First published in 1989, Towards a Theory of Schooling explores and debates the relationship between school and society. It examines the form and function of one of humankind’s most important social institutions, following the cutting edge of pedagogic innovation from mainland Europe through the British Isles to the USA. In the process, the book throws important light upon the origins and evolution of the school based notions of class, curriculum, classroom, recitation and class teaching.

This book examines long-term changes in the form and function of schooling. The work falls into three sections: an introductory chapter; five historical essays; and a concluding chapter. Chapter 1 unfolds the theoretical and practical considerations that governed the selection and organization of the historical essays. The historical essays in chapters 2 through 6 address notable and pivotal episodes in the history of school organization. Their titles are as follows: "On the Origins of the Educational Terms Class and Curriculum"; "Schooling to Order: Jean Baptist de la Salle and the Pedagogy of Elementary Education"; "Adam Smith and the Moral Economy of the Classroom System"; "On Simultaneous Instruction and the Emergence of Class Teaching"; "The Recitation Revisited." Chapter 7 builds upon the preceding essays by advancing a range of general propositions about the relationship among "schooling,""society," and "educational change." (JAM)

An Introduction to the History of Educational Theories, first published in 1881, offers a comprehensive overview of the most notable approaches to education throughout Western history, from Athens and Rome to the Victorian public school. Exploring not only the still famous theories of Plato and Aristotle, this work also touches on techniques in education which are either no longer prevalent – Roman Oratory, the Jesuits – or in some cases were never widely adopted or appreciated: John Milton, for example. This title will be of value to those intrigued by the potential of past attitudes for present-day application, as well as to those unconvinced by contemporary approaches.

This title, first published in 1973, brings together a variety of papers by Israel Scheffler, one of America’s leading educational philosophers. The essays each stress the importance of critical thought and independent judgement to the organization of educational activities. In the first section, Scheffler adopts a metaphilosophical approach, emphasizing the role of philosophy in educational thought. A number of key concepts are dealt with next, including the study of education and its relation to theoretical disciplines, philosophical interpretations of teaching, and the education of teachers. The final section is critical, and deals with the writings of several key thinkers in the field. A broad and authoritative study, this reissue will provide any Philosophy student with an essential background to the criticism and theories surrounding the philosophy of education.