怀特海教育节奏论思想及其对我国素质教育的启示

On Whitehead's Cyclic Theory of Learning and the Value to China Education

作为过程哲学的创始人,怀特海的过程哲学思想鲜明、集中地体现在其教育节奏论中。怀特海教育节奏论的核心有两点:一、教育者要按照学生的智力发育阶段施以不同的学习科目和不同的学习方式;二、学生智力发育的不同阶段,应专注集中于某一重点科目的学习,决不能分散精力同时学习过多的学科,其他阶段性非重点科目应有机整合统摄于重点科目之下予以传授。教育遵循这一原则,学生最后都将得到真正的全面发展。怀特海的教育节奏论对我们今天正在进行的素质教育改革、课程改革和如何引导学生有效地自我发展是一个很好的启示。

As the founder of process philosophy, Whitehead＇s theory of process philosophy was embodied distinctly in his Cyclic Theory of Learning. In White-head＇s opinion, a student＇s mental development and his/her basic learning act, correspondingly, a basic teaching act is a cycle which consists of three stages： romance, precision and generalization. These basic learning cycles in turn are nested in bigger cycles which again are nested in yet wider cycles. At each stage of mental development, ditterent contents and methods of learning must be offered to students while students must devote their minds to one main subject. If educators do like this, students must get the real development in an all - round way in the end. Based on the above, I think that Whitehead＇s Cyclic Theory of Learning will be beneficial to the Quality -oriented Reform in China.