Mortimer Jerome Adler - (December 28, 1902 - June 28, 2001) was an American philosopher, educator, and popular author. As a philosopher he worked within the Aristotelian traditions. He lived for the longest stretches in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, and San Mateo. He worked for Columbia University, the University of Chicago, Encyclopedia Britannica, and Adler's own Institute for Philosophical Research. Adler was married twice and had four children.
Nathan Schmidt: Mortimer Adler's thoughts and ideas about education that I think should be on the handout and powerpoint.
Schooling is what goes on in institutions, and it only prepares students for education.
No one ever gets educated in school.
School should prepare the young to become educated
Through reading, travel, discussion, and thought.
Schools are not at their best.
“I now think I am educated, I have forgotten most of the things I have learned in school.”
Most of the things you learn in school, you only learn to pass examinations with.
The biggest thing that students acquire in schools that are not forgotten are skills
Writing, reading, good speech, and good behavior
Editor of numerous sets of books ranging from Britannica's Great Books of the Western World (60 vols.), The Great Ideas Program (10 vols.), Gateway to the Great Books (10 vols.), The Annals of America (20 vols.), and Encyclopaedia Britannica (32 vols.)
Great book discussion
You cannot become educated while young, but you can be taught the skills to be educated later in life.
He thinks that schooling should start at a very young age “4”
Education should build moral fiber
Nathan Schmidt: During the power point I will discuss these ideas more clearly.
Ben Rude: Mortimer Adler's Contributions to the field of Education:
Mortimer Adler was an American author, educator, and philosopher who made a number of significant contributions to education.Among the most noteworthy are the following:
1.Adler believed that all students should receive a classics based education where literature, science, philosophy and the arts were integrated. He promoted a universal humanities program where all students were offered the same rigorous basic education.He was not in favor vocational and electives that differentiated among students and diluted what he felt was true learning.The Great Books program where the Socratic method is used is an example of a model he developed, and many variations came off of this as well.
2.He placed an emphasis on critical thinking, where young people are asked to seek genuine understanding of material, rather than simply memorizing facts.His goal was to have students become critical thinkers and to learn how to think.This is something schools all across the nation have begun to adopt as part of their standards.
3. He promoted lifelong learning, and believed that education should teach people to use leisure time well, to earn their living ethically, and to be responsible citizens in a democracy.This influence is evidenced by the surge in adult education, and non-traditional students entering schools.
4.Adler questioned the value of the huge number of standardized tests, and challenged whether they were assessing true learning or were just measuring short-term memorization.He believed valuable time and learning were lost because of them.This debate continues today in education.
Nathan Schmidt: Short bio of Mortimer Adler
Mortimer Jerome Adler - (December 28, 1902 - June 28 , 2001) was an American philosopher, educator, and popular author. As a philosopher he worked within the Aristotelian traditions. He lived for the longest stretches in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco , and San Mateo. He worked for Columbia University, the University of Chicago, Encyclopedia Britannica, and Adler's own Institute for Philosophical Research. Adler was married twice and had four children.
Nathan Schmidt: Mortimer Adler's thoughts and ideas about education that I think should be on the handout and powerpoint.
Schooling is what goes on in institutions, and it only prepares students for education.
No one ever gets educated in school.
School should prepare the young to become educated
Through reading, travel, discussion, and thought.
Schools are not at their best.
“I now think I am educated, I have forgotten most of the things I have learned in school.”
Most of the things you learn in school, you only learn to pass examinations with.
The biggest thing that students acquire in schools that are not forgotten are skills
Writing, reading, good speech, and good behavior
Editor of numerous sets of books ranging from Britannica's Great Books of the Western World (60 vols.), The Great Ideas Program (10 vols.), Gateway to the Great Books (10 vols.), The Annals of America (20 vols.), and Encyclopaedia Britannica (32 vols.)
Great book discussion
You cannot become educated while young, but you can be taught the skills to be educated later in life.
He thinks that schooling should start at a very young age “4”
Education should build moral fiber
Nathan Schmidt: During the power point I will discuss these ideas more clearly.
Ben Rude: Mortimer Adler's Contributions to the field of Education:
Mortimer Adler was an American author, educator, and philosopher who made a number of significant contributions to education. Among the most noteworthy are the following:
1. Adler believed that all students should receive a classics based education where literature, science, philosophy and the arts were integrated. He promoted a universal humanities program where all students were offered the same rigorous basic education. He was not in favor vocational and electives that differentiated among students and diluted what he felt was true learning. The Great Books program where the Socratic method is used is an example of a model he developed, and many variations came off of this as well.
2. He placed an emphasis on critical thinking, where young people are asked to seek genuine understanding of material, rather than simply memorizing facts. His goal was to have students become critical thinkers and to learn how to think. This is something schools all across the nation have begun to adopt as part of their standards.
3. He promoted lifelong learning, and believed that education should teach people to use leisure time well, to earn their living ethically, and to be responsible citizens in a democracy. This influence is evidenced by the surge in adult education, and non-traditional students entering schools.
4. Adler questioned the value of the huge number of standardized tests, and challenged whether they were assessing true learning or were just measuring short-term memorization. He believed valuable time and learning were lost because of them. This debate continues today in education.