Outline
Purpose: The purpose of this collection is for the author to express his thoughts about teachers and children. The main idea of the author is to show us how there is education from nature and we cannot control it. There are many things in life that we need to allow children to learn on their own and not try to force them, and if we allow this and only concentrate on what it is that we can change, then the child will reach their potential.
Issues: One of the main issues in this collection of the author’s thoughts is to know whether something is true or false. He says that things from God are good, but man meddles with these godly things and they then become evil.
Let people learn on their own and gain experience for themselves.
There is education by nature, men, and things and we can only control a small part of this, but the one thing that we have absolutely no control over is the education by nature.
Conclusion: Everything we lack at birth is a gift given to us called education and if we try to control the education from nature then we limit our potential.
Doctrine/Principles/Tools
Doctrine: Know whether something is true or false.
Principle: Fewer contradictions in the man.
Principle: Man meddles with Godly things and they then become evil.
Tool: Follow exactly the established method rather than adopting a better method by halves.
Tool: Follow the method established by God.
Doctrine: At birth we are weak, helpless, and foolish, but we can be made strong.
Principle: Everything that we lack at birth is the gift of education.
Tool: Education of nature, men, and things to help us become strong.
Doctrine: We are taught by three masters; nature, men, and things.
Principle: If their teaching conflicts, the scholar is ill-educated and will never be at peace with himself.
Principle: If their teaching agrees, he goes straight to his goal, he lives at peace with himself, he is well-educated.
Principle: Education of nature is beyond our control.
Tool: Assure yourself that the three masters of teaching agree with each other.
Tool: Train man for himself instead of for others.
Doctrine: We become conscious of our sensations and we tend to seek or shun the things that cause them.
Principle: We are born sensitive and from our birth onwards we are affected in various ways by our environment.
Tool: Don’t hinder the growth of our strengths by forming prejudices.
Tool: Train man for himself instead of for others.
Doctrine: Train a man.
Principle: Remove his self-contradictions.
Tools: See the man full-grown; note his inclinations, watch his progress, follow his steps. Really know the natural man.
Doctrine: Be a good tutor.
Principle: Be a father or more than a man.
Tool: Should not take up his task for reward.
Doctrine: We are born capable of learning, but knowing nothing.
Principle: Each child has a potential that they can reach.
Principle: The only habit the child should be allowed to contract is that of having no habits.
Tool: Do not constrain the education of nature which is the natural growth of a person.