Week 2 Content Pnrs and Phil

Learning Resources

Required Resources

• Online Reading: Week 2 Online Reading (PDF) 
  To open this document, you will need the free Adobe® Reader® software.

• Web Site: John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education, 1693
  http://www.bartleby.com/37/1/15.html
  Read Sections 148–154. (Click on “Next” to continue reading from #150 to #151.)

Optional Resources

• John Locke

• • Web Site: An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
    http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/publications/locke_understanding.html

  • Web Site: Second Treatise of Civil Government, 1690
    http://www.constitution.org/jl/2ndtreat.htm

• Horace Mann

• • Web Site: Horace Mann Reports to the Massachusetts Board of Education, 1840
    http://www.wadsworth.com/history_d/templates/student_resources/0030724791_ayers/sources/ch11/11.4.mann.html
    From Third Annual Report of the Board of Education Together with the Third Annual Report of the Secretary of the Board. Boston: Dutton and Wentworth, State Printers, 1840, p. 35, 93–100.

• Jane Addams

• • Web Site: Twenty Years at Hull-House
    http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/addams/hullhouse/hullhouse.html
    From the Build-A-Book Initiative, A Celebration of Women Writers, New York: The Macmillan Company, 1912

  • Web Site: Jane Addams Hull-House Museum
    http://www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull/hull_house.html

• Paulo Freire

• • Web Site: Chapter 1 of Pedagogy of the Oppressed
    http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/philosophy/education/freire/freire-1.html
    New York: Continuum Books, 1993

  • Web Site: Chapter 2 of Pedagogy of the Oppressed
    http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/philosophy/education/freire/freire-2.html
    New York: Continuum Books, 1993

Content Review

1. In his book Some Thoughts Concerning Education, John Locke suggested ways that reading might be introduced to young children. In Section 150 of the book, Locke wrote, “Contrivances might be made to teach children to read, whilst they thought they were only playing.” Explain what Locke meant by this, basing your thinking on examples from the reading. Then, discuss whether you agree disagree with Locke and why.

2. Jane Addams “foresaw a compassionate, interdependent world revolving around the principles of social justice, fairness, tolerance, respect, equal opportunity, civic responsibility and hope for every individual, family and community” (http://www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull/_learn/_abouthullhouse/abouthullhouse.html). To that end, she founded Hull House in 1889, where she instituted numerous innovative educational opportunities for people living in poverty. Describe two of these innovations that you believe have had the greatest impact on communities and/or education today, and explain why.

3. This week, you learned about Paulo Freire’s thoughts on oppressive educational attitudes and practices. In your own words, analyze Freire’s philosophy with regard to how education can liberate the oppressed.