Introduction:
“Naturalism is a
doctrine which separates nature from God, Subordinates spirit to matter and
sets up unchangeable laws as supreme”
Meaning of Naturalism:
Naturalism is
also termed as materialism. According to
this philosophy the basis of the world is matter. Mind is also a form of matter or an element
of matter or synthesis of both.
Naturalistic philosophy defined life in terms of material and chemical
laws and emphasizes the relationship between power, speed and matter as of the
nature of causal relationship. According
to naturalism only nature is everything nothing is before and beyond it.
Definition of Naturalism:
According to
J.S Ross “Naturalism is a term loosely applied in educational theory to systems
of training that are not dependent on schools and books but on the manipulation
of the actual life of the educated”.
Growth of Naturalism:
Naturalism is a
very old philosophy, yet the credit of introducing it into the realm of
education goes to the revolutionary changes in the eighteenth century. These
revolutionary ideas took their roots from the 13th and 14th
century as movements of reformation and Renaissance which often took the shape
of pietism, Realism, Puritanism and other reformatory movements. The main aim of all these movements was to
end absolutism in the field of religion and formalism in the social field.
Naturalism and Aims of
Education:
1. Self-Expression:
It is the main aim of education. It means giving the child full opportunity to
express or reveal his hidden capabilities and qualities.
2. Perfection of human Machine:
Mechanical naturalism suggests that education should aim at the
efficiency and perfection of human machine.
3. Preparation for struggle of life:
Biological Naturalists believe that life is a struggle, in which only
stronger living beings are successful.
Hence the aim of education should be to prepare the individual for the
struggle of life.
4. Development of Individuality:
According
to T.P. Nunn every individual possesses his individuality and
Special
traits. The aim of education should be
the development of his
Individuality
Forms and principles of
Naturalism:
Physical Naturalism:
It explains human
activities and experiences in terms of material objects and Natural laws. In other words physical Naturalism lays more
stress on the external material phenomena than the conscious human being.
Mechanical Naturalism:
According to this
Naturalism is a lifeless huge machine which gets its form through matter and
motion. In the movements of this machine
no mind or mental activity is required, nor any spiritual power is needed.
Biological Mechanism:
Biological
Naturalism is based upon the darwinian theory of evolution Man has evolved from
lower animals by a gradual process of development. Man is supreme product of this process of
evolution. The advocates of the school
uphold that heredity has a powerful influence on the nature and temperaments of
an individual human being.
Principles of
Naturalism:
·
The
universe is a huge machine. Man is also
a part of this machine and a complete machine in himself also.
·
Life
comes out of dead matter and is a sum total of physical and chemical reactions.
·
Man,
because of his own nature is the supreme creation of nature.
·
The
present life is the real life.
·
Reality
is of the external natural only.
·
Unchanging
laws of nature explain all the events and occurrences of the world.
Naturalism in
education:
In the field of
education, Naturalism means the development of child according to his inherent
nature.
Physical nature is
external and nature of the child is internal which means the basic instincts,
impulses, tendencies, capacities and other in born potentialities of the
child. According to Naturalism, the
external laws of nature should correspond and co-operate with the internal
nature of the child for his full natural development.
Characteristics of
Naturalistic education:
1. Back to nature:
Out of three
essential factors of education namely nature, man, and objects Naturalism gives
prime importance to nature. Hence, its
call is ‘Back of Nature’. According to
naturalists, the best teacher of the child is nature. Hence to develop the child according to his
nature, education should provide natural environmental.
2.
Education a natural necessity:
The naturalist regards education as a natural necessity. For them,
educational institutions are unwanted creation of mans superimposed upon
Nature.
3.
Education-development of the natural life:
According to Naturalistic thought,
education is a process of development of the natural life. As Monroe perceives it, “Education is the
process of developed into an enjoyable, rational harmoniously balanced, useful
and hence natural life”
4.
Freedom of the child:
It gives prominent place to the concept of freedom in the education of
the child.
5.
Child centered educational process:
Child occupies
the central and pivotal role in the Naturalism set-up. The
child’s nature is in the fore front which all other things such as
education, the books, the curriculum, the school, are in background.
Naturalism and methods
of teaching:
Discarding the
old system as stagnant Naturalism prescribed
·
Leaning
by doing
·
Learning
by experience
·
Learning
by play as the basis of teaching
To the
naturalists book reading is unpsychological.
The child engages himself in those activities and experiences. Which
appear to him interesting and joyful. He
does all learning by his own interest and effort as ‘emile’ of Rousseau used to
do.
The principle
advocated by Naturalists have brought
into being the modern methods of teaching which are;
1.
Observation method.
2.
Experimental method.
3.
Play way method
4.
Heuristic method
5.
Dalton method
6.
Montessori method
All these methods are self-learning methods and as such they are very
effective and purposeful.
Naturalism and Teacher:
Naturalists do not
like that children should be taught in classes by teachers who are spoiled by
the artificial atmosphere teacher, in whose close contact the child developes
normally and naturally. In the process
of education, the place of the child is more important and central than the teacher.
The teacher should not impose upon the child any things under his own authority
or supremacy.
Naturalism and
discipline:
Nature will
punish the child if he contravenes the law of nature and thus he will learn by
the consequences of his own action. Thus
nobody should interfere in this process of nature. The child should be allowed full freedom to
indulge in the activities of his choice.
The teacher should provide such experiences for free activity.
Natrualism and
curriculum:
1.
No rigid curriculum:
Naturalism does not advocate any rigid or
fixed type of curriculum. Child learns
best in a natural setting and nature is a grand book. Naturalistic curriculum is based upon the
psychology of child and gives maximum importance to the age and stage of his
development.
2. Sciences:
Idealists lay emphasis on the study of
humanities but naturalists believe in science subjects viz. Physics, Chemistry, Zoology and Botany. They also give due importance to Mathematics
and languages.
3. Focal point:
The focal point
in the curriculum construction is that the “text books and teaching should be
oriented towards science and scientific point of view science and scientific
point of view with simplicity ad objectivity as the watch wards and with
knowledge of relevant facts as the controlling aim”.
Naturalism and school:
The
organization of school is rigid, controlled and artificial and as such the
growth and development of children is stunted and spoiled. Thus they assert that school environment
should be completely free, flexible and without any rigidity.
Nature will do
all the planning and processing for the natural development of children.
Children are
given full freedom to plan their own thinking and activities according to their
own interests and natural tendencies.
These creative and self-creative activities go to develop the character
and the personality of the individual through self discipline and freedom to
experiment.
Evaluation of
naturalism:
One sided and unsatisfying aims of education;
The child will
become unsocial with no feeling of social service or social good. He will develop into a pure animal tendencies
are to be socialized through education, and then social environment is greatly
essential.
Emphasis on present needs;
Naturalism lays
stress on the solution of present needs and problems of an individual. It advocates no concern for spiritual values
and the remote future.
Ignores Books:
Naturalism
emphasizes that education of the child should be based on his activities and
life experiences. But only activities and experiences cannot ensure the total
development of the child’s personality.
More important to scientific subjects in curriculum:
Naturalism
emphasizes scientific education. Herbart
Spencer, a staunch Naturalist has given prime importance to scientific subjects
and secondary place to humanities in the curriculum.
No importance of
teacher;
Naturalism
assigns to the teacher the role of a mere guide and observer. He is to be a sympathetic guide and helper in
structuring experiences for the child and observe the activities
undergone. He is not to interfere or
plan any teaching directly.
Merits of Naturalism in
the field of education:
·
Development
of child psychology.
·
Scientific
study of society and sociolo9gy.
·
Emphasis
on experiences-centred curriculum.
·
Importance
contribution in the field of methods of teaching.
·
Opposition
to Repression in the field of discipline.
Demerits of Naturalism in the field
of education:
· Children’s are given over freedom and giving
most importance to exercises.
· No importance of teachers.
· More emphasis on present needs of the
children’s.
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