In the influential essays included in this volume, the renowned English philosopher John Locke (1632-1704) advocated a more "modernized" course of education. Focusing on the curriculum, the stimulation of children's interests and imagination, and the function of play, he showed how to instill virtue and morality in children, rather than merely pumping them full of information and facts.
From the ineffectiveness of physical punishment to the best methods of teaching foreign languages and table manners, these essays comprise an enlightened view of childhood and education that revolutionized educational theory. Locke stressed the teaching of rational thinking, moral dependability, and social grace in the classroom, with the aim of helping students to not only reflect but take action.
Locke's writings on education are enlightening reading for philosophy students, teachers, and for anyone interested in educational reform.