– A Guide to Making Children’s Lives more Fulfilling
Can we teach others how to lead a fulfilling life? The notion of personal well-being has recently shot up the political and educational agendas, placing the child’s well-being at the heart of the school’s task.
With his renowned talent for distilling the most complex of philosophical arguments into accessible laymen’s terms, John White addresses the maze of issues surrounding well-being, bringing clarity to this dissension and confusion.
This accessible book expertly guides you through the conflicting perspectives on well-being found in the educational world by:
- Examining religious and secular views of human fulfilment and of a meaningful life
- Analysing the appeal of celebrity, wealth and consumerism to so many of our children
- Asking what role pleasure, success, autonomy, work, life-planning and worthwhile activities play in children’s flourishing
- Showing how proposals to encourage children’s well-being impact on schools’ aims and learning arrangements.
Whether you have little background in education and philosophy or are reading as a teacher, student or policy maker, this engaging book will take you right to the heart of these critical issues. It will leave you with a sharply-focused picture of a remodelled educational system fit for our new millennium, committed to helping every child to enjoy a fulfilling life.
Table of Contents:
Part 1: Well-being and Education Step-by-Step
- Children’s Well-being in the New Millennium
- Initial Questions
- Well-being: some Religious Legacies
- Well-being and need Satisfaction
- Fame, Wealth and Positional Goods
- A Life of Pleasure
- Getting What we Want
- Worthwhile Activities
- Work and Well-being
- Living the Good Life: Well-being and Morality
- Are there Experts on Well-being?
- Depth without Spirituality?
- The Meaning of Life
Part 2: Education for Well-being: the Way Forward
- What Well-being is: A Summary
- Well-being for all in a more Equal Society
- Education for Well-being: the Wider Picture
- Education for Well-being: Learning Arrangements Conclusion
About the Author:
John White is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy of Education at the Institute of Education University of London, UK.
