the 16th to the 18th century: reform of illustrious

 

This period is framed by two important educational events: the beginning of publications of father Feijoo and closing 'the royal Institute' military pestalozzien. Reform educational, which place door on doctrinal and practical plans. It will work to revise the education as a whole. In other words, this reform will review, not only the theoretical content of education, but also the materials of nature practice. Most of the intellectuals of this time were great educators and politicians. Among other illustrious people reform, we can name: Feijoo and Sarmiento, because they had "a serious educational response to the problems of Spanish society" [4].

Benito Jerónimo Feijoo (1677-1764) published from 1726 to 1760: Theatre critic universal and erudite and curious letters. In this book, he tackles fiercely what undermined education and culture. It is as well that it detects and condemns mediocrity as being a failure and imperfection of the whole society. He summed up his thoughts in this declaration; "Me, a free citizen of the Republic, either slave of Aristotle or ally of the enemies, I would always listen to that experience and the reason will dictate me in preference to any authority private» [5]. It is a civic and provocative statement that will have its fulfillment in the objective of reform that it is fixed.

He envisaged the reform of University studies, subtracting it from the influence of Scholasticism. To do this, he proposed to change the study we did of simulas (logical principles), logic, metaphysics and physics that they treated metaphysically. He defended the importance and development of the physical sciences. Given the primacy that it accords to the experience and the criticism he made in Descartes, placed on an empirical line close enough of Novun organum Bacon and with net reminiscences of Vives.

Feijoo work can be described as test of a sound pedagogy that claimed configure society according to philosophical thought, requiring every man a rigor and intellectual honesty.

Fray Martin Sarmiento, real name Pedro José Gasende of Balboa, is "the largest representative of like Comenius pedagogic realism" [6]. Beside the various writings on materials: linguistic, botanical, history or literature, Sarmiento abounded the most on education, in "particularly concern the development of studies, from reform educational of the country, in which he saw the solution to the existing decadence ' [7].

Its teaching is based on two fundamental principles: the principle of rigorous graduation of education, which advocates the passage from the concrete to the abstract, the spiritual material; and the principle of the consequential and precise name in the vernacular of the objects you want to identify. This second principle gives emphasis to local languages which, because of their educational need, will enable citizens to translate knowledge in accordance with their cultural scheme of understanding. He went to reform school structure. So he delineated and demanded the school record that includes all information on the high: diseases, vaccines, although other indications and intellectual development.

If the first step of gradation ripened on intuition, «he felt that the real key to science and even the logic was in arithmetic and geometry» [8]. His concern for the method goes together with an interest in training and the selection of teachers. He demanded much of the teacher. For him, the latter must master what it gives to children. And it goes so far as to assign the responsibility for the failure of the student. Moreover, it is Miss charity to evade ethics of education as he said: «it is a work of mercy to teach one who does not know. One who knows not teach between in this business to have to eat is not a work of mercy, but injustice and dissatisfied gossip» [9].

EDUCATION in Latin America from the 16th to the 18th century

 

I.1. history of education in Latin America in the 16th century

 

The first historical record of education in Latin America lies in a decree by the King of Spain dating from 1503 and ordering of 'building a house or meet two times per day children in each population and that the priest learn them to read, write, and Christian doctrine with many charity' [2]. This text shows us the willingness shown by the King of Spain to treat the native with dignity.

In the 16th century, education in Latin America found its purpose in evangelism, i.e. the transmission of the Christian faith. The agents of this educational work were almost exclusively religious: Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinian, betlemites and Jesuits.

Initially, they were going to the conquerors to instruct them in the Christian faith and, in parallel, they gave elementary lessons and professional basics to the natives. In 1526, these religious created one of the first colleges of Latin America. It was the college of Saint-François in the Mexico. Here, lessons went hand in hand with catechesis. Two years later, college San Juan of the Lateran was established in Mexico City. A printing press was installed in 1539 and a University began to operate there in 1553. This spread in other countries.

Thus for example, for the formation of Indian youth, Bishop Zumarraga founded in 1536 the college of Santa Cruz at Tlaltelolco.

In 1538, general studies given in Santo Domingo received the character of University. Many existing colleges, universities in expansion and development of primary schools allowed a high degree of culture in Latin America in the 16th century. This is why Professor Pablo Martinez Arroya said during the celebration of the fourth centenary of the University of Mexico:

The 16th century New Spain remained much less proof than what is often assumed with respect to the European general culture; and lists the sent to du Nouveau Monde or taken over by the inquisition show wide intellectual interests in the colonies, which may be described as almost surprising, while they reflect that, for clerics, religion was a matter of vital but not exclusive interest for their readings [3].

This quote shows the interest that Latin Americans were already wearing intellectual culture at this time which coincided with the colonization. Professor Arroya comes by here to set the record straight at the time, at the time where clashing two opposing attitudes relating to the civilizing work of the Spain in America. Thus, depending on the angle of observation was triumphalist or negativistic; Some felt that the Spain gave everything she had in its colonies, while others denounce the almost total lack of schools in the colonies.

However, at the end of 16th century, the number of masters secular in function in the new Spain has allowed and forced the creation of the corporation of teachers, forty years before the metropolis. A signed order of the Viceroy in 1601 required the imposition of examinations; It set the necessary knowledge and the requirements for permission to open a school. This order also reveals the existence of many Amigas (friendly), whose part was learning to read to children.