Central Luzon Doctors Hospital Educational Institution

Graduate School Department

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

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COURSE TITLE: Foundations of Education

CREDIT: 3 Units
TIME ALLOTMENT: 1 HOUR
TOPIC OUTLINE:
This is an overview of the Medieval concept of spiritual,
intellectual, political and economic education. This outline
is focused on the development of understanding of
essential education foundations from the Chivalric, Guild
System and Saracenic Education.
CONTENTS:

A. Chivalric and Feudalism Education

The age of chivalry extended from the beginning of the
ninth to the sixteenth centuries. A complicated system of political
and personal relationships called feudalism characterized by the
early period of the middle ages and grew among the nobility.
Concerned with both loyalty and property, feudalism focused on
land tenure, binding royalties and serfs together by the
responsibilities of mutual defense and service. The medieval king
or lord rewards his vassal by awarding him a portion of his land
and, in return, each pledge aid and support to the other.
To get young nobles ready to assume their obligations, the
institution of chivalry developed and became the basis for a set of
ideals to guide their education and conduct. The patterns of
chivalry were based upon usages in warfare, religion and courtesy
for the upper class. For warfare, there was training in the skills of
fighting on horseback. The church contributed ideas of honor,
generosity, protection of the weak and loyalty. In addition, there
were social graces and manners fit for the nobility.
Feudalism is the general term used to describe the political
and military system of the Western European during the Middle
Ages. At that time there was no strong central government and
little security, but feudalism fulfilled the basic need for justice and
protection.
Feudalism was a system of land tenure on allegiance and
service to the nobleman or lord. The lord who owned the land,
called a fief, let it out to a subordinate who was called vassal. Two
careers were open to the sons of the noblemen during feudalism
times. If they decided in favor of the church, they pursued an
education that was religious and academic in nature in order to
become members of the clergy. If they decided in favor of chivalry,
they pursued an education that was physical, social and military in
nature. To the average boy, chivalry has much more appeal than
the church.
The word chivalry comes from the Old French word
chevalerie, meaning horse soldiery. But the term came to mean
the code of behavior and ethics that knights were expected to
follow.

TRAINING PREPARATION FOR KNIGHTHOOD

In the middle ages, a young boy in training to be a
knight spent the first years of his life chiefly in the care of
the women of his family. During this time, he learned how
to ride a pony and care for horses,

The PAGE
At seven, he joins a household of another
knight or nobleman and learns how to
handle small weapons and learns the code
of courtesy and behavior expected of a
knight

The SQUIRE
At fourteen, he acts as a valet, a personal
servant to the knight who was his master
and sets the table and serves meals. He
keeps the knights weapon in good
condition and cares for his horses. He helps
his knight in his armor, attends to him if
injured, rides with him into battles and fights
along with his knight. He also guards
prisoners.

The KNIGHT
At twenty-one, any knight could bestow
knighthood on another. Some men were
knighted on the battlefield if they had shown
great bravery. He receives his sword and
other weapons from his master or king. The
ceremony is solemn in which a prospective
knight takes a bath of purification, dressed
in white and spends an entire night in
prayer and meditation.

1. AIMS
A system of education for nobility, chivalry
aimed to teach the best ideals. It provided a system
of training to inculcate gallantry towards women,
protection of the weak, honesty in everything and
courage at all times.
a) Morality To inculcate in the minds of young
nobles the virtues of honor, honesty, courage,
bravery, courtesy, etc
b) Responsibility To get the young nobles to
assume their responsibilities, how to manage
their own estates, and how to deal to the lower
classes of people.
c) c. Horsemanship To train the young nobles in
horseback warfare, hunting and tournaments
d) d. Gallantry To train the young nobles how to
deal gallantry with the ladies of nobility and
protection of the weak
e) e. Religiosity To train the young nobles to be
devoted to the service of God
f) f. Social Graces To train the young girls in the
social graces and manners fit for the ladies of
the nobility

2. TYPES
Chivalric was a form of social training. It
emphasized on military training and social
etiquette. Chivalric education was essentially class
education for entrance into aristocracy. This social
discipline taught the young noble to manage his
estate and to acquire the class consciousness of
superiority over lower class.
a) Reading, Writing and little literary learning in
the vernacular
b) Social Training. Training in good manners, right
conduct, and social graces. Training of social
etiquette has never been surpassed.
c) Military Training.
Military training
was
emphasized through the acquisition of
professional military skills and made of fighting
in warfare a profession
d) Religious and moral training. Participation in
Church rites and ceremonies.
e) Physical Training. This was given emphasis
3. CONTENT
The curriculum consisted of:
a) Religion, music, dancing, especially for girls
b) Horse riding for warfare, hunting, and
tournaments
c) Physical exercises
d) Reading, writing, literature in vernacular
e) Good manners, right conduct, social graces
and etiquette
f) Household duties such as sewing, weaving,
cooking,
embroidery
and
household
management for girls
g) At the higher level: the curriculum consisted of
the SEVEN FREE ARTS:
a. Jousting
b. Falconing
c. Swimming
d. Horsemanship
e. Boxing
f. Writing and singing verse
g. Chess
The pupil did not pay any fees because he served
his master like a valet.

4. AGENCIES
a) The home was responsible for the earliest
education; later, the lords and ladies of the
castles were the teachers.
b) The fields of battle were the schools of boys
while,
c) The courts were the school for girls.

d) Troubadours, ministers and gazetteers served

as agents of education and providers of
entertainment.
Using the vernacular, they sang about the
noble deeds of the heroes, beautiful ladies,
brilliant deeds of the knights and lords. They
spread the news, gave warnings about
impending dangers, brought messages from
allies and friends. Troubadours propagated
learning through their songs
5. METHODS
The methods used were those of imitations,
example, and learning by doing. The motivation
was strong desire for social approval. Discipline
was maintained through the ideals of obedience
and sincere adherence to the moral and social
standards.
6. DECLINE
By the end of 1200s, several events in Europe led
to the decline of feudalism.
a) An economic revival put more money back into
use because soldiers could be paid. Fewer
lords relied on vassals to provide services of
knights
b) The invention of gun powder and of such
weapons as the longbow and the cannon
lessened the dominance of the knights
c) Foot soldiers from Flemish cities defeated
French knights at the battle of Courtal in 1302
d) Stone castles occupied by feudal lords could no
,longer stand against the cannon
e) Cities grew wealthier and became more
important and rulers have less need of
aristocracy
f) People trained in the government service took
over the function that vassals had performed on
their serfs
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION

Use of vernacular as tool of teaching

The emphasis placed on learning the social graces, rules
of etiquette or good manners and right conduct

B. THE GUILD APPROACH TO EDUCATION

Towards the end of the Middle Ages, considerable social and
cultural changes were brought about by economic changes. One
of these was the Crusade. The Crusaders increased trade and
commerce. The necessity of transporting the Crusaders resulted
in the development of transportation, trading and banking. The
Crusaders themselves became acquainted with a new lifestyle
which created a multitude of new needs and luxuries. This brought
about the growth of new cities and the rise of new social classes
the burgher, bourgeoisie or the middle class. This new class
began to be as important as the nobles and the clergy and they
demanded a different kind of education for their children.

Closely related to the development of commerce was the

strengthening of guilds, an organization composed of persons with
common interest and mutual needs for protection and welfare.
There are two types of guilds, the merchant guild and the
craftsman guild. The merchant guild members were residents of
the same town and artisans who sold their products. They usually
had a monopoly of the retail trade in their own towns. The skill
workers, manufacturers and artisans organized themselves into
craft according to their craft, to protect themselves from inferior
work and undercut prices and to gain monopoly of production
among themselves.
1. AIMS
The new middle class needed a new kind of education that
was practical, thus vocational training was emphasized so
that children were to be prepared for the requisites of
commerce and industry.
2. CONTENT
Elementary instruction in reading and writing were
vernacular and arithmetic was required as preparation for
commerce and industry of the guilds. Masters were
required to teach their apprentice their crafts and also
provide adequate religious instructions.
3. AGENCIES
New types of school developed for the education of
burgher children, the burgher schools which were
supported and controlled by the cities and often taught by
priest and lay teachers, the chantry schools supported by
the wealthy merchants for the instructions of the children of
the city, and the guild schools for the children of the
craftsmen.
4. ORGANIZATION
There were three stages of development for the
craftsmen, (1.) Apprentice, (2.) Journeyman and (3.)Master
craftsman. As an apprentice the boy was assigned to
master that would teach him skills of trade, watch over his
morals and train him in religion. In turn, the boy had to
work hard and serve his master. The period of apprentice
varied according to the trade. As Journeyman, the young
worker would travel as a paid laborer and go to different
masters. After he had proven his worth, then he became a
master, a full pledged member of a guild.
5. METHOD
The chantry, burgher and the guild schools were
operated in much the same way as monastic and parish
schools. The methods used were example, imitation and
practice. They also had dictation, memorization and the
catechetical method. Discipline was severe and harsh.
Education at this point was strictly preparation for work.

C. SARACENIC APPROACH TO EDUCATION

Six hundred years after the birth of Christ, a new religion, founded
by Mohammed, took root in Arabia. This religion rose among the
Arabs, who were also known as Saracens, among the Moors of
Spain. The religion Mohammed founded was known as Islam and its

followers, of whatever nationality, were known as Moslems or

Muslims.
The greatness of the Saracens was probably due to their ability to
assimilate the best in the intellectual culture of the people with whom they
came in contact and to apply this heritage to their own specific needs.
The western world is indebted to them for the creation of scientific spirit of
investigation and experimentation and for the invention and improvement
of tools of science. Because of its attractiveness to human nature and its
satisfaction of human longings, Islam prospered.
1. AIMS
The aim of education for the Saracens was primarily a
search for knowledge and an application of scientific facts to the
affair of daily life. For example, science was not merely for
intellectual exercise but for its application to useful arts and crafts.
Reading was studied as a necessity of progress. Medicine was
stressed because it was necessary for life preservation.
Astronomy was studied as an aid to geography and navigation.
Saracenic education aimed at the development of
individual initiative and social welfare-liberal education in its truest
sense. All education began with religious education and
memorization of the Koran. It was a simple religion emphasizing a
high degree of tolerance with the faith. Islam had learned doctors,
teachers and priests but no hierarchy. There was very little need
for education, except for those training for to be teachers of
divinity or philosophy so that education was free to devote itself to
the improvement of life. As a result, Saracenic homes and cities
were equipped with facilities and luxuries that their European
neighbors had not even dreamed of.
2. TYPES
In order to turn out the practical man of affairs, vocational
education was stressed. Intellectual training in the sciences was
the basis of professions. Education was universal, although not
entirely democratic. Elementary education was open to all boys
and girls, higher education was open to the rich and poor, but the
wealthy had some advantages. Financial aid was provided to
needy students so that in those times it would be difficult to find an
illiterate Saracen.
3. CONTENT
The curriculum of Muslim school was the most complete
and most carefully organized in the elementary, secondary and
higher levels. Elementary schools were set up where needed and
the universities and libraries were the best models for the best in
Europe. Subject matter in the elementary level of reading, writing,
arithmetic, religion, grammar and science. At the higher level it
consisted of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, physics, chemistry,
geography, astronomy, anatomy, pharmacy, medicine, surgery,
philosophy, history, literature, logic, metaphysics and law. What
the Muslims studied and what they discovered were carefully
rounded and classified in libraries. The Koran was taught at all
levels.
4. AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS
The early caliphs were instrumental in founding of
elementary schools, academic, universities and libraries in their
domain. The caliphs became ardent scholars themselves and they

surrounded themselves with the most learned men. Each mosque

established as elementary school. The rich Muslims donated large
sums of money for education. Both universities and libraries were
well-endorsed and were made available to all.
5. METHODS
Muslim schools originated the scientific method (although
there was considered use of repetition and drill), the catechetical
method, memorization and lecture. Higher schools emphasized
travel and explanation.

Referrences:
1. Foundations of Education II (Historical, Philosophical and Legal
Foundations of Education) Third Edition by Rosalinda A. San Mateo and
Maura G. Tangco
2. Historical, Philosophical and Legal Foundations of Education 2 Second
Edition by Doris D. Tulio