Running head: BOOK REPORT ETHICAL VISIONS OF EDUCATION

Book Report
Holly Mothes
The University Of Akron

BOOK REPORT ETHICAL VISIONS OF EDUCATION

1. Identify the purpose and scope of the book

Ethical Visions of Education: Philosophies in Practice, edited by David T. Hansen offer
review of the ideas and philosophies of ten educators that reach across generations as well as
across the globe. Their diverse application of thought and action are presented in one hundred
and seventy one pages of interesting pros. The purpose of the book as stated by Hansens
opening is to challenge and encourage the all who care about education to cultivate mind and
imagination in the world (Hansen, 2007, p. 1). These philosophies have had profound effects
on education and while they are diverse, they carry many similarities in their moral visions
(Hansen, 2007).
Ideas and philosophies of education are dynamic and are subject to transformation
(Hansen, 2007, p. 14) as evidenced by the writings of Hansens chosen educators. Hansen
contends that no one can hand over and idea to another person, following with no one can give
an educator a philosophy of education. Everyone must have, achieve or create their ideas and
their own philosophy of education (Hansen, 2007). You may follow one school of thought or
combine them to come up with your own unique philosophy as the educators in the book have.
Hansen (2007) points out that ideas and philosophies will emerge as one works with students,
studies, and reflects on ones own education and findings. In this arena ones philosophy may
change or transform over the years as they should, because if they do not education will become
stale and subject to decay (Hansen, 2007).
Hansen draws attention to the fact that engaging problems fuels human growth and offers
that each of the ten individuals reviewed in this book formed their philosophies and acted on the
challenges presented during their life time. Hansen points out that each individual act on

BOOK REPORT ETHICAL VISIONS OF EDUCATION

philosophies, not theory. He makes a differentiation between theory and philosophy as theories
not having an effect on ones life, but that philosophies are beliefs and effect the very being of
ones life. Hansen states that all of the educators reviewed in the book have a common moral
compass, while holding different educational philosophies and emphasis on different values and
ideas (Hansen, 2007).
The book is divided in to three sections, Foundational Perspectives of the Aims of
Education, which includes the reviews of John Deweys views on Education and Quality of Life;
Paulo Freires Politics and Pedagogy; and W.E.B. Du Bois on Education for Democracy and
Creativity. Part two entitled Political Pressures, Educational Responses includes Value Creation a
s the Aim of Education: Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Soka Education, Learning from Experience:
Jane Addamss Education in Democracy as a Way of Life and Tao Xingzhi and the Emergence of
Public Education in china. Part three uses four philosophers works, Peace as a Premise for
Learning: Maria Montessoris Education Philosophy; Art, Nature, and Education: Rabindranath
Tagores Holistic Approach to Learning; Artful Curriculum, Evaluation, and Instruction: Lessons
Learned from Rudolf Steiners Spiritually Based Waldorf Education and Caring for Others as a
Path to Teaching and Learning: Alber Schweitzers Reverence for Life to illustrate the
Unleashing Human Growth and Potential. All of the educators embodied the Greek ideal for life,
logos and egron the harmony of words and deed, of idea and practice (Hansen, 2007,p18).
Each brought their ideas to life by actions, which changed the world in which they lived, though
some did not live to see those changes (Hansen, 2007).
Beginning with John Dewey, education is to assist people in learning to realize and
extend a meaningful life, or quality of life. In Deweys philosophy an educator must have total
command of the subject matter they are teaching, not just facts and figure, but the total

BOOK REPORT ETHICAL VISIONS OF EDUCATION

comprehension of the subject, as if to live it, to be able to communicate the subject to any
student. The educator must become a student of students, by observing the student and tailoring
the communication of the subject to the students comprehension (Hansen, 2007). Dewey
advises educators that continuity in education is the already known, the introduction of a new
idea, the assimilation of the new knowledge and the reconstruction of the old knowledge to form
new. This is the process for all life, every stage brings new meaning making (Hansen, 2007).
Dewey contends that through experiences ones life is changed, losing its identity but gaining a
new identity with each new richer experience that can be applied to the self, expanding ones
quality of life (Hansen, 2007).
Deweys view of a democratic society is framed by communication that is in the authors
terms open-ended, unconstrained and constant it is ever growing and transforming as new
information and knowledge is gained (Hansen, 2007). This interaction leads to the ever
expanding and transforming self and society, each contributes to the transformation however
small this is Deweys mode of associated living (Hansen, 2007). According to Dewey education
is not just the dumping of dates, facts, figures and data into a person, it is the ability to give a
person the means to use their own talents to better society rather than just to replicate a certain
part of society (Hansen, 2007).
Paulo Freire combined Christianity and Marxism to form a philosophy that proposes
radical individual and social transformation. Freire believed that the peasant had to be
educated that they were just as important, creative and free as the oppressive class. Each
division of society needs to die and be reborn with new commitments to life as equals. The
oppressors believe that only they have the means and necessity to sustain society; the peasant
had been dominated for so long that passivity was the way of life. The neocolonial oppressor

BOOK REPORT ETHICAL VISIONS OF EDUCATION

class in Brazil placed credence on having freedom, not being free. Freire believed that the fear
drove dominance, that and lack of trust. The oppressive class saw this way of life as protection
for itself (Hansen, 2007). Education of the working class was the way of ridding society of the
myths of the ruling class, and of the cycle of fear dominance- destruction of freedom.
Education should bring these two classes together producing freedom for each, freedom from the
need to have, and freedom to just be. One day in someones life should not be as yesterday or the
same as tomorrow life should be filled with the realization of acceptance and equality, a true
democratic e society(Hansen, 2007). Freire asserts that dialog that encompasses faith, love, and
hope will create the I-Thou relationship that allows one to reach their full potential. This concept
is in direct contrast to the I-IT relationship that exists in the use of other for personal gain and
where one class dominates over another (Hansen, 2007). Freire uses the concept of banking to
illustrate how the ruling class keeps the popular societal view in state, the education system
represents the bank, the teacher makes a deposit in the depository, the student, the student
memorizes and repeats the deposited information, only the deposit which is controlled by the
ruling class. There is no expansion of knowledge, education is done to the students not with
them (Hansen, 2007). Freire likens teachers and the clergy to the police and military, in that the
colonial land owners used the police and military to keep all in check, in the new age the neocolonials use the teachers and clergy to do the same (Hansen, 2007). The ends justifies the
means, in other words it is a just system that keeps most in poverty and give s a small amount of
the population wealth. Freires views of education are from his life experiences starting as a
child of a middle class family in Brazil. It is easy to see how he developed his perspectives on
life as his family was driven to poverty. Only through his education and persistence was he able
to develop and convey his perspective on blended Christianity and Marxism. The seduction

BOOK REPORT ETHICAL VISIONS OF EDUCATION

philosophy was that a state exists where there is no class, no poverty as well as justice and
equality for all. Education give voice to those who are oppressed and hope that society can
change. Social reform happens one act at a time and that every classroom, no matter the grade
level, is a potential source of social hope (Hansen, 2007, p.45).
Hansen chose W.E.B. Du Bois to conclude part one of the book. Du Bois posed that
education aids in social transformation, adjusting and re-adjusting cultural values (Hansen,
2007). Education would provide a pathway to human dignity for the Negro. Du Bois education
for the Negro is the revelation of what was done, how it was done and the total burden of
knowing. As with any knowledge Du Bois knew it to be a double edged sword, it could lead to
revolution, dissatisfaction and discontent or it could infuse new self-understanding, new selfrespect and new self-reliance (Hansen, 2007, p 54). Dewey believed that education in the
liberal arts would provide the pathway to moral, spiritual and political freedom (Hansen, 2007,
p.60).

BOOK REPORT ETHICAL VISIONS OF EDUCATION