Educating the Child in Enlightenment Britain

This collection challenges traditional views of education by examining cultural transmission methods in the long eighteenth century. Educating the Child in Enlightenment Britain reveals new insights.

This interdisciplinary collection presents a fresh perspective on the history of education, challenging traditional narratives by exploring the intricate beliefs and methods used to transmit culture to the youth during the long eighteenth century. Educating the Child in Enlightenment Britain delves into various sources, revealing how conventional pedagogical texts and personal accounts from women's diaries and letters showcase a more rigorous intellectual training in domestic settings than previously recognized. This approach expands the definition of education and questions the validity of some historical assumptions.

Contributors to this collection engage with a broad spectrum of topics, including the contrasts between private and public education, the educational initiatives of figures like Hannah More, and the influence of women schoolteachers. The role of diplomats in educating boys during the Grand Tour is examined, alongside discussions on English Jesuit education and the impact of print culture on education in Ireland. These diverse essays highlight the significance of teaching aids in early nineteenth-century classrooms and the complex relationship between children's book use and educational practices.

Collectively, the essays in Educating the Child in Enlightenment Britain offer an enriching exploration of the varied educational activities in Britain, highlighting the cultural and social contexts that shaped the education of young people. The collection illustrates the discrepancies between educational principles and actual practices throughout this transformative period.