4-2 journal
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Dec 6, 2023
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4-2 Journal: Ideas for Sustainable Education
Arianna Reiley
In this week’s readings we learned about Horace Mann and Maria Montessori, two
prominent figures in the field of sustainable education. Both figures had their own ideas on how
to transform the education system and make it more sustainable and accessible to all, and their
ideas on sustainability are still relevant today.
Horace Mann, while being a controversial figure of his time, held specific principles that
still apply today. His ideas revolved around creating a sustainable education system for all,
regardless of social or economic backgrounds. A politician and education reformer, Horace Mann
was best known for believing in and establishing an education system that opposed sectarian
instruction (“Horace Mann,” 2021). His vision of “common schools” consisted of providing
education to the community, regardless of a family’s ability to pay tuition (“Horace Mann,”
2017), believing that students should be able to earn an education regardless of the background
they came from. He believed that education was necessary in order to promote the continuation
of democracy and social progress, emphasizing community engagement and democratic
participation from citizens, an idea that is relevant to the concept of sustainability. Providing
education to a community regardless of a person’s economic or social status also aligns with the
concept of sustainability. Accessible and equitable education as well as community engagement
are two contributing factors that align with the goals of sustainability.
Maria Montessori, a physician and doctor, is best known for her Montessori Method, an
innovative and progressive teaching method that focused on the individual needs of the student.
Montessori challenged the existing education beliefs of the time by creating environments that
focused on “training the senses before the mind,” allowing students to have hands-on learning
experiences that were not only tailored to their individual needs but also fostered responsibility
and independence in the classroom (“Montessori Method,” 2021). While these ideas and
methods are not directly related to sustainability, her teaching method gave students the
opportunity for growth and engagement with their peers and instructors. She believed that
learning should be hands-on and that education should be focused on the needs of children,
rather than the other way around. By supporting their needs and fostering an environment of
cooperation and engagement between students, she empowered her students and taught them
self-sufficiency and student-directed learning. Her ideas align with the tenets of sustainability,
such as agency, responsibility, and peer-to-peer connection and engagement.
In summary, both of these figures had ideas that continue to be relevant to today’s
concept of creating sustainable educational environments. By incorporating these ideas into our
current educational systems, we can empower the students of our future generations to be
responsible and active citizens that can help create a more sustainable future.
Horace Mann. (2021, December 2). Retrieved September 24, 2023, from Biography website:
https://www.biography.com/scholars-educators/horace-mann
Horace Mann. (2023, September 20). Retrieved September 24, 2023, from The Free Speech
Center website:
https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/horace-mann/
Holfester, C. (2021). Montessori Method. Salem Press Encyclopedia.
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