Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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INTRODUCTION
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
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After going through all the lectures, reading selected further r eadin g and finishing lecture
activities, you should be able to:
• Define education
• Define philosoph y
• Describe Kenya’s national philosophy.
• Describe Kenya’s philosophy of education
• Describe th e categories o f philosophy.
• Discuss the branches of philosophy.
• Explain the relationship between philosoph y and education.
• Describe philosophies of different philosophers and their contributions to ECDE
• List the social aims of education.
• Describe th e role of society in ECDE.
• Define socialization.
• Explain the role of family in socialization of children
• Describe th e concept of the child from the African contex t
• Explain the relationship between society and education.
LECTURE ONE
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DE FINITION OF TERMS
1.1 Introduction
In this lecture we shall define important terms used in this module to make understanding
easy.
1.3 Education
What is Education?
• The word education is derived from a Latin word “educare” meaning “lead to.” Thus,
education means to lead an individual to knowledge.
• Webster Dictionary defines education as the process of educating or teaching.
• Socrates a Greek Philosopher says that education is about drawing out what is already in a
child.
• The Penguin encyclopedia (1965) d escribes education as a process by which material,
mental, and cultural inheritance of a society is transmitted to each new generation.
• Oluoch (1982) defines education as a process of acquiring and developing desirable
knowledge, skills and attitudes.
• According to Dewey (1 961) education is the development of all those capacities in the
individual which will enable him to control the environment and fulfill his/her destiny.
1.4.1 Aims
Sometimes people use the term aims to mean goals or objectives. If you will ask someone
what is an aim? He or she will say it is a goal. What is a goal? It is an objective. What is an
objective? It is an aim. The cycle will continue.
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So are aims, goals and objectives the same? The answer is No. The three are targets. They
are like three sisters who may appear the same but are not the same. There are differences
among the terms, and it’s very important to distinguish them.
Examples of goals are the national goals of education in Kenya. The goals are:
•To foster nationalism, patriotism and promote national unity.
•To promote the social economic, technological and industrial needs for national
development.
•To promote individual development and self-fulfillment.
•To promote sound social equality and responsibility.
•To promote sound religious values.
•To promote respect for and development of Kenya’s rich and varied cultures.
•To promote international consciousness and foster positive attitudes towards other
nations.
•To promote positive attitudes, good h ealth and en vironmental protection.
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1.4.3 Objectives
What are objectives?
• Objectives are immediate and shot –term targets.
• They are specific outcomes.
• Objectives are statements about the outcomes of learning activities.
• They are target which describes the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be acquired.
General objectives are stated in general terms. The objectives describe how a child should
look like by the end of pre-primary school education. Managers or teachers who have a
clear understanding of what they are supposed to achieve will easily achieve them
compared to those who do not have a clear understanding. This is to say that a person who
knows where he is going will easily reach there compared to a person who doesn’t know.
Examples of objectives are the objectives of Social studies in ECDE Kenya. The
objectives ar e:
•To familiarize with the surrounding environment.
•To appreciate the surrou nding environment and cultural heritage, and hence conserve
them.
•To use things found with in the surrounding p roperly.
•To develop observation and discovery skills.
Learning Activities
Distinguish between:
(i) Aims and go als.
(ii) Goals and objectives
1.5. Curriculum
• Cunningham (1888) says, “Curriculum is a tool in the hands of artist (teacher) to mould
his material (pupil) according to his ideals (aims, goals and objectives) in his studio
(school).
• Saylor (1988) says that curriculum is “A plan for providing sets of learning opportunities
for persons to be educated.
• Pratt (1988) “cu rriculum is organized set of formal educational or training –intentions”.
• Wiles (1988) Views “curriculum as a plan for learning where b y objectives determine
what learning is important”.
• Macdonald (1988) defines curriculum as a plan for action that is a plan which guides
instruction.
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• Shepherd (1988) “the cu rriculum consists of on going experiences of children under the
guidance of the school”.
• Eisner (1988) points out that “curriculum is a programme a school offers to its students.”
Thus, on the basis of above definitions, one may conclude that curriculum refers to all
activities and experiences that we plan and organize for children inside and outside school for
realizing the aims and goals of education.
1.6 Foundation
A foundation is a base on which something is built. Education is built on some foundations.
The foundations influence aspects of education. The foundations of education are historical,
philosophical, sociological, and psychological foundations.
1.7 Philosophy
What is philosophy?
•It is a set o f beliefs, religious or secular in accordance with which one tries to live.
•The term philosophy has been derived from two Greek words “ philos” meaning,
“love” and “Sophia” meaning “ wisdom”. Philosophy therefore means the love of
wisdom.
1.8 Sociology
•The term sociolog y consists of two words: “Societus” a latin word which means
companion or “associate” and “lagos” which means stud y or science. Thus sociology
means the study of society.
•Max Weber defined sociology as a science which interprets social behaviour with the
aim of arrivin g at a casual explanation of human behaviour.
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CHAPTER TWO
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Ken ya’s national philosophy defines our country’s political, economic, social and cultural
values and lays down the values that are to be pursued for th e development and enhancement
of quality life. Ou r country’s national philosophy was formulated after independence. The
philosophical basis of the Kenyan society includes the overall objective of achieving social
justice that is;
• Freedom from want
• Freedom from ignorance
• Freedom from disease
• Human dignity
• Freedom of conscience
• equal opportunities for all citizens
• Equal distribution of national income.
At the time of independence and today the majorities of Kenyans were and are in chains of
poverty, ignorance and disease, education was meant and is still meant to free Ken yans from the
chains of poverty, ignorance, and disease.
The Nyayo philosophy enhances ethical and moral foundations of democratic African socialism.
The concept of peace, lo ve, and unity emphasise the traditional subordination of self-interest and
the view that selfishness, arrogance and lack of humility are anti-social in the African traditional
society.
The tree tenets of Nyayo philosoph y (peace, love and unity) provide the foundations of
development:
•Peace. Where there is peace, there is stability and discipline resulting in investments,
enterprise and progress.
•Love. Where there is love, there is trust and readiness to work with others, learn from them
and contribute to the cause of nationhood.
•Unity. Where there is unity, there is strength rooted in the understanding of a common
purpose, loyalty, patriotism and mutual dependence.
The pr esidential working party on education and manpower training for the next decade and
beyond’ also known as the Kamunge Commission was formed in August 1985 and presented its
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report in March 1988. Th e main objective of the commission was to review the national education
and training for the next decade and beyond and to make recommendations for improving
education and training in Kenya.
The Kamunge commission recommended that the harambee spirit as a traditional African concept
for development and the Nyayo philosophy of peace, love and unity as foundations for
development should be part of national edu cation.
The Kamunge commission also recommended that the concepts and practices of the harambee
spirit and the Nyayo philosophy be incorporated in national curricula and taught at all levels of
education.
2.3.3 Internationalism
Ken ya’s n ational philosophy also embodies the acceptance of the spirit of internationalism as
enshrined in the United Nations Charter. This is important in the global world. National
development and survival depend on the ability of a nation to relate and be able to work with
other nations and share ideas.
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•United nation. Kenya’s philosophy of education says that education should create a nation
united in purpose.
•Removal of social injustice. Education should remove social injustice and disparities between
sexes, regions, social and economic groups.
•Education should prepare and re-orientate the youth to realize and practice the norms and
values of the society.
Learning Activities
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LECTURE THREE
CATEGORIES OF PHILOSOPHIES
3.1 Introduction
In this lecture we are going to learn about categories of philosophies and how they
influence aims of education and other important aspects of education.
3.3 Monism.
The philosophy says that there is only one final reality. Monism has two branches:
Idealism and materialism. The bran ches are described as follows:
(i) Idealism.
It says that only ideas ar e real. The word idealism is derived from the word ideal or idea.
According to Oxford dictionary, idealism means representation of things in ideal form.
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Idealism is the oldest philosophical thought. The word idealism is derived from the words
‘ideal’ o r ‘idea’. The main subject of the philosoph y is ideas. According to this philosophy
the reality of everything lies in ideas, thought and mind and not in material things.
According to idealism the reality is inform of ideas in the mind of a person. The reality is
found in the mind of a person and not in the physical world. Idealism regards man as a
spiritual being.
Characteristics of Idealism:
• The reality is in the mind.
• Idealism beliefs in the universal mind and our minds are part of the mind.
• According to idealism, values are absolute unchanging. The prime aim of man is to
achieve the spiritual values.
• Really knowledge is in the mind.
• God is the source of all knowledge.
(ii) Materialism.
The philosophy says that only matter (materials) is real. Example of materialism
philosophy is naturalism. The philosophy says that only nature is real or the material
World.
Forms of naturalism:
1. Physical naturalism. It believes that reality does not exist within a person but outside
a person in the universe.
2. Mechanical naturalism. Regards man as a machine without a spirit and only matter is
real.
3. Biological naturalism . Talks about the evolution of man.
Characteristics of Naturalism:
•Only nature is real. This means that beyond nature there is no reality.
•The whole universe is made up of matter.
•Society is only artificial structure and was created by man to meet his needs.
•Laws of nature are superb and cannot be chan ged.
3.4 Pluralism.
It says that reality is not fixed. An example of p luralism philosophy is p ragmatism. The
word pragmatism is derived from a Greek word which means active and efficient.
According to pragmatism the reality is in the process of making and there is no final truth.
The truth is utility. A pragmatist lives in the world of facts.
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3.5 Philosophy and Targets Education.
Curriculum is the design of education. Through it, the designed behavioral changes are
sought to be achieved to attain the goals in life and aims of education. It is philosophy
which decides why a particular subject and activities should be included in a curriculum.
Curriculum is the means through which we realize the aims of education.
Curriculum takes its direction from the overall philosophy of the school or programme. For
instance beliefs about how children learn will have an impact on curriculum.
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•Meets needs of life. Curriculum is designed to meet the needs of life and not of the
child.
•Importance of ideas. Idealist while developing curriculum give mor e importance to
ideas than the activities of the child.
•Curriculum concerned with the whole humanity. Idealist curriculum is for the whole
humanity and not the child only.
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Philosoph y also influences methods of teaching. Philosophy determines the methods of
teaching. Different philo sophical approaches r ecommends different methods of teaching.
Roles of a teacher:
According to idealism the performs the following roles:
• A spiritual guide of the child.
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• A living model for the child.
• A stage setter. He sets the environment in which education takes place.
• A symbol of right conduct.
Roles of a teacher:
According to naturalism the teacher performs the following roles:
• An observer. In a naturalistic system of education the teacher plays the role of an
observer.
• A facilitator. The teacher’s role is to facilitate the process of the child’s growth and
development. The teacher also facilitates learning. The teacher only supplies
materials and provides learning op portunities under which learning takes place.
• A stage setter. He sets the environment in which education takes place.
• A symbol of right condu ct.
Roles of a teacher :
According to pragmatism the teacher performs the following roles:
•Resource person.
•A stage setter. He sets the environment in which education takes place.
•A friend of the child.
•A helper of the child. Th e teacher assists the learner when he is in difficulty or when he
needs help.
•A facilitator. The teacher prepares the environment for children to grow, develop and
learn. The teacher provides variety of activities for children to do.
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•Importance of adult discipline. According to idealism adults should discipline children
because it helps children to develop self- discipline.
•Beliefs adults should discipline children and set rules and regulations to be followed by
children.
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LECTURE FOUR
BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
4.1 Introduction
In ch apter one, we learned that philosophy is a system of beliefs about reality and one’s view
of the world. Philosophy en ables man to understand the world and the truth. The branches of
philosophy are:
i) Metaphysics (study of th e nature of reality)
ii) Ethics ( Ideal conduct)
iii) Esthetics (Ideal beauty).
iv) Logic (Ideal reasoning).
v) Politics (Ideal o rganization)
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4.2 Lecture Objectives
By the end o f this lecture you should be able to:
•State the branches of philosophy.
•List the braches of metaphysics.
•Define knowled ge.
•Describe th e forms of knowledge.
•State the sources of knowledge.
•Define ethics.
•Describe th e types of ethics.
•Explain how to develop morals in children.
•State the components of ethics.
•Explain the importance of ethics to children.
•Define esth etics.
•Define lo gic
•Explain the importance of logic.
4.3 Metaphysics.
What is metaphysics?
• It originates from two terms, “meta” which “means beyond” and “physics” meaning
“nature”. Thus metaph ysics is the study of issues that goes beyond nature.
• It is the branch of philosoph y, which deals with nature of existence, reality and knowledge.
It explains the world around us and enables us to understand the reality.
(a) Cosmology
It is derived from two words “cosmos”, which means “universe” and “logia” meaning
“study”. Thus cosmology means study of the universe. Theories explain the origin of the
universe. The Creation theory says that God created the universe. The Big – bang theory says
that the universe
came up as a result of accident collision of various elements and particles. The evolution
theory
says that the universe evolved. Learners should critically read the theories.
(b) Theology.
It is the stud y of God and other foundations of religious beliefs. It focuses on religious
concepts and beliefs.
This is the study of the relationship between the spirit, soul and the body. It focuses on the
mind and raises question s regarding the relationship between the mind and the body.
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our physical bodies, but a non- material domain in which the various goods exist as ideas,
perfect in details and unchanging for all times. He further says that ideas have a real existence
and are things even though they cannot be seen by the eye or h eld in the hand.
e) Epistemology.
What is Epistemology? It originates from two words “episteme” which means “knowledge”
and “Lo gia” meaning to stud y. Epistemology is th erefore, the study of knowledge and how we
acquire knowled ge. It answers the questions, what is knowledge and how do we know?”
epistemology deals with the nature, source and validity of knowled ge.
Epistemology is the study of theories of knowledge which philosophers employ to explain the
nature of knowledge.
What is knowledge?
Knowled ge is justified true belief.
In formation must meet the following three conditions to qualify to b e called knowledge. The
conditions are:
• Belief conditions. Belief is a conviction or psychological state that something is true or
false.
• Truth condition. Truth means that the information or activity is in accordance with reality
or fact. For example mobile is a mobile if its functioning.
• Evidence condition. Evidence refers to the justification given to satisfy the claim. For
example due to refractio n, a stick when put in water it will appear bent.
Forms of knowledge.
1. Empirical (Scientific) knowledge. Knowledge obtained by human senses. Valid and
reliable knowledge obtained through our senses and arrived at through the process of
observation, measurement and experimentation.
2. Rational knowledge. Information obtained from human reasoning. It is arrived at through
the process of indu ctive and deductive reasonin g.
3. Spiritual (revealed) knowledge obtained from divine source.
4. Ethical knowledge. Knowledge about morals.
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ii) Earth- centered philosophies.
The earth centered philosophies, which include naturalism, picture the earth as a good place, a
place that is worth knowing and cultivating for our own good. Aristotle (Greek philosopher)
was a strong supporter of the earth- centered philosophies. He believed this world constitutes
the genuine realm of existence. He also says that the universe is made up of two b asic
ingredients:
Supporters of the earth- centered philosophies propose earth- centered curriculum. They say
that since good life depends on knowledge of the laws of nature, then scientific subjects are
the ones to be taught in schools. Science subjects will enable children to learn about the
realities of life. According to earth- centred philosophies children acquire knowledge by
discoverin g the knowled ge through their senses.
Pragmatism believes that the otherworld is vague and inaccessible. They say that all we really
world, is the physical world in which we live in. Pragmatists believe that reality is still in the
making. According to pragmatists the reality is experience because it is all we can hope to
know and not a thing.
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Summary
Why do we learn ethics? We learn ethics so that we can know how to live successful and
happy lives. In ethics we learn important v alues which regulate our behaviour. Ethics and
morals are like two sides of the same coin. Ethics is the theory side while morals is practical
part. Ethics talks about the right actions, while morals indicate their practice.
Types of Ethics
Morality
What is morality? Morality is a guide to living. It guides people in a society on how to live.
Morality helps people to know wh at to do. A person may use trial and error or follow
morality. Morality h elps a person to choose rationally among values. Values are standards of
behaviour. They help us to know how to behave in different situations.
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Morality consists of defined rules of behaviour for example: Do not steal, do not murder, do
not commit adultery etc. The work of teachers and parents is to develop good character in
children and to help them to obey. Teachers should help children to understand the need for
rules and regulations. To understand that rules and regulations are for their good. Teachers
should also help children to understand that if they break rules they will suffer the
consequences. The consequences may be good or bad. Teachers should help children to learn
to weigh the consequences of their actions. The moral conduct is determined by a cost-benefit
analysis of the action’s consequences. In proper behaviour costs or conseq uences weigh less.
Discipline
One of the first lessons a child should learn early in life is the lesson of obedience. B efore he
is old enough to reason, he should be taught to obey. By gentle, persistent effort, the habit
should be established. This will prevent conflicts that will occur between the will and
authority that will produce bitterness towards parents and teachers and resistance of all
authority, human and divine.
Development of Morals
The components of ethics are concerned with moral standards, conduct, values and principles.
(a) Meta-ethics.
The word ‘meta’ is a Greek word which means ‘beyond’. Meta-ethics is the study of the
origin and meaning of ethical concepts. Meta-ethics explains why conducts, behaviour and
principles occur as they do.
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(c) Descriptive ethics.
It is an approach to ethics which examines the choices made by individuals or groups. The
study of descriptive ethics include: Aesthetics, etiquette, arbitration and observed choices.
Aesthetics is the basis of ethics which is developed through art. It influences an individual’s
ethical choices. The choices may b e good or bad like stealing. Etiquette refers to manners.
Arbitration is about having two things which are both right and one is supposed to choose one
when an individual needs both. Observed choice refers to decisions made by ordinary people
without other people’s help for example when voting, buying something or when deciding
what is right and wron g.
• Children need knowledge about ethics. Our children are growing without ethics.
• Need to learn how to behave. Ethics helps children to learn how to behave so that they
can be acceptable members of their society.
• To help them to understand their duties like taking care of the environment.
• To learn to make priorities. Ethics helps children to learn to weigh situations both
positive and negative.
• Learn to make right decisions. This is because ethics is the study of good or bad, right
or wrong.
• Character development. Children will develop important character traits like honesty,
love, and tolerance.
• Develop God f earin g p eople. Ethics help children to learn to fear God.
• To develop a good society. Children are members of a society. Good children will
mean good members of a society.
What is art?
• Art is a recreation of reality.
• Art is everything.
Its purpose is to concretize an abstraction to bring idea or emotion within the grasp of the
observer. Art brings co mplex abstractions closer to the perceptual level, enabling people
understand it. Art makes abstractions concrete. Art concretizes abstractions by creating an
instance of it. Art embody the abstractions b y creating an instance of it. It is this
characteristic that art tries to produce in a single concrete form. The result is an
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embodiment of abstraction. The product only retains what the artist deems important.
Since it consists of the essential aspects of the abstraction, and contains all of the
essentials, it allows the abstraction to be grasp ed directly as an entity.
What is logic?
•It is about how we think. It is the study o f correct and systematic reasoning. We reason
so that we may avoid ambiguity, false statement and so that we may communicate
correctly.
•It is a science of reasoning.
•It is the ord er of thinking from general to specific or specific to general.
•Lo gic is the way to think so that we come to correct conclusions.
Importance of logic.
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LECTURE FIVE
PHILOSOPHERS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECDE
5.1 Introduction
In the previous lesson we have learned about the branches of philosophy. In this lecture we
are going to learn about different philosophers and the contributions they made to early
childhood development and education. The philosophers to we shall learn about in this lecture
are; John Commenius, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, and Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi.
He was born in 1592 in America. He was a teacher, writer, bishop and philosopher, all in one.
Comenius believed that children learn by doing that is they learn to speak by speaking, learn
to read by reading, and learn to write b y writing. He also believed th at schools should be
places where children work.
i) He believed that children are like young plants, which can be planted, transplanted,
pruned and bent in any way without breaking. He further says that when it has become
a tree the processes are not possible.
ii) He believed that education of children should follow the order of nature that is the
timetable for growth and learning.
iii) Children should be taught when they are ready to learn. They should not be forced to
learn.
iv) All senses should be involved in the process of education (teaching and learning). He
says visible things to be brought to the sense of sight, audible before that of hearing
etc.
He was born in 1632 and died in 1704. He was a teacher and philosopher. He developed the
theory of environmentalism. Environmentalism is the belief that it is the environment and not
the innate characteristics in a person which determines what children became.
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His belief about children and mind.
• He believed th at when children are born their minds are blank. It is education, which fills
the
blank minds.
• Environment determines what children became an d not the innate characteristics
According to him it is the environment that forms the mind of the child.
• All children ar e born with the same capacity for mental development and learning.
Differences in learning, achievements, and behaviour are attributes to environmental
factors
Like home and f amily conditions, socioeconomic factors, early education, and
experiences. Some childr en when they come to school, they come with insufficient
experiences.
• Importance of sensory training. Children learn best when several senses are involved in
teaching and learning.
He was born in 1712 in Switzerland. He was a writer and naturalist. He b elieved that teachers
should understand the nature of children so that they can base their decisions on that
knowledge. The nature of children include: Children are active, inquisitive and always
exploring. Before him children were treated as miniature adults. He wrote a book called
“Emile” in which he talks about children and how they should be educated.
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Criticisms of Rousseau’s education for children.
1. Children were indiscipline due to uncontrolled freedom. The system relied on nature for
discipline.
2. Provided limited scope of ex periences due to shielding from adults.
3. Cognitive a ability was sacrificed at the expense of freedom.
4. Igno red the n ature of children.
He was born in Switzerland in 1746. He was a philosopher and teacher. He was greatly
influenced by Rousseau’s philosophy. He had a great interest in children. He was against
school practices of his time which encouraged rote learning. He established a school for
children where he integrated home life and vocation. His education consisted of three
elements: language, number work, and forms. He believed that schools should be child
centered and learning activities and experiences should be selected according to interests
and needs of children. He believed that informal education was insufficient for children and
they should be engaged in real and meaningful activities and education for children should
cater for the whole child.
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Differences between Rousseau’s and Pestallozzi’s ECE
• Rousseau’s never advocated for infant’s education while Pestallozzi did.
• Rousseau advocated for complete freedom of the child while Pestalozzi advocated for
controlled or limited freedom of the child.
• Rousseau was against books while Pestalozzi advocated for the use of books.
• Pestalozzi advocated for human interferen ce in the education of children while Rousseau
did not. Rousseau advocated return to nature and an approach to educating children called
naturalism. To Rousseau, naturalism meant abandoning society’s artificiality and
pretentiousness. A naturalistic education permits growth of the child without undue
interference or restrictions.
• Rousseau believed that the child should be trained or disciplined by nature while
Pestalozzi did not trust nature because nature failed to train his child to sp eak. By the age
of twelve his child could not speak.
• Pestalozzi believed the role of adults was important in the education of children while
Rousseau did not believe that the role of adults was important.
Methods of teaching
• Individualized instruction
• Observation. Children to observe real objects. Teachers to take children outside the
classrooms so that children can learn f rom nature.
• Sensory approach. All senses of the child should be involved in teaching and learning.
• Direct method. Providing firsthand experiences and real objects.
• Practical: Children to be trained how to do basic activities to equip them with life skills
like farmin g, housekeeping, cleaning, cooking.
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LECTURE SIX
PHILOSOPHERS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECDE
6.1 Introduction
In this lecture we are going to learn about Friendrich Wilhelm Froebel, John Dewey, and
Maria Montessori.
He was born in 1782 in German. He was teacher and philosopher. He was an idealist. He was
influenced by Rousseau’s and Pestalozzi’s ideas. He wanted to make children happy. He is the
founder of the modern kindergarten. “Kindergarten” means “garden for children”. According
to Froebel, children should be nurtured from an early age in a Kindergarden. He stressed on
the need for parents to meet the needs of children before joining Kindergarten. He believed
that every child had a specific purpose to fulfill in this life. He believed that a child was born
perfect and education should protect a child from evil influences in the en vironment. In 1837
he opened his kindergarten in an old mill in Blankernburg in German y. The kindergarten
formed a bridge between home and school. In the kindergarten teachers provided activities
which helped children to learn. Froebel believed in the importance of play. He believed
children learned through play and that unstructured play was dangerous. He instructed his
teachers to guide and direct children ’s play. He dev eloped materials for learning called
“gifts”.
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• He believed that for children to develop to the full and early childhood experiences are
very important because they influence the development of the child
• Gifts. Gifts wer e objects that were fixed in form for example blocks, balls, cubes,
cylinders and sticks. The materials were for the child’s self directed activities. They
allowed children to learn different concepts like shape, size, colour and concepts involved
in counting, measu ring, contrasting, and comparison.
• Occupations. Occupations were materials or things that children could shape or
manipulate for example clay, sand, beads and strings. Learning activities were meant to
develop various skills, like sewing with a sewin g board, drawing pictures by following
dots, modeling clay, cutting, strin ging beads, weav ing, pastin g and foldin g papers.
• Play. Many of the plays or games he developed were based on gifts. Through play
children developed fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination.
Role of schools
•Nurture children
•Protect children.
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•Provide needs of children.
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• To make a child socially efficient.
He did not belief in fixed aims of education. According to him aims of education is to
have more education. He says that aims of education should grow out of life situations.
Education should help in the harmonious development of the individual. He believes
education is a pro cess of living and not a preparation of future living.
She was born in Italy in 1870. She was the first woman in Italy to earn a doctorate degree in
medicine. She worked at the University of Rome. During her time people could not
distinguish between the mentally retarded children and the insane. She established a home for
poor children. Her work brought her into contact with children with special needs, the
mentally disabled children. While attending to the children, she realized that mental
deficiency was more of an educational problem than a medical problem and so it required
educational treatment. She believed that children should be treated with respect. To meet the
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needs of the children who were mentally retarded she developed methods of teaching the
children and succeeded in teaching mentally retarded children to read and write. They also
passed national examination ex ams like the normal children. She also discovered that her
methods could be applied to children who were not mentally retarded.
Montessori Curriculum
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• Comprehensive. The curriculum is comprehensive. It covers the following areas:
Mathematics: Topics covered included: counting, addition, multiplication, subtraction and
division.
Science: Topic covered includes: Observation, experimentation, exploration, , Language:
phonetics, letters, sounds, spellings, language skills, basic vocabulary, essay writing.
Social Studies: geo graphy, history, foods, World,
Music,
Art and Craft
Role of a teacher
• Observer. The teacher’s role is to observe the child in order to understand what he or she
needs.
• Helper. Th e teacher’s role is to help children to be useful members of a society.
• Design er. The teacher designs and develops learning materials.
• Guide. The teacher is a guide. Children are given opportunities to do activities they want
to do under the guidance of the teacher.
• Facilitator. The teacher provides appropriate environment for children to learn. The
teacher provides classroom environment where children respond to their natural drive to
learn. The teacher provides a safe, attractive and stimulating environment which
encourages growth, d evelopment and learning.
Activities:
1. Ex plain the disadvantages of the Montessori approach.
2. Explain the importance o f philosophy to ECDE teachers
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LECTURE SEVEN
SOCIOLOGY
7.1 Introduction
Educational sociology.
It is one of the branches of sociology. It is the study of the relationship between education
and society. Educational sociology applies sociological principles in education.
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• Curriculum should be flexible.
• Curriculum should be progressive.
• Curriculum should be co mmunity centred.
• Helps teachers to understand the society.
• Defines the roles of the teacher in the society for ex ample agent of social change.
• Helps the teacher to understand the needs of the society.
7.4 SOCIETY
Children grow, develop and learn within a social framework set up by the society. A good society
facilitates the growth and development of children .
Meaning of society
• According to oxford dictionary, a “society is a system whereb y people live together in
organized communities.”
• A society is a system of interrelationships, which connect individuals together. Culture exists
in a society and society cannot ex ist without culture. Without culture human beings will not
be human beings because we could have no language for expressing ourselves.
• Society is a collection of individuals who have organized themselves into distinct groups and
having things in common which enable them to belong. The things in common are the stuff
of which culture is made.
7.5 Culture.
What is culture?
Culture refers to the way of life of the members of the society, or of groups within a society. It
includes how they dress, their customs etc. it also includes the goods they create for example
houses, cars, computers etc.
Elements of culture
Culture has two elements.
•Material culture. It includes everything that we can see and touch for example food, chair,
car, houses, clothes, furniture etc.
•Non-material culture. It includes everything that we cannot see and touch for example
beliefs, education, law, r eligion etc.
Characteristics of culture
• Culture is cumulative. All elements of culture grow as a result of years of cumulating. Each
generation preserves the old and add something new.
• Culture is conservative. Culture is preserved by each generation.
• Culture is transitive. It is transmitted from one generation to another.
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• Culture changes. It is ever ch anging. It changes as society chan ges. Every generation adds
something new and modifies something. Our food habits and way of dressing are changing.
• Culture is material and non-material
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LECT URE EIGHT
VALUES
8.1 Introduction
8. 3 Meaning of values
Meaning of value.
According to Dewey (1961) the term value has two different meaning. On the one hand, it
donates the attitude of pricing a thing, finding it worthwhile, for its own sake or intrinsically.
Thus, value in this sense is to appreciate, but to value also means a distinctly intellectual act,
an operation of comparin g and evaluating.
Characteristics of values.
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The different social v alues include:
• Social conformity. Every person has to live according to the social norms fixed by the
society.
• Discipline. Ever y person should be self-disciplined.
• Social sensitivity. Ever y person should be socially sensitive.
• Social justice. Ever yone should be just.
• Fellow feelings. It in cludes charity, love, kindness and sympathy.
• Cleanliness. It is the second to godliness.
• Cooperation.
• Equality.
• Hard work.
(b) Moral values.
They ar e important in the lives of an individual. Morality is the base for good character.
The moral values include
Honesty, truthful, faithfulness, justice, self-con trol, and truthfulness.
(i) Social justice: freedom from want, ignorance and disease; human dign ity; freedom of
conscience; promotion of cultural heritage; eq ual opportunities for all citizens; and a
higher and growin g n ational income equitably distributed.
(ii) Peace.
The tree tenets of Nyayo philosophy (peace, love and unity) provide the practical
foundations of develop ment. For where there is peace, there is stability and discipline
resulting in investments, enterprise and progress.
(iii) Love.
Where there is love, there is trust and readiness to work with others, learn from them and
contribute to the cause of nationhood;
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(iv) Unity.
Where there is unity, there is strength rooted in the understandin g of a common purpose,
loyalty, patriotism and mutual dependen ce. It is important that the harambee spirit as a
traditional African concept for development and the Nyayo philosophy of peace, love and
unity as practical foundations for development should be an integral part of national
education and training programmes.
(v) Internationalism
Ken ya’s political philosoph y also embodies the acceptance of the spirit of internationalism
as enshrined in the United Nations Charter. This is important in the global world. National
development and survival depend on the ability of a nation to relate to other nations and
share ideas. Education and training should foster positive international understanding and
enable Kenyans to cope with various foreign influences and remain true Kenyans.
(vi) Nationalism
Education and training should prepare and equip Kenyans to be strongly nationalistic and
patriotic towards national independence, integrity and values. Education and training
should foster positive international understanding and enable Kenyans to cope with
various foreign influences and remain true Kenyans. Develop national cultural
programmes to educate and influence Ken yans and inculcate national values and ideals.
The Kamunge commission recommended that education and training should prepare
Ken yans to be nationalistic and patriotic towards national independence and values.
Values enable children to grow and develop well. Without values, there will be no holistic
development of children. Values make children important and valuable. The problems in our
society are signs that values are eroding. When we compare the present life situations in
Ken ya with the ones of the past, it is ver y sad experience. Everyone agrees that values have
and are eroding. There is evidence of erosion of values in every aspect of our society.
Different scenes also suggest indicates that values have eroded or are eroding. The scenes
include home scene, educational scene, social scene, religious scene and political scene. We
see injustice, abuse of human rights, misuse of power, and plunder. Because of erosion of in
our society the majority of people in Ken ya is living below the poverty line and is struggling
to survive. There is a crisis of character in our schools and institutions of high learning.
Everywhere there is also a sense of frustration and gloom. Majority of our people are poor.
Many p eople are unhappy and frustrated.
Why are values eroding? Erosion of values starts in the family. The erosion of values in Kenya
is because of erosion of values in the Kenyan families. Erosion of values does not start at the
community level o r national level. It starts at home. This is because good families make a good
society or nation. Corrupt families will make a go od society or home. If our nation is corrupt
or bad it means that our families are also bad.
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Many are asking wh y values are values eroding in social groups. To get the answer we must
consider ev erything and review everything with the motive of setting everything right.
i) Educational scene.
The educational scene can be seen in schools, colleges and universities.
All this is a sign of deteriorating values. The educational institutions are meant for the
betterment of individual consequently the society, but instead they are helping in creating
a bad social environment.
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iii) Home scene
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•Grapping of land.
•Cutting down of forests like the Mau forest and Karura forest.
•Poor people invading forests.
•Pollution of rivers and lakes. Dumping of waste in rivers and lakes.
•Air pollution.
• Reading story books. They should contain stories with moral lessons.
• Giving rewards to deserving children.
• Lectures b ased on moral values.
• Teaching by example. Provide good models.
• Use of appropriate instruction media to inculcate morals. E.g. films, televisions,
newspapers.
• Use of drama.
• Value oriented education should be made compulsory in all schools.
• Using morning assembly to inculcate values.
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LECTURE NINE
SOCIETY AND EDUCATION
9.1 Introduction
The kind of education our children receive determines the quality of our society. The values,
beliefs and norms of a society are maintained b y and p assed to the new generation by
making them part of our system of education. Education is the means of perpetuating and
improving society.
The social environment determines what will be the aims and goals of education.
Education should enable the child a useful member in the society.
One of the important goals of education is to transmit and preserve culture is the primary
task of a society’s educational system. In the sociological foundations, the curriculum
designer deals with:
•Values.
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•Social needs.
•Learn ers
The ideas of education system of any society are influenced by the culture of the society.
Schools are the agents of development. Schools should help children to realize their
potential.
From the community and the people who work in it children can learn about local forms
of transportation, food growing, processing and distribution, health services including the
role of doctors, nurses, hospitals, safety provisions such as fire and police departments,
communication facilities, radio and television, newspapers, telephone services and local
recreation facilities and museums children can visit an endless variety of appropriate
places throu gh field trips. Community professionals can be invited to visit your class and
share information and tools of their professions with children. The larger physical
environment provides a setting a worth ex ploring with children in your class.
Education should help children to develop feelings of self worth and competence.
Children will be well equipped for success if they are secure about themselves Sellf
understandin g comes from learning more about oneself, ones identity, uniqueness, body,
feelings, physical and emotional needs, likes and dislikes, skills and abilities, and self
care.
Schools exist and operate in society. Life in society influences schools and provides frame
work within the schools operates. Schools prepare children to fit in their society. Children
learn within a social frame work set up b y the society, its institutions and its established
value system. The ideas of education system of an y society are being influenced b y the
culture of the society. Schools are the agents of social growth and development. Schools
should help children to realize their potential and help them to attain their life goals. Society
exerts pressure on school which in turn influences the development to children.
Functions of schools.
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Society expects schools to transform culture. School curriculum is an instrument for
reconstructing, changin g and improving culture. Education helps the youths to
adjust to changes in their society and develop ways of dealing with problems.
iii. To develop the child. Development of an individual is the function of education.
Education socializes an individual. Education helps an individual to adjust to
different situations.
9.7 Family
A society consists of families. Before children learn about their community, they will learn
about family. Family pro vides rich learning opportunities.
Home is the foundation of a society. A home is a very important agency of education. A home
makes members of a family what they ar e. A good home produces good members. The well
being and prosperity of a society depends upon home influences. Every home has rules.
Parents should administer the home rules in wisdom and love and not with a rod of iron.
Children will respond with willing obedience to the rule of love. Parents should make
children’s lives happ y. C hildren need not only reproof and correction but also encouragement.
.
Functions of a family
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school for he child.” Parents should teach children to respect themselves and to love
God. They should also tech children to respect and obey God’s laws.
•Socializing the child. Children learn from elders. Home is an agent of socialization.
Home makes a child social being. Home modifies a child’s behaviour
•Teaches morals. Morality is a guide to living. It guides people in a society on how to
live. Morality helps people to know what to do. A person may use trial and error or
follow morality. Morality helps a person to choose rationally among values. Values
are stand ards of b ehavio ur. Elders teach children morals.
•Imparts education. Education of a child starts at home. Schools continue from where
the home has reached.
•Recreates. It is importan t for proper growth and development of children. The home
provides recreation facilities.
•Facilitates children’ development. Parents should ensure that home environment is
conducive for growth and development of children. Home environment should
facilitate the growth and development of childr en.
9.8 Community
Functions of Community
•Establishes schools and ECD centres.
•Provides conducive environment for learning.
•Sponsors feedin g pro gr ammes.
•Employs teachers and caregivers.
•Provides land for establishing ECD centres.
•Provides physical resour ces.
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LECTURE TEN
SOCIALISATION
10.1 Introduction
What is socialization?
• It is the process b y which an individual is adapted to his social environment and becomes
a recognized, cooperating and efficient member of society.
• It is the process b y which children learn the ways of their society and make the ways p art
of their person ality.
• It is the process b y which an individual learns the behaviours, values and expectations of
others that enable him to play his/her roles in society.
Thus socialization is the process of preparing a child to fit in his f amily, community and
society b y giving the child the right education (knowledge, skills and attitudes).
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• Partnership. Parents and teachers should work together.
• Provide group activities.
• Provide environment which promotes socialization
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REFERENCES
Durkhein, E. (1956). Edu cation and sociology. Illinois, USA: The Free Press.
Locke, J. (1884). Some thoughts concerning education, rev. ed. London: C. J. Day
& Sons.
Dewey, J. (1969). The schools and society, Chicago: University of Chikago Press.
Montessori, M. (1963). Education for a new world. Wheaton, IL: Theosoph ical
Press.
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Nordskog, E. J. (1960). Social Change. NY. McGr aw.
Read, K., Gardner, P. & Mahler, B. (1993). Early childhood programs. Harcourt
Brace Javanovich College Publishers.
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