Rousseau: a educação e a escola

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the concept of school in the thought of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Based on the thesis of the natural goodness of the human being and the analysis of the state of nature, it seeks to understand how Rousseau structures two educational models—private and public—that, although they serve different purposes, share a common principle: respect for human nature. Rousseau considers that the goal of private education is to shape the natural man, while public education aims at the formation of the citizen. Although the author did not develop a systematic theory about the school institution, his works provide valuable insights for reflecting on the school as a formative space. The research is primarily grounded in three key texts: Emile, or On Education, Economy (Moral and Political), and Considerations on the Government of Poland and on Its Proposed Reform, in which it is possible to identify elements that point toward an alternative school model oriented to the moral and civic formation of the individual