Interest For General Educational Purposes

Relative to his philosophy and psychology,Herbart’s pedagogy is the most successful.The book General Pedagogy directly established Herbart’s position in the field of education.Like many educators,he also had experience as a tutor,which stimulated his great interest in education.During this period,Pestalozzi’s educational ideas had a great influence on him.Herbart’s pedagogy could not be separated from the support of his practical philosophy and psychology,but his philosophical ideas contradicted the speculative idealism of his time,and he opposed Kant’s transcendental freedom because it would make education illusory.Herbart tried to explain the role of education in the self-forming process of human beings as self-forming creatures.Self-formation is not a natural occurrence,it needs the influence of education,plasticity is the premise of education.On the basis of plasticity Herbart began his educational system.As we all know,the full name of "General Pedagogy" is "General Pedagogy Derived from Educational purpose",which establishes the mutual relationship between pedagogy and ethics.Morality as the necessary purpose of education indicates that all free actions of human beings must be ethical,and education understands morality as the whole purpose of human actions.The process of developing morality is the process of establishing the scope of thought through education,with apperception to explain the new things presented to us by the senses,thus forming the scope of thought.Herbart responded to this with his theory of interest--that education must appeal to the interest of the student.With various interests to expand the scope of thought,to obtain the grasp of the world.The formation of various interests is also a process of personal character development.The psychological effect of interest enables us to have a comprehensive understanding of the objects presented by the senses.In the in-depth processing of these objects,we get the correct judgment of things.For Herbart,interest is not only a means to stimulate learning,but more importantly,in social participation,interest gives us the ability to make wise judgment,form moral character,and finally make moral behavior.Herbart used educational teaching to cultivate various interests,and the discussion of various interests also clarified the misunderstanding of educational teaching.Interest is not only an end but also a means of teaching,so interest is very important for educational teaching.The process of educational teaching is divided into simple prompt teaching,analytical teaching and comprehensive teaching,which are developed according to two categories of interest.The teaching stage is divided into clarity,clarity,system and method according to the alternating movement of concentration and reflection.The core of Herbart’s concern is interest in many aspects.The discussion of interest in the original text helps us to re-understand Herbart’s educational thought.