The Educational Thought of Confucius

Central to Confucius' humanistic educational philosophy are his idea of man, his nature, his relationship with tao, the way that man follows to attain harmony and happiness.These are discussed in conjunction with Confucius' concepts of jen and li.The educational implications of these concepts.arestressed.The educational practice of Confucius is further examined with relevance to the methods, curriculum, the concepts of learning and teaching, and the integration of thought and practice.The goal and purpose of Confucius 1 education are three-fold.Education is to produce the superior man, chun tse, the harmonious social order and good government.The study argues that Confucius' educational goals, contrary to what tradition held them to be, were non-materialistic, non-utilitarian, and not confined only to the intellectual or moral realm.It further contends that Confucius was an innovator rather than a transmitter.He innovated by placing traditional ideas in a new light, by selecting that which was relevant and discarding anachronistic aspects.He was aptly the creator of new educational ideals, not an apologist for an old one, as tradition held him to be.