubts.read · scan
Geoffrey Chaucer, The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales; The Nun's Priest's TaleVol. 40
- p. 18The Oxford Clerk spends his money on books and learning, speaks briefly and morally, and gladly learns and teaches.read · scan
Benvenuto Cellini, The Autobiography of Benvenuto CelliniVol. 31
- p. 56Diego is a diligent Latin student whose affections are set on his studies.read · scan
John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning EducationVol. 37
- p. 125–126Young men should be taught to put in questions as learners, not instruct.read · scan
William Penn, More Fruits of SolitudeVol. 1
- p. 392The vain are unteachable, outrunning instruction.read · scan
Michael Faraday, The Forces of MatterVol. 30
- p. 22Lecturer asks for close attention so the audience gains clear ideas of the laws.read · scan
Thomas Carlyle, Inaugural Address at EdinburghVol. 25
- p. 361Advises students to be modest and attentive to teachers, avoid cramming, and study honestly.read · scan
John Stuart Mill, AutobiographyVol. 25
- p. 25Father guarded the boy from praise and self-conceit, holding up as standard what a man could and ought to do.read · scan
- p. 25Advantage of unusual teaching makes ignorance a disgrace, not knowledge a merit.read · scan
John Ruskin, Sesame and LiliesVol. 28
- p. 100–101Reader must desire to be taught by the wiser author and rise to his thoughts rather than find his own opinions echoed.read · scan
- p. 101Reading rightly requires humility and submission to the author, willingness to learn what one never thought.read · scan
5b.Adapting teaching to each pupil's temperament and capacity
See also: Man 1d
Confucius, The Sayings of ConfuciusVol. 44
- p. 20Teaching must suit the level of the pupil: lofty things only to those above the common.read · scan
- p. 35Teaching tailored to each pupil's temperament: hold back the bold, urge on the bashful.read · scan
- p. 64–65Training a gentleman proceeds by stages, like plants varying in size; study and public service should support each other.read · scan
Buddhist WritingsVol. 45
- p. 630–631Buddha teaches the Doctrine suited to the differing dispositions of his hearers, leading them to varied stages of attainment.read · scan
- p. 631–632Buddha assigns meditation exercises suited to each disciple's character, preaches to the assembled laity and answers monks' questions.read · scan
- p. 722He chooses first pupil by who could quickly comprehend the teaching.read · scan
Marcus Tullius Cicero, Letters of CiceroVol. 9
- p. 146His son and nephew study and exercise together, one needing the rein, the other the spur; tutor Dionysius praised though passionate.read · scan
Paul, The First Epistle of Paul to the CorinthiansVol. 45
- p. 494Paul fed the Corinthians milk not meat, since as carnal babes they could not bear stronger teaching.read · scan
Michel de Montaigne, Of the Institution and Education of ChildrenVol. 32
- p. 36Tutor should adapt lessons to each child's capacity and test understanding by the pupil's life and varied applications, not by rote memory.read · scan
Francis Bacon, Essays, Civil and MoralVol. 3
- p. 122–123Each defect of mind has a fitting study: mathematics for wandering wit, Schoolmen for distinguishing, lawyers' cases for illustration.read · scan
John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning EducationVol. 37
- p. 44–45Teachers should study children's natures and aptitudes, improving native genius rather than forcing another upon them.read · scan
- p. 62Tutors must study children's tempers and aim at setting the mind right rather than governing by the rod.read · scan
- p. 84–85Parents should observe a child's natural temper in play and adapt methods accordingly, since native bent can be mended but not cured.read · scan
- p. 107A father must carefully observe whether a child's dawdling at books is true sloth or mere dislike of compulsory study.read · scan
- p. 108–109Graduated cures for a child's idleness at study: kind reasoning, then shame, then withdrawal of tutor, then forced play till he prefers his book.read · scan
- p. 109Distinguish general idleness from aversion to learning by secretly observing how the child uses his free time.read · scan
- p. 109–110For a naturally listless child, find what he loves and use it to rouse industry; employ bodily labor to build habit.read · scan
- p. 118Education must observe natural temper and counterbalance each child's bias; foundations of virtue laid early.read · scan
- p. 182Locke concludes his treatise: education must suit each child's temper and rank, and parents should use their own reason over old custom.read · scan
Benjamin Franklin, His AutobiographyVol. 1
- p. 143Children are taught in separate groups under tutors, with sermons adapted to their capacities.read · scan
Thomas Carlyle, Inaugural Address at EdinburghVol. 25
- p. 381–382Goethe's educators discover each boy's aptitudes by watching and trying him in trades, arts and sciences; Wilhelm's son suits horsemanship.read · scan
5c.Learning as pleasure: play, curiosity and allurement
See also: Diversion 11a · Desire 5b · Pleasure and Pain 2c · Liberty 6e
Saint Augustine, The Confessions of St. AugustineVol. 7
- p. 16–17Free curiosity teaches better than fearful enforcement; he learned Latin happily in infancy but Greek under threats and punishment.read · scan
- p. 20Boyhood school world and its rules; he deceived tutors, masters and parents from love of play.read · scan
John Milton, Paradise RegainedVol. 4
- p. 359The Son recalls how as a child he loved learning and studied the Law of God, hearing the teachers in the Temple.read · scan
John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning EducationVol. 37
- p. 5–6Errors in education are never mended later; Locke offers his method, which made a child love his book and take pleasure in learning.read · scan
- p. 42Childish play should be left free and correction sparing; the chief art is making all children do sport and play.read · scan
- p. 56Learning should be made a liking, not a burdensome task; children taught pleasantly need little force or blows.read · scan
- p. 57Children should learn when in disposition; a discreet tutor studies temper and makes learning a recreation, gaining triple progress over compulsion.read · scan
- p. 57–58Children asking to be taught act freely and learn with pleasure; the mind should also be trained to master itself and turn to new tasks.read · scan
- p. 59Learning discouraged when made a forced business; patience, skill and good examples make children pursue it with pleasure.read · scan
- p. 88–89Discipline of body and mind without ill-will; reward modesty with love; answer children's questions kindly.read · scan
- p. 89Recreation is as necessary as labour; children should find delight in useful exercises so improvement becomes a train of pleasant recreations.read · scan
- p. 103–104Teach children civility and compassion toward servants and inferiors, and encourage curiosity as nature's instrument against ignorance.read · scan
- p. 104–105Answer children's questions seriously and intelligibly, commend their knowledge, and let them teach younger siblings to spur learning.read · scan
- p. 105–106Locke urges answering children's questions seriously and honestly, treating them as newcomers in a strange country needing instruction.read · scan
- p. 106Answer children's what-is-it and what-is-it-for questions truthfully, lead them to further questions, and excite curiosity.read · scan
- p. 106Encourage a child's inquisitiveness, guide his judgment gently, and avoid ridicule or fallacious talk that misleads his reasoning.read · scan
- p. 110Don't enjoin books as business; if a child hates study, make him play by task until he tires and prefers his book.read · scan
- p. 111Make learning a recreation and unwanted play a tedious task, so children eagerly choose books as reward.read · scan
- p. 111–112Children kept from bad example would learn to read and write as eagerly as they play; playthings should be supervised.read · scan
- p. 113Children should make their own playthings, teaching moderation, industry, contrivance and good husbandry; play should direct toward useful habits.read · scan
- p. 128Learning to read should be made play and recreation, never a task; motivate children by honour and desire.read · scan
- p. 128–129Teach the alphabet through dice and playthings so children learn as sport; forced work harms health and breeds hatred of books.read · scan
- p. 130Children learn spelling and reading through dice games without chiding; they eagerly learn games that would be abhorred as tasks.read · scan
- p. 131Learning to read should never be forced; better a year later than an aversion to learning; the child should be cheated into it.read · scan
- p. 139Teachers should help children over difficulties gently, keep them in good humour, and settle habits rather than rules.read · scan
- p. 140Teachers should make learning easy and agreeable, since children's minds are narrow, wandering, and cannot sustain attention.read · scan
Samuel Johnson, Life of Addison, 1672-1719Vol. 27
- p. 162–163Short amusing papers convey cheap and easy knowledge to the busy and idle alike.read · scan
- p. 196–197Addison infused literary curiosity into the idle and wealthy by presenting knowledge in alluring, familiar form, improving conversation.read · scan
- p. 197–198Addison served as instructor for readers who read only to talk, unlike Dryden's scholastic criticism.read · scan
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Profession of Faith of a Savoyard VicarVol. 34
- p. 234The priest indirectly instructs by awakening self-love, employing him copying books, exemplary admiration and gentle lessons.read · scan
Michael Faraday, The Forces of MatterVol. 30
- p. 7Faraday claims the right to address the younger members of the audience, becoming 'young again among the young' to teach them.read · scan
- p. 84–85Lecturer thanks audience and hopes lectures will turn young people to scientific study.read · scan
Michael Faraday, The Chemical History of a CandleVol. 30
- p. 86Lecturer resolves to speak familiarly to young people as a juvenile himself.read · scan
Sir Charles Lyell, Uniformity in the Series of Past Changes in the Animate and Inanimate WorldVol. 38
- p. 399Lyell hopes to stimulate the beginner's curiosity and prepare him for elementary geological treatises.read · scan
Hans Christian Andersen, TalesVol. 17
- p. 280Grandmother's tale makes lessons in history and geography easy to learn by eating; later he learns wiser.read · scan
Richard Henry Dana, Jr., Two Years Before the MastVol. 23
- p. 145–146Islanders study a world map for hours, grasp street naming and numbering, and eagerly ask questions.read · scan
5d.Learning at every age and the lifelong student
Confucius, The Sayings of ConfuciusVol. 44
- p. 7Confucius sketches his life of study from fifteen to seventy, ending in perfect virtue.read · scan
- p. 29Awe is due to youth; men unknown at forty or fifty deserve none.read · scan
- p. 63–64Fondness for learning means recalling daily what one lacks and keeping monthly gains; wide learning, keen questions lead to love.read · scan
Sophocles, AntigoneVol. 8
- p. 276Learning from others, young or old, brings no disgrace.read · scan
Marcus Tullius Cicero, On FriendshipVol. 9
- p. 9–10Cicero attaches himself to elder statesmen to learn from them, memorizing their disquisitions and maxims.read · scan
Marcus Tullius Cicero, On Old AgeVol. 9
- p. 45Atticus brought home Athenian culture and good sense; Cato became an eager student of Greek literature in old age.read · scan
- p. 53–54Old age is busy and learning continues: Solon learns daily, Cato took up Greek late; young and old profit from each other.read · scan
- p. 54Old age retains strength to teach and train the young for life's duties, a noble employment.read · scan
- p. 62Learning grows with age in educated men; Solon grew old learning something new every day.read · scan
Epictetus, The Golden Sayings of EpictetusVol. 2
- p. 155–156The untaught is a child in life, as the unlettered in learning.read · scan
Sir Thomas More, UtopiaVol. 36
- p. 179Daily early lectures are open to all, and leisure is used for learning and improvement.read · scan
Benvenuto Cellini, The Autobiography of Benvenuto CelliniVol. 31
- p. 62Luigi keeps up his studies during his cure, and Cellini provides him with books.read · scan
Francis Bacon, Essays, Civil and MoralVol. 3
- p. 98–99Youth is more pliant in tongue and limbs; late learners take the ply poorly; company, example and emulation strengthen custom.read · scan
Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, Philaster, or Love Lies A-BleedingVol. 47
- p. 682–684Bellario asks to be instructed and corrected rather than dismissed, expecting age and experience to adorn his mind.read · scan
Izaak Walton, The Life of Dr. John DonneVol. 15
- p. 356–357Lifelong learning and methodical study of fathers, law and public affairs.read · scan
John Milton, AreopagiticaVol. 3
- p. 210Those born to study love learning for itself, for God and truth, not lucre; a man should not remain under a tutor's rod.read · scan
John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's ProgressVol. 15
- p. 270–271Gracious old men are best able to advise the young, having seen the emptiness of things.read · scan
Jonathan Swift, A Letter of Advice to a Young PoetVol. 27
- p. 104Swift advises a young student on his studies, and laments his own neglect of poetry in the years best for improvement.read · scan
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Hermann and DorotheaVol. 19
- p. 401–402The pastor advises pointing out the value of ripe age to the young and of youth to the old.read · scan
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Introduction to the PropyläenVol. 39
- p. 251–252Youth thinks he can quickly enter the sanctuary of art, but the mature man still stands in the outer court; culture develops slowly, owed to the Greeks.read · scan
- p. 253–254The author wishes to spare youth the circuitous paths on which he strayed and share thoughts with the young.read · scan
William Ellery Channing, On the Elevation of the Laboring ClassesVol. 28
- p. 323–324Every man is a student; nature, scripture, society and life offer subjects for thought beyond books.read · scan
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Household TalesVol. 17
- p. 184He returns to high school with the leftover money to learn more.read · scan
Thomas Carlyle, CharacteristicsVol. 25
- p. 350Man's task is to be apprentice and workman, scholar, teacher, discoverer.read · scan
Robert Browning, PoemsVol. 42
- p. 1083–1084A scholar masters books and learning, insisting on knowing everything before beginning to live.read · scan
- p. 1085Devotion to studies and preparation before living is praised and questioned.read · scan
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