호머 레인의 교육사상에서 자유와 자치의 교육적 의미

Abstract

Focused on the meaning of freedom and self-government, the purpose of this study is to widen the understanding of Homer Lane’s educational ideas through his educational practical activities. In order to attain the research aim first, this study examines Lane’s life and his activities in the Little Commonwealth that shows Lane’s educational thought by practical activities. The Little Commonwealth is a co-educational community inhabited by children ranging in age from a few months to nineteen years. Those older than thirteen years have been committed for a crime, as to a reformatory. This co-educational community shows Lane’s educational thought. Lane’s educational ideas and practice are focused on freedom. The freedom that Lane puts emphasis on includes negative freedom solving external suppressing. And that means the students being positive freedom who make a choice depending on his or her own standards. Self-government is an external system which can manifest the power of internal freedom. It becomes obvious by practice in the community. Lane’s thoughts on education present significant suggestions for Korean education; ⅰ)Lane makes us have a new perspective about the meaning of freedom in education. ⅱ)Lane’s practical activities suggest the direction of self-government practice in school education. ⅲ)Lane’s ideas offer some clues that can solve educational problems in Korean education. On the other hand, there are some insufficiencies; ⅰ)Lane’s educational thought tends to depend on Freudianism. ⅱ)It is difficult to apply and practice Lane’s educational ideas in the Korean public education system. Nevertheless, Lane’s educational thought lets us know a importance of practical activities and a potential for change in the educational community. Lane’s educational ideas provides an opportunity for recognition of freedom and self-government in education and life.