The Education Of Our Children by Michel de Montaigne. Short summary

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The author puts forward his own theory of teaching that teachers must treat students humanely. It is only after a child has acquired the ability to think critically that he or she becomes a person.

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According to the author’s theory, children should be treated humanely in the learning process. Coercion, punishment, and violence are unacceptable. The child becomes a person because of the ability to think critically, not because of acquired knowledge.

Montaigne criticized the medieval school, calling it a «prison» from which the cries of unhappy students and angry teachers could be heard. He also saw traditional teaching as ineffective.

A large part of the subjects studied had no application to real life, so students did not acquire skills in practice. The author advocated the all-round development of the individual. One of its important aspects he considered the presence of physical activity.