Author: Conwy Lloyd Morgan

Publisher:

Published: 2016-07-03

Total Pages: 334

ISBN-13: 9781333021214

Excerpt from Psychology for Teachers On the comments of another critic I may be allowed to say a few words, since they may serve to elucidate my point of View. The child when he comes under the discipline of the teacher, even in the kindergarten, has already reached a certain level of mental develop ment; he has gained some experience; he behaves in more or less appropriate ways under given circum stances; he already possesses a good deal of intelligence although he has but little systematic knowledge. Why not start with him as he then stands? Why trouble to inquire how this practical and serviceable experience had its origin in the early months or years of life? The teacher, as such, it may be said, has little concern with it. He may take its existence for granted. Such is the contention of my critic. I think it not im probable that others may, in some degree, share his views. They may feel some impatience with my genetic treatment of the initial stages of the dawn of child consciousness, and the very beginnings of the mental life. But it must be remembered that the process of develop ment is one and continuous. It is impossible adequately to understand its later phases if the earlier stages are merely taken for granted. If once the principle of taking things for granted is admitted, we, so far, depart from the more rational principle of explaining matters. In every branch of inquiry which deals with continuity of process it has been found that the initial stages cannot be disregarded if the develop ment as a whole is to be rendered clear. If we just accept the child as he is when he comes to school, without inquiring how he came to be what he already is, we shall not be in a position to understand how best to graft the systematic knowledge with which we are chie y concerned on the naive experience with which it should be in vital touch. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."