Confucius' educational thought

Confucius, named Qiu, was born in Lubian City. Born in 55 1 year BC (twenty-one years, twenty-two years of Lu Xianggong), he died in 479 BC (ten years and sixteen years on Thursday). He was a great thinker and educator in ancient China, the founder of Confucianism and private school. In ancient history, Confucius was a symbol of China's ancient culture, and his thoughts had already spread to Asian countries. Today, he is recognized as a great ancient educator in the world.

Confucius was the first person who devoted himself to education in the history of education in China, and had a far-reaching influence on the educational activities of later generations.

First, the life and educational activities of Confucius

Confucius was born in a noble family. His predecessor is Yin, and he is a descendant of Yes. When I arrived at Wuzu's father, because my father Jia was killed in the infighting in the imperial court, my father was also demoted to a scholar and was "peerless", that is, he was deprived of his hereditary status as a doctor. In order to distinguish the public, he changed his surname to Kong. His third ancestor, Shu, fled to Shandong (present-day Shandong) and settled in Fearful Fahrenheit. Congo, the father of Confucius, was a "SHEN WOO man" under Meng Xianzi, a noble of Lu. He was promoted to be a doctor in Qiaoyi (now Qufu South, Shandong Province) because of his twice meritorious military service. In his sixties, Brother Kong married a girl under the age of twenty, Yan Zhizai. The age gap shows the disparity of their class status. It is said that his wife gave birth to Confucius in a cave (named after "Hannah Quinlivan Cave" and "Confucius Cave", which is still there today), because the couple could not go home because they prayed for the mountain gods. This mountain is called Nishan, which is located in the south of Qufu. ? Confucius lost his father at three and his mother at seventeen. Confucius attached importance to etiquette education in family education. The poor life prompted him to work for his livelihood earlier and learn various skills. He claimed: "I am very poor, so I can do more things." In his youth, he worked as a Commissioner (in charge of warehouses) and a farmer (in charge of animal husbandry) under the Jishi clan, from which he came into contact with the lower classes and learned some wishes and demands of the people. ? Confucius grew up in Shandong and was the cultural center at that time. Under the influence of "Zhou Li", at the age of six, he "played for his children and made a ceremony for the imperial guards." . When I was fifteen years old, I set up an unshakable learning ambition. "I am determined to learn five times ten times." He studied the ancient China culture preserved by Lu, from which he sought the way to govern the country and save the people. This basic direction determines his life path and forms the ideological characteristics of Confucianism. ? Confucius' greatest ambition is to have the opportunity to enter the political arena and practice benevolent government. He said, "You are useful to me. You can do it in one month and succeed in three years." It means that if someone uses me to govern politics, one year will be almost the same, and three years will be fruitful. Confucius has been running around Qilu since he was about 30 years old, hoping to realize his ideal through politics. However, after more than ten years of efforts, it has not been reused by the rulers. So I invited my disciples to give lectures. He was not appointed commander-in-chief until he was 5 1 year old. Later, it was "killed by Zhongdu as Sikong, and killed by Sikong as the big sheep herder" and "photographed by the big sheep herder". Later, he retired because of the intensification of the contradiction with Dr. Lu. During his official career, he did not stop running schools. Seeing that his political ambition could not be realized in Lu, he led his disciples around the world at the age of 55. Confucius went through more than ten countries including Wei, Cao, Chen, Song, Cai, Zheng, Chu, etc. While insisting on mobile teaching, he publicized his political opinions and returned to Shandong at the age of 68. Since then, he has specialized in education.

Although Confucius did not achieve his goal politically, he made outstanding achievements in culture and education. When Confucius was about 30 years old (522 BC), he began his educational career by engaging in private school activities. During his political career and traveling around the world, Lu kept recruiting disciples, giving lectures anytime and anywhere, and engaged in education for more than forty years. He has been engaged in education all his life with the spirit of "never getting tired of learning and never getting tired of teaching", which is the fundamental condition for his success in education. In the teaching process, Confucius collected and arranged ancient literature such as poems, books, rites and music as teaching materials, which played an important role in the spread of ancient culture in China. He also accumulated rich experience through teaching practice. He systematically expounded the educational purpose, educational content and teaching methods, which had a great influence on the education of later generations. Historical Records Confucius Family records that Confucius had "three thousand disciples, two of whom were proficient in six arts", and he himself said, "seven of them were proficient in six arts. "He has trained so many talents, which is fruitful in education and has done something unprecedented.

In 479 BC, a generation of educator Confucius died of illness, and all his disciples lost their lives for three years. "After three years of mourning, I will cry and mourn; Or stay. Gong Lu, the only son, lived on the mound for six years and then went. Disciples and Lu people went home from the tomb for more than 100 rooms, because they were in the cave. "

Confucius' thoughts and behaviors were recorded by his disciples and later compiled into a book called The Analects, which is the most important material for studying Kong Qiu's educational thoughts.

Second, pay attention to the role of education.

Confucius believes that education plays an important role in social development and is one of the three elements of building the country and governing the country. The development of education should be based on economic development. "The Analects of Confucius Lutz" records: "Wei Shi is a son, but there are servants. Confucius said,' It's plain.' You Ran said,' If you are an ordinary person, why bother?' Say, "rich." Say,' If you are rich, why bother?' Say, "teach it." Through the question of You Ran, Confucius briefly expounded his policy program of "equality, wealth and education". Judging from the arrangement of equality, wealth and religion, Confucius has intuitively realized that these three conditions are necessary for governing a country well. That is, labor force, developing production, education and developing education.

Confucius affirmed the key role of education in the process of human development. For the first time in the history of China, he put forward that "sex is similar, but learning is far away". This theory is scientific to a certain extent, pointing out that people's natural qualities are similar, breaking the concept that the aristocratic talents of slave owners are superior to civilians. This scientific proposition is not only the theoretical basis of Confucius' "teaching without class", but also the crystallization of Confucius' long-term educational work. ?

Third, the target of education is relatively wide.

Advocating "education without class" is the knowledge of nobles before the Spring and Autumn Period, and it is the sons of princes and nobles who are eligible for education. As a civilian, you are not qualified to enter the school for education. After Confucius founded a private school, he first carried out a corresponding revolution in the enrollment targets and implemented the policy of "teaching without distinction", which is also an important part of Confucius' educational practice and theory. ? Regarding "teaching makes no difference", Ma Rong in the Eastern Han Dynasty said: "People have no difference." Emperor Liang Chao said, "People are noble and humble, so they should receive education with the same resources. They shouldn't be ignorant of their own types. If you teach well, you don't have to attend classes. " ? Its original intention is that everyone can go to school and receive education regardless of class, wealth or race. In order to realize this principle, Confucius said when enrolling students: "I have never been ignorant of self-discipline." As long as I am willing to learn and present 10 piece of dried meat as a gift, I can become a disciple. Facts show that his disciples came from Qi, Lu, Song, Wei, Qin, Jin, Chen, Cai, Wu, Chu and other vassal States and were widely distributed. Disciples are complex and come from different classes and strata. Most of them come from ordinary people, such as Yan Hui, who lives in a poor alley, a savage living on the street, Zeng Shen, who was too poor to make a fire for three days, and who didn't make clothes for ten years, Yuan Xian, who lived in a shack, and Zhong Gong, whose father was a poor family and didn't even have a place to put a cone. There are also some businessmen, such as Zigong, who used to speculate. There are also a few well-known families, such as Meng of Lu, Ma Niu of Nangong and Song. In Confucius' private school, all kinds of disciples and figures are really living specimens of "teaching without distinction". At that time, some people did not understand this and had various questions. Huizi of the South asked Zigong sarcastically, "How complicated is the master's door?" Zi Gong said, "A gentleman is waiting for a gentleman, but he wants to come and not far away (refuse). There are many people who want to go, and there are many patients at the door of good doctors? ? There are many waste wood in the hidden edge of the wood, which is also miscellaneous. " Although their personalities are uneven, they can be eclectic and teach useful people, which shows that educators are broad-minded and talented in education and art.

The implementation of the open policy of "no education for all" has satisfied the desire of ordinary people to enter school and receive education, and adapted to the needs of social development. Confucius private school became the largest school with the largest number of talents and the widest social influence at that time, which should be affirmed from the overall social practice effect. "No class for all" is a progressive thought that conforms to the historical development trend. It broke the monopoly of aristocratic education and expanded the scope of education to ordinary people, which was beneficial to the development of China's national culture.

Fourth, the purpose of education

The fundamental purpose of Confucius education is to cultivate people with lofty ideals and benevolence. Throughout his life, he pursued Tao with the spirit of "hearing Tao early and dying late". But Confucius was frustrated all his life, so he pinned all his hopes on his disciples. He taught his students that "man can spread the Tao, but he can't spread it", "man has ambition in the Tao, so it is not enough to talk about those who eat by his clothes", "he believes in learning and is good at death" and "a benevolent person is benevolent, harming others without survival, and killing himself as an adult". His students are also very savvy. For example, Zeng Shen said, "Scholars have a long way to go to strive for self-improvement. Isn't it important to think that benevolence is your responsibility? Death is not far away! " Xia Zi said: "One hundred workers live in four places to achieve their goals, and a gentleman learns his way." It can be seen that teaching and learning are the common goals of Confucius teachers and students, and the educational purpose of Confucius has been transformed into the learning purpose of students. It is precisely because of this unity of subject and object that Confucius can produce many talented students.

Xia Zi said: "Study hard and you will be an official." Another important aspect of Confucius' educational purpose is summarized theoretically. "Learning to be an official is excellent" contains many meanings: learning is the way to be an official, training officials is the main political purpose of education, and good academic performance is an important condition for being an official. If you don't study, or study but don't get good grades, you are not qualified to be an official. Confucius' attitude towards the practice of "learning to be an excellent official" is very clear. He said: "It is the common people who learn etiquette and music first, and the nobles who learn etiquette and music first. If you want to choose talents, I advocate choosing people who study etiquette and music first. " Learning is closely related to being an official. He encouraged students to say: "If you don't suffer from nowhere, you will suffer from loss." Don't worry about not being an official. What you need to worry about is whether you have learned the knowledge and skills you need to be an official. Disciples were instilled with this idea, and the idea of learning to be an official spread widely in their minds. Since everyone has learned to be a gentleman, it makes no sense not to be an official. Lutz bluntly said that "it is meaningless to be an official" and it is very representative. Confucius actively recommended talented students to those in power for politics, but he also insisted on some principles when sending talents: first, you can't be an official if you don't study hard; Secondly, only when the country is politically enlightened can it become an official, otherwise it would rather retire. Most of the disciples trained by Confucius took part in political activities sooner or later. They "wandered around the princes, the eldest was the master Qing Xiang, and the younger brother was a friend of the literati."

"Learning to be an excellent official" is consistent with the "promoting talents" advocated by Confucius, which determines the educational purpose of cultivating ruling talents and is of great significance in the history of education. It reflected the social needs of the rise of feudalism and became a great driving force for intellectuals to actively learn at that time.

Verb (abbreviation of verb) teaching content

According to the Analects of Confucius, people can summarize the contents of Confucius' teaching from different angles: First, "Confucius teaches four things: writing, action, loyalty and faith." Educating people by writing, action, loyalty and faith means that the teaching content includes four basic aspects; Second, the "six arts" such as music, archery, bending, calligraphy and mathematics refer to the main subjects taught by Confucius; Sanyue: Six books, such as Poem, Book, Rite, Yue, Book of Changes and Spring and Autumn Annals, are the cultural classics of slave owners and the basic teaching materials used by Confucius. In a word, it can be said that the teaching content of Confucius should include moral education, cultural knowledge and skill training. These three aspects, from the structure of educational content, the needs of society and the formation of personal personality, should be said to be initially complete. This is Confucius' contribution in the history of teaching content development. Confucius did not attach equal importance to these three aspects. He believes that "learning literature if you have spare capacity" and putting morality and moral education in the first place are the key points of the three and the core of Confucius' educational thought.

The six books adapted by Confucius are the first set of relatively complete textbooks in China. Since Xunzi's exhortation to learn, it has been regarded as the six classics, so it is called the six classics in later generations. Except Yue Jing, the other five classics have been the most basic textbooks in China feudal society for more than two thousand years. The difference between "Six Arts" and "Six Classics" lies in: Six Classics lay particular stress on cultural knowledge and belong to the category of literature; "Six Arts" emphasizes the cultivation of talents and skills. Because "ceremony and joy" also has this nature, it is also listed among the "six arts". "Shooting" is archery and "defending" is driving, both of which belong to military courses.

Generally speaking, Confucius' teaching content has three characteristics: First, it emphasizes social personnel. His textbooks all belong to the cultural knowledge of social history, politics and ethics, and pay attention to realistic personnel instead of worshipping gods. Although he is not an atheist, he has doubts about ghosts and gods. His wise attitude of not talking about "wonder, strength, disorder and spirit", not propagating religious superstitions and not listing religious content as a teaching subject became the beginning of the tradition of non-religious education in ancient China. Second, pay attention to literature. Although he asked political talents to be both civil and military, he still focused on literature in the arrangement of teaching content, and the teaching of military knowledge and skills was in a secondary position. Third, despise science and technology and productive labor. He wants to train political talents, not laborers engaged in agriculture and industry. He doesn't emphasize mastering natural and scientific knowledge. He has neither handicraft technology nor agricultural technology to teach. He believes that the social division of labor has the business of gentlemen and the business of villains. "A gentleman seeks the Tao without seeking food." The responsibility of a gentleman is different from that of a villain. A gentleman does not have to participate in the material production and labor of a villain. Therefore, he fundamentally opposed disciples to learn productive labor technology. Fan Chi wanted to learn how to farm and grow vegetables, but he refused.

Sixth, the teaching characteristics of Confucius.

(A) teaching students in accordance with their aptitude

On the basis of educational practice, Confucius created the method of teaching students in accordance with their aptitude, and as an educational principle, it runs through daily teaching and educational work. He is the first person to teach students in accordance with their aptitude in the history of our country, and it is also one of the important reasons for his successful education (but the proposition of "teaching students in accordance with their aptitude" was not put forward by Confucius, and Zhu's Annotation to the Analects of Confucius in the Southern Song Dynasty said: "Confucius teaches students in accordance with their aptitude". )

The premise of teaching students in accordance with their aptitude is to recognize their individual differences and understand their characteristics. Confucius understood students in two common ways. First, by talking. Confucius said, "If you don't know what you are talking about, you can't know who you are." He talked purposefully with students, individuals and groups. For example, once I consciously asked Luz a hypothetical question: "If the road is not good, I will float on the sea with a fork. For me, what is the reason? " Lutz didn't say anything, but acquiesced in happiness, while Confucius said, "You are bold, you are more than me, and you have nothing to learn." Second, individual observation. By observing students' words and deeds in many ways, he examines students' spiritual world from the outside to the inside: to "listen to their words and observe their actions", to judge only from their performance in public, it is still one-sided, and to "settle for second best and keep their privacy"; It is not enough to judge only by temporary behavior, but also to "look at what it is, what it is, and what it is for", that is, to pay attention to what the students do, observe the road he takes, and examine his emotional tendency, so as to thoroughly understand a person's ideological outlook. He has accumulated a lot of experience in examining people, and thinks that different things and different situations can examine people's ideological quality.

(B) the combination of learning and thinking, unity of knowledge and action

In teaching, Confucius regards "learning and knowing" as the fundamental guiding ideology. His "learning and knowing" means that learning is the only means to seek knowledge, and knowledge is obtained from learning. Learning is not only an indirect experience of learning words, but also a direct experience through sight and hearing. Both kinds of knowledge are needed. His ideas of "being knowledgeable" and "being good at learning from the ancients" focus on the indirect experience accumulated by predecessors, such as ancient culture and political knowledge. He also put forward that "those who listen more and choose the good, go with it and learn more."

Confucius attached importance to learning and thinking, Zhang Xuesi, and combined thinking with learning. When discussing the relationship between learning and thinking, he said: "Learning without thinking is useless, and thinking without learning is dangerous." We are against thinking without learning, against learning without thinking. Confucius said: "I try not to eat for a day and stay up all night." It's useless to think, it's better to learn. "

Confucius also emphasized that learning knowledge should be "used" and applied to social practice. He asked the students to be careful in what they say, to be diligent in what they do, and to pay more attention to their actions.

From learning to thinking, this is the learning process summarized by Confucius, that is, the education process, which basically conforms to the general cognitive process of human beings. This thought had a far-reaching influence on the later teaching theory and practice.

(3) Enlightening and inducing, step by step

Confucius said, "No anger, no anger, no anger, no anger, no anger, no anger, no anger, no anger." Anger and resentment are the external manifestations of the internal psychological state. That is to say, in teaching, students should first think seriously, think for quite a while but still can't figure it out, and then inspire him; Although I have thought about it and understood it, I can't express it in proper words. At this time, I can enlighten him. Teachers' inspiration is based on students' thinking. After inspiration, let students rethink and gain further understanding. There are three teaching methods commonly used by Confucius, namely, from shallow to deep, from easy to difficult; Can compare, push yourself and others; Knock at both ends and attack heresy.

Seven, set a good example for teachers

Confucius was honored by later generations as "the most holy teacher" and "the model of later generations". He devoted his life to the education of later generations, was sensitive and eager to learn, had rich practical experience and attached importance to moral cultivation. He was a conscientious and good teacher. In response to Zi Gong's question, he said, "I can't become a saint. I never tire of learning and never tire of teaching." He once commented on himself in front of the students and said, "If it is holy, then I dare. If (learning) is not tired and teaching people is not tired, it can be said that the cloud is already there. " He set an example for future teachers in six aspects:

Never get tired of studying. Teachers should fulfill their social responsibilities, pay attention to their own learning and self-cultivation, master extensive knowledge and have noble moral character, which is the premise of teaching and educating people.

Review the past and learn the new. Teachers should not only master past political and historical knowledge, but also learn from useful historical experience, understand contemporary social problems and know the solutions.

Take pains to teach others. Confucius started running schools around the age of 30 and has been engaged in educational activities for more than 40 years. Even during his five years in politics, he still taught and lectured everywhere while traveling around the world. Some students have bad moral character, low starting point, or make mistakes repeatedly, but they will not be disgusted and will be patiently induced to become talents. "Love, can not work? Loyalty and righteousness, can you not teach? " Love for students and a high sense of responsibility are the ideological basis of his tireless teaching attitude.

Lead by example. Confucius' education for students not only includes teaching by example, but also pays attention to teaching by example. Be strict with yourself and set an example to make students sensitive. "Bowing your head and complaining is far from complaining." "A gentleman seeks for himself, and a villain seeks for others." "Politicians, it is also. Zi Shuai is right, who dares to be wrong? " "its body is right, but it does not make; His body is not right, although he does not obey. " "If you are honest, what about politics? Can't be right, like a right person? "

Teaching and learning learn from each other. Confucius realized that teachers could not impart knowledge to students unilaterally in the teaching process, but could learn from each other. He answers questions for students in teaching activities and often has academic discussions together. Not only educated students, but also improved themselves.

In a word, Confucius is an educator who "defends people with virtue" and a shining example of teachers in the history of China. What he embodies is "never tire of learning, never tire of teaching".

"Teaching spirit has become a fine tradition of teachers in China.

Tao Xingzhi's Educational Thought

First, the concept of life education

1, life is education

Life is education is the core of Tao Xingzhi's life education theory. What is life education? Tao Xingzhi pointed out: life education is the original, independent and necessary education of life. The fundamental meaning of education is to change life. Life is always like this, that is, life always contains the meaning of education. Since human society had life education, life is education, and your life is education. Living well means receiving a good education, and living badly means receiving a bad education.

2. Society is the school.

Society is school is another important proposition of Tao Xingzhi's life education theory. Tao Xingzhi believes that society has been a school since the beginning of human history. If we look at society from the standpoint of the public, it is the only school for the public and life is the only education for the public. The reason why the ruling class and scholar-officials don't admit this is that they have special schools to give their children special education. Tao Xingzhi opposed this special unequal education and proposed that society is the school, so as to promote universal education for the masses.

3. Teaching integration.

Teaching integration is the teaching theory of life education theory.

In Tao Xingzhi's words, the combination of teaching and learning is the explanation of life phenomenon, that is, the explanation of education phenomenon. In life, doing things, learning for your own progress and being a teacher are just three aspects of life, not three processes of mutual disagreement. Teaching is one thing, not three. We should teach while doing, and go to school while doing. Taking farming as an example, he pointed out that if farming is to be carried out in the field, it is necessary to study and teach in the field. In Tao Xingzhi's view, teaching integration is a way of life and education. It means that the method of teaching is based on the method of learning, and the method of learning is based on the method of doing, how to learn and how to teach. Teaching without doing is not teaching; Learning without doing is not learning. Teaching and learning are centered on doing.

Second, thoughts on rural education

Mr. Tao Xingzhi, a great people's educator, engaged in practical activities and theoretical research of rural education all his life, accumulated rich experience and formed advanced. Mr. Tao Xingzhi once suggested to his students that we should love human beings, the most unfortunate Chinese nation and the most unfortunate peasants of the Chinese nation. Schools should strengthen patriotism education, and this lofty emotion should be cultivated from the side and small things, and educate students to love their hometown, countryside and farmers. Dig out this dignified and simple emotion left by ancestors from the heart. "Thousands of teachers in Qian Qian teach people to seek truth, and thousands of students in Qian Qian learn to be human." This is the most valuable part of Mr. Tao's educational thought. The same is true of the decomposition and infiltration of ideological and political education into students' life practice, which is subtle, not empty and nihilistic. Combine education with productive labor and local economic construction. "Integration of teaching and doing" is a main line of Tao Xingzhi's educational thought, and he attaches great importance to the combination of education and productive labor.