There will be a few articles following about education. These will be focused on medieval, Renaissance and Elizabethan education. It is necessary to know what these individuals were taught to better understand what they understood and the methods by which they came about knowledge. This is important for medieval and Renaissance treatises as I have discussed in my fencing blog (https://afencersramblings.blogspot.com/2020/06/old-learning-for-old-treatises.html), but is also essential for a greater understanding and appreciation of all texts of the period.
Cheers,
Henry.
Renaissance Education
The education
systems of the Renaissance form a backdrop to Elizabethan education, as they
were in the same era and had a similar humanist foundation which was established
based on the liberal arts of the medieval period. Some of what was used during
the medieval period was discarded for this different approach, but not all of
it. This is important, as there were elements of the same system which formed
building blocks upon which Renaissance education systems were built. Most
sources focus on the change between the two, the so-called revolution.
“The Renaissance created an
educational revolution by adopting a classical curriculum for its Latin
schools. This happened in Italy in the fifteenth century and in the rest of
Europe in the sixteenth century. Renaissance Latin schoolmasters discarded the
medieval curriculum, with a handful of exceptions at the primary school level,
in favor of the works of Virgil, Cicero, Terence, Julius Caesar (c. 100 –44
B.C.E.), and other ancient authors. Most were Latin; Greek authors were
introduced as teachers of Greek became available. These ancient authors taught
grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, and moral philosophy, which together comprised
the studia humanitatis (humanistic
studies) based on the standard ancient authors in Latin and, to some extent, in
Greek. The classical humanistic curriculum remained the core of Latin education
for the elite of Europe well into the twentieth century.”[1]
The effect of the change from the
liberal arts of the medieval period to the humanist study of the Renaissance
still affects the approach to education in the current era. The problem with
the statement above is that there was already a classical curriculum being used
in the form of the liberal arts; the humanists simply changed the approach. The
humanist studies are still present in primary school education as well as in
secondary school education. A person can even go to a modern university to
study humanities, though with the impact of the so-called “hard” sciences the
humanities departments of universities are taking the brunt of budget cuts.
Refocusing on the Renaissance
period the trend which is found in the budgetary concerns of universities began
in the Renaissance with their trend away from other aspects which could not be
explained by scientific approaches. The result of this was that there was a
trend away from the previous approach and focus from religious aspects to more
scientific approaches, though there will be noted differences in the
Elizabethan education.
“Scholars became more interested
in the humanist features—that is, the secular or worldly rather than the
religious aspects—of the Greek and Latin classics. Humanist educators found
their models of literary style in the classics.”[2]
The
Renaissance educators found their style in the same classics they would end up
studying. From these sources the educators found models from which they built
their educational systems. These educators were concerned about how the student
could improve themselves, understanding the universe was a consequence of this
improvement. Social change drove much of this change.
“The religious Reformation of the
16th century marked a decline in the authority of the Catholic Church and
contributed to the emergence of the middle classes in Europe.”[3]
Students
wanted to know about the world around them and how they could excel in it. Preparing
for the next life, as was taught in the church schools was of less interest.
The emergence of the middle class demonstrated that financial gain and presence
was also power, so noble families wanted their children educated in this form
of power as well. Education was stimulated by the church, however in an effort to
ensure its power, teaching in the vernacular (native) language so that they
could read the Bible in the same; this was especially significant in England.
Here, liturgical and catechism studies were still important.
Vernacular Schools
“In their ardent determination to
instruct followers to read the Bible in their native language, reformers
extended literacy to the masses. They established vernacular primary schools
that offered a basic curriculum of reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion
for children in their own language. Vernacular schools in England, for example,
used English to teach their pupils.”[4]
Previously
schools taught in Latin rather than the native language, in this case English,
teaching of the vernacular, or native language, was thought to be something
which was taken care of at home by nannies and other house employees in the
course of their duties. While such vernacular schools did exist, the primary
language of the learned was Latin, so this was the language that was taught at upper-class
schools and universities.
“While the vernacular schools
educated both boys and girls at the primary level, upper-class boys attended
preparatory and secondary schools that continued to emphasize Latin and Greek.
The gymnasium in Germany, the Latin
grammar school in England, and the lycee
in France were preparatory schools that taught young men the classical
languages of Latin and Greek required to enter universities.”[5]
Such a
difference in the language taught at the schools is noteworthy. It is likely
that the language taught at the school, and the language which the school was
taught in, was what set the school as one of the upper- or middle- and
lower-class schools. Lower-class students went to school so that they could
read the Bible, as indicated previously. The influence of the ancients was felt
especially in the primary upper-class schools and beyond, and these were
studied for a reason.
Ancient Influence
“Renaissance humanists studied
the literature of ancient Greece and Rome, believing that these classical works
represented the height of human knowledge and were important models for a new
age.”[6]
The humanists
of the Renaissance examined the literature of the ancients and formulated that
they were the best that humanity had to offer, and that they were the models
that people should follow. It has already been noted that the same humanists
modelled the subjects for study from the same greats of ancient literature. The
knowledge of these promised great things.
“It was believed that with the
knowledge of greats—that is the ancient writers—you could be a proconsul of an
empire, a captain of industry, or a general, or an admiral. You could do
anything as long as you had the knowledge of classical antiquity and a good,
correct Latin style behind you.”[7]
From the same
greats, it was said, that an individual could learn how to be like the
individuals that the student was learning from. Not only could a person learn
the words of Cicero, but a student, with diligence, could learn to write the
same words and have the same skills of oration as him as well. The Renaissance
opened the potential of the individual to do great things. Italy was the first
to adopt this new curriculum, based on ancient educators, the rest of Europe
followed not long after.
“Humanist pedagogues sought
guidance on ancient education from the Institutio
oratoria (Institutes of oratory) of the Roman teacher of rhetoric
Quintilian (c. 35–100 C.E.). Italy adopted the classical Latin curriculum in
the fifteenth century, and the rest of Europe followed in the sixteenth.”[8]
It has been
indicated that an individual had the potential to do great things through the
reading of the classical authors. This is the reason that humanist educators of
the Renaissance sought them for advice and taught them to their students, but
there must also be a reason for giving the student the education in the first
place, a purpose for education.
Purpose
“Education during the Italian
Renaissance was carefully programmed to create students who were well-balanced
and who embodied the values of their society.”[9]
In society
there is always a purpose to education and a reason that certain things are
taught to the students and other things are not. The purpose highlighted above
is very similar to the purpose of education in our current era and in eras
previous: to create citizens who embodied the values of their society. The
Renaissance educator wanted to teach the student to be more than a mindless
drone.
“The Renaissance humanistic
curriculum promised more than learning to read and write like the ancients.
Italian and northern European humanists argued in a series of pedagogical
treatises that reading the classics would teach boys, and a few girls, wisdom
as well as eloquence. The classics would inspire readers to live honorably and
well. If well instructed, they would do what was morally right and would be
loyal to family, city, and country. The goal was humanitas, the knowledge of how to live as cultivated, educated
members of society.”[10]
There was
more to the education than teaching the students the “nuts and bolts” of
reading and writing. There was the consideration of deeper things about which they
were reading so they would learn something of wisdom and eloquence.
Considerations of morality were also presented so that the student would
question things and ask the right questions. The subjects taught in the
Renaissance curriculum were somewhat broader than the seven liberal arts of the
medieval period, but show their influence.
Subjects
“Humanist educators designed
teaching methods to prepare well-rounded, liberally educated persons. Dutch
humanist Desiderius Erasmus was particularly influential. Erasmus believed that
understanding and conversing about the meaning of literature was more important
than memorizing it, ... He advised teachers to study such fields as
archaeology, astronomy, mythology, history, and Scripture.”[11]
The subjects
in the Renaissance educator’s mind were more concerned with the humanities than
the sciences, but as will be noted, some sciences were also included in the
curriculum. The focus was to result in a well-rounded individual who could
think for themselves and think about subjects, thus discuss them rather than
memorising their content, at least as indicated by Erasmus. Other subjects that
were studied during this period were: poetry, moral philosophy, rhetoric,
grammar, ancient authors,[12] ethics[13]
and Latin, of course.
There were also contemporary authors that were considered
important as well and their writings were included in reading lists. “In
literature, the works of such Italian writers as Dante Alighieri, Petrarch, and
Giovanni Boccaccio became especially important.”[14] These
authors presented questions of morality which the students would have to comprehend
and discuss. Here is some of the presentation of the student who could think
for themselves. A similar approach to education is evident in the Elizabethan
education, but this is no real surprise as the same humanist approach is
present. The Renaissance education can be seen as a backdrop to fill in where
information is not available specifically about Elizabethan education. For the
Elizabethans, the focus was ensuring that a model citizen was created from the
learning with the appropriate liturgical learning.
[1]
Web Solutions (2020) “Education in Europe: From the Renaissance to the
Enlightenment”, https://science.jrank.org/pages/9078/Education-in-Europe-From-Renaissance-Enlightenment.html,
[accessed 13/2/2020]
[2] Universidad
de Somoso (2009) “VIII Education During the Renaisssance” in Education History,
http://education14.blogspot.com/2008/11/viii-education-during-renaissance.html,
[accessed 27/5/20]
[3]
ibid.
[4]
ibid.
[5]
Ibid.
[6]
ibid.
[7]
Bartlett, Dr. K. (2016) “Education in the Renaissance” in The Great Courses
Daily, https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/education-in-the-renaissance/,
[accessed 13/2/2020]
[8]
Web Solutions (2020)
[9]
Bartlett (2016)
[10]
Web Solutions (2020)
[11] Universidad
de Somoso (2009)
[12]
Bartlett (2016)
[13] Universidad
de Somoso (2009)
[14]
ibid.
Bibliography
Bartlett, Dr. K. (2016) “Education in the Renaissance” in
The Great Courses Daily, https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/education-in-the-renaissance/,
[accessed 13/2/2020]
Web Solutions (2020) “Education in Europe: From the
Renaissance to the Enlightenment”, https://science.jrank.org/pages/9078/Education-in-Europe-From-Renaissance-Enlightenment.html,
[accessed 13/2/2020]
Universidad de Somoso (2009) “VIII Education During the
Renaisssance” in Education History, http://education14.blogspot.com/2008/11/viii-education-during-renaissance.html,
[accessed 27/5/20]
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