IDEALISM
Idealist is born out of Plato’s theory of ideas. Man has two facets- spiritual and material. When the emphasis is on the realization of spiritual life, it is called idealism. An idealist does not have considerations for material values of life. He believes that material or physical universe is not complete expression of reality. Idealist claims that this reality is spiritual in nature rather than physical, mental rather than material.
To the idealist, man is a spiritual being who exercises free will and is responsible for his action.
Because man is free and spiritual, his essence eludes us if we study him simply as an object.
CHIEF EXPONENTS OF IDEALISM:
Idealism as a school of philosophy is represented by Plato, Barkley, Fitch, Hegel, Kant, Froebel. Socrates, Aurobindo Ghosh, Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi.
IDEALISM AND EDUCATION:
following are the aims as advocated by idealists.
- Self realization or exaltation of personality: it involves full knowledge of the self. It means to fulfil one’s individual nature in all its aspects. The highest potentialities of self must be realised in a social and cultural environment provided by the home and school.
- Development of intelligence and rationality: according to idealists there is a purpose in all objects and natural phenomena. The universe is planned and organised. Education should aim at helping the pupil to direct his efforts towards understanding these laws. Out of these principles the idealists lay greater importance on the principle of unity in diversity. Highly developed mind can understand these principles.
- Education for all: idealists hold that every human being must receive a chance to get education. They believe in universal education. However according to Plato education should be imparted according to the needs of the individuals being educated. He recommended that
- Slow learners have to be educated and trained for the job market.
- Average learners for the specialist’s job.
- The very bright students may be provided higher education.
- Cultivation of moral values: it is related to two aspects
- Duties to self: cleanliness, punctuality, regularity, self control. Desire to work hard, sincerity and perseverance etc.
- . Duties to others: virtues of modesty, respect for the opinion of others, cooperativeness, liberty and generosity.
- Idealism and curriculum: according to idealists education must make available to each child vivid acquaintance with the created order of God, human history, cultural and spiritual heritage. Plato advocated that
- Languages, history, literature, geography. Maths, astronomy, science etc should
be taught for intellectual development.
- ii. Arts and poetry fir aesthetic development.
iii. Athletics for physical development.
- Religion, philosophy, ethics for moral development.
- Idealism and methods of teaching: no single method has been advocated by the idealists as important method.
– Frobel insisted upon play way method.
– Socrates used discussion method
– Plato advocated lecture method
– Aristotle emphasised inductive and deductive method. Inductive means concrete to abstract, particular to general and deductive is the reverse of it i.e. from general to particular.
- Idealism and the discipline: Frobel believes that control over the child is to be exercised through knowledge of his interests and expression of love and sympathy.
– Idealists attach importance to impressionistic discipline which emphasised the importance of teacher in guiding the students.
– With due freedom, the idealists believe in strict discipline. The students are required to submit to the laws and regulations. It is through hard and rigorous life they will learn higher values is the opinion of idealists.
- Idealism and the teacher: ideal personality is exclusively the product of teacher’s efforts. In the words of Ross “the educator constitutes the special environmental factors whose function is to lead the child nearer reality, to guide him towards his utmost possible function.
– to the idealists the school is a garden, the educand a tender plant and the educator the careful Gardner.