The natural bent

Plato, Athenian philosopher and founder of the Academy, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world.

I’ve previously written about how children aren’t meant to be molded. But unfolded.

Plato agreed.

He didn’t call it unfolding, but that’s what Plato was describing when he wrote about ‘finding the natural bent.’

He believed early childhood education should emphasize discovery. For young kids to really learn, education should feel like play.

In Plato’s own words, from ~375 BC…

Bodily exercise, when compulsory, does no harm to the body; but knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind. 

Very true. Then, my good friend, I said, do not use compulsion, but let early education be a sort of amusement; you will then be better able to find out the natural bent.

- Plato, The Republic