Student Scholarship
Document Type
Research Paper
Abstract
The Identifying and Illustration of Human Factors Involved in Elementary Education, written by Arlene Raines in 1976, serves as a philosophical and practical overview of the Second Renaissance School. The paper posits that education should move beyond simple vocational training for survival and instead focus on cultivating the judgment and wisdom necessary for a child to flourish. Drawing upon the theories of educational giants like Montessori, Dewey, and Neill, the author argues for a child-centered approach that treats education as the natural development of the human personality rather than a mere method of instruction.
A significant portion of the document is dedicated to the human factors that influence the educational experience, including social needs, emotional development, and various fears such as the fear of rejection or the unknown. The school utilizes an ungraded system where children are encouraged to follow their own interests and work collaboratively with peers. Raines emphasizes that while the school provides structure and guidance, it prioritizes unprogrammed time for children to explore and synthesize information independently. This philosophy discourages win-lose competition and traditional grading, which the author argues can foster aggression and prioritize extrinsic incentives over the intrinsic joy of discovery.
The text also details the critical roles of teachers and parents within this ecosystem. Teachers are encouraged to be self-effacing, aiming to become dispensable as the student's self-reliance grows. Meanwhile, parents are integrated into the school community through participation in trips, maintenance, and social events, reinforcing the child’s sense of self-worth and pride in their school. Ultimately, the document defines success not by the speed of learning, but by the development of interest, independence, and self-discipline within each individual child.
Research Highlights
The Problem: Elementary education often prioritizes training for livelihood over the cultivation of judgment, wisdom, and the natural development of the human personality.
The Method: A culminating project and paper by Arlene Raines examining human factors in the "Second Renaissance School" educational model for 12-year-olds, incorporating philosophies from Dewey, Piaget, Montessori, and Neill.
Quantitative Finding: The project was presented orally on June 2, 1976; the written paper was completed on June 15, 1976; the curriculum analysis focuses specifically on 12-year-old students; the presentation utilizes 48 referenced slides to illustrate educational interactions.
Qualitative Finding: Effective education requires ungraded classes and child-centered environments that minimize maladaptive learning; the role of the teacher should be self-effacing to foster student self-reliance; peer-to-peer teaching and group interactions are critical for social-emotional development and the "joy of discovery".
Publication Date
6-1976
Recommended Citation
Raines, Arlene, "The Identification & Illustration of some of the Human Factors Involved in Elementary Education (The Second Renaissance School)" (1976). Student Scholarship. 185.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/student-research-papers/185
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