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Johann Friedrich Herbart - A Study In Pedagogics
Johann Friedrich Herbart - A Study In Pedagogics Author:A. M. Williams Preface. The article on Herbart in Reins Enc klap discAes HnndbucA der Padagogiik is supplied with references and a bibliography on a scale by which one can measure the greatness of Herbarts influence. Potent as that now is, it took some time to declare itself. Seventy years have passed since the death of the teacher-philosopher, and his General... more » Pedagogy was published more than a century since but it is only within the last forty years that his doctrines have become popular even in Germany, while twenty years ago his name was hardly known among English-speaking peoples. At Jena, since r 88 5, rR. ein h8s bein the centre of a Herbartian propaganda, and has attracted teachers from all parts of the world, among them a considerable number of American, a smaller number of English, a still smaller number of Scottish, teachers. An illustration of the way. in which Herbartianism has spread is afforded in the writings of M. Gabriel Compayrk. In his History of Pedagogy, first published in I 879, he made no attempt to expound the ideas of Herbart, contenting himself with one or two general observations on the emphasis laid by Herbart on the connection between psychology and pedagogy. By 1906 the spread of the new teaching led him to devote a monograph to Herbart, and thereby to introduce to his countrymen a great teacher whom they were ignorant of, while the rest of the world was eagerly studying and applying his doctrines. In the United States Herbartianism is the fashionable pedagogy, although already, to a certain extent, it is being countered by the influence of Dewey. In this country it has enthusiastic disciples, but it has to struggle against opposition to its philosophic groundwork and to its conception of how character can be built up. It is prejudiced also by misunderstandings as to what Herbart means by interest and instruction, and as to his position towards habit and training. Moreover, his realistic account of the growth of mind is repugnant to some who turn with more appreciation to Hegel, whose influence in education is beginning to be felt both in the United States and here. This little volume offers in brief an account of Herbarts views on the theory and practice of education, and of the way in which these are related to his philosophy. It is meant to serve as an introduction to fuller study of a great subject. The gradual spread of Herbartianism makes it imperative that teachers and others interested in education should understand what it means. Cornpayre is convinced it will last and proceed still further that a day will arrive when there will be found in other lands besides Switzerland and Germany, even in the village schools, hard-working teachers who have recourse to Herbart for safe guidance, or at least for suggestive inspiration, fitted to sustain them in practical teaching. A movement like this must be examined with care by those responsible for education. For the teacher it is still more important to learn that underlying all his work is a theory of man and of life. To Herbart this is a vital truth. To him education is not a trade like other trades it is a sacred mission . To feel this is to make one diffident of ones sufficiency for a calling so lofty and so exacting. Yet without such a feeling how can one sustain the daily toil and the many disappointments of the schoolroom Herbart seems specially worthy of attention just because he regards the teacher as a living epistle as well as a prepotent influence. Really to believe this, and to labour to realize it, is to find in teaching one of the noblest and most fascinating pursuits. Page - 7 JOHANN FRIEDRICH HERBART Herbart is one of a notable triad who found in philosophy the groundwork of a theory and practice of education...« less