Jean Jacques Rousseau

Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)

Rousseau was western philosopher.

Rousseau was born in Geneva Switzerland on June 28^th 1712.

Rousseau’s school tradition has been social contract theory, political philosophy, music, his main interest are education, literature and autobiography.

He describes him self as a citizen of Geneva throughout his life. His mother Susanne Bernard Rousseau had died in nine days after his berth. And his father abandoned him in 1722 to avoid imprisonment.

In Rousseau’s childhood, he often read in the tranquility of a public garden- which he later describes as the most serene part of growing up.

Rousseau left Geneva, March 14, 1728. He met Francoise-Louise De Warens, a French catholic bareness, who later became his lover.

From 1743 to 1744 he was secretary to the French ambassador in Venice.

When he returned to Paris he lived with Therese Levasseur a semi-literate seamstress, they have had five children which they were deposited at an orphanage soon after the birth and would most likely have perished soon afterwards as the mortality rate for such children became a source of embarrassment once he became known as a theorist of education and child-rearing. In his defense, Rousseau explained that he would have been a poor father, and that the children would have a better life ate the foulding home.

In 1759 Rousseau had won the first prize in a contest and gained him significant fame. That was by answering a question in the negative “Discourse in the art and sciences’ the competition which was sponsored by the Academic de Dijon.

He has continued his interest in music and in 1752 his opera Le Devin du village was performed for King Louis XV.

In 1762 he published two major books, “Literally of the social contract, Principles of political Right. And “Emile” Rousseau set out his views on education, in ‘Emile.

The aim of education Rousseau says is to learn how to live righteously.

The growth of a child divided in to 3 sections.

1. To the age about 12 children live like animals

2. From 12 – 16 starts to develop

3. 16 onwards, child develops in to an adult.

Rousseau was a naturalist and believed that the child should be allowed to grow close to nature and he should be given the right to think in his own way.

· Rousseau believed that the child is a child and not a small adult. He also stressed that childhood is a crucial period in life.

· Rousseau also believed that the child should learn from nature and the child should not be forced to do things. He further says that the “education” comes from nature, from men and from things.

· Rousseau was the first to give the child his rightful place. And he was renowned as the liberator of the child.

He points out 4 stages in the pupil’s development.

Infancy characterized by habit and the training of emotions.

Childhood characterized by the necessity and the training of senses.

Boyhood characterized by utility and the training of the intellect.

Adolescences the stage of morality.

Rousseau views on education are very similar to Mahatma Gandhi and Pestalozzi who upheld the total development of the child.

He said that our teachers are our feet, hands and eyes.

He also points out the importance of the physical exercises.

“Give his body constant exercise make it strong and healthy in orders to make him good and wise”, let him work, let him do things. Let him run and shout. Let him be always on the go, make a man of strength he will be a man of reason”.

He also recommended the heuristic method, a method of discovery. He said “let them learn nothing from books which they can learn from experience. He introduced the “play way”.

Work or plays are all one to him, his games are his work, and ho knows no difference.

He thoroughly believed that children should never receive punishment, and they should learn the natural consequences of their fault.

He also gives prominence that the child should be trained to be self reliant.