1 Evolving Philosophies of Modern Education in Iran: Examining the Role of Wonder Evolving Philosophies of Modern Education in Iran: Examining the Role of Wonder Nasim Noroozi Department of Integrated Studies in Education McGill University, Montreal August 2010 A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Masters of Arts in Curriculum Studies © Nassim Noroozi, 2010 2 Evolving Philosophies of Modern Education in Iran: Examining the Role of Wonder Abstract This thesis examines the impact of a new wonder that emerged through Iranians’ travelling and observing educational progressions of advanced countries during the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries. In order to analyze the wonder that affected Iran’s modern philosophy of education, the study first discusses the predominant themes within Iran’s educational philosophy from pre-Islamic times to Qajar’s traditional elementary schools. The second part of the study focuses on examining the element of wonder in philosophy and its evolving form in cultures and societies. Subsequently, the new wonder and the early signs of a modern philosophy of education for Iran are examined in the last part of the study. 3 Evolving Philosophies of Modern Education in Iran: Examining the Role of Wonder Resume Ce thèse présente un aperçu descriptif de la philosophie de l'Iran de l'éducation moderne. En raison de l'importance de la demande en philosophie et en raison de l'intérêt personnel de l'auteur dans l'émerveillement, le rôle de la demande a été observé dans la philosophie moderne de l'enseignement en Iran. Le premier chapitre situe l'auteur dans les thèmes prédominants de la philosophie de l'éducation dans Iran.La seconde chapitre situe l'auteur et le lecteur dans les expériences d'apprentissage de l'école traditionnelle en Iran au cours de la XVIIIe et XIXe siècles, afin d'observer la philosophie de l'éducation et les motifs derrière cette scolarisation, et afin de familiariser l'auteur avec les motifs sur lesquels la nouvelle philosophie allait plus tard être appliquée. Le troisième chapitre examine merveille dans la philosophie, l'éducation et sa forme évoluee dans les cultures et les sociétés. Le dernier chapitre examine la nouvelle merveille et les premiers signes d'une philosophie moderne de l'éducation pour l'Iran en examinant les récits de voyages et articles de journaux de la population concernée pour le progrès de l'éducation. 4 Evolving Philosophies of Modern Education in Iran: Examining the Role of Wonder ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This thesis could not have been completed without the academic and emotional support of my supervisor, Dr. Elizabeth J. Wood. I will never be able to thank her enough because of her constant efforts to help me find the ‘real question’. However, beyond the boundaries of this study, she helped me ‘wonderstand’, and for that I will forever remain thankful to her. A.A. Milne wrote: ‘Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.’ This study was completed because of my Poulad, who is the bottom rail, the river slipping slowly away and the everything there is to be known. Any depth in my questions is because of my dad. Baba, you’re my wings. You’re the starting point of any travel and you are my destination. Your room in our school is my favorite place on earth, to sit and to be. This thesis is for my mom: You’re my Maman, and this simple fact makes the world be mine. It is also for my brother Arman, he knows why. 5 Evolving Philosophies of Modern Education in Iran: Examining the Role of Wonder TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT…………..…………..…………..………….. …………………2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..……. .4 PROLOGUE………………………………………………………………..11 INTRODUCTION…………….....................................................................15 Importance of Educational Philosophy…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..15 Wonder Within Philosophies…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…….16 Concepts of the Study…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…....18 The Study…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…….20 Thesis Overview…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..……...21 CHAPTER 1. A RETROSPECTIVE GLANCE AT THE PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCAITON IN IRAN…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..……………...23 Philosophical Themes of Education…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..….23 Ethics and Values…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..……23 Literacy and Vocational Education…..…..…..…..…..….25 Rote Learning…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..……26 6 Evolving Philosophies of Modern Education in Iran: Examining the Role of Wonder Sufism, a Parallel Curriculum of Wonder…..…..…..…..…..…..……27 Sufist Philosophy in Curriculum and Poetry…..…..…..…..….29 Iran’s Education in History …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..….33 2. PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION IN TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS…...34 Maktabs and Their Philosophy in Qajar Era…..…..…..…..…..34 The Akhundbaji Maktab…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…….36 Moral Education…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..36 Evaluation and Discipline…..…..…..…..…..……. 38 Games in Akhundbaji’s Matkabs…..…..…..…..….39 Public Maktabs…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..41 Place and Quality…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..….41 Regulations and Admissions…..…..…..…..…..…..41 Varying learning experiences in Maktabs…..……..42 Curriculum Foci and Intellectual Emphasis…..…...44 Compatibility of Subject Matter With Age and Knowledge…………………………………....45 Teachers of Maktabs …..…..…..…..…..…..…..….47 Games and Holidays…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..47 7 Evolving Philosophies of Modern Education in Iran: Examining the Role of Wonder Grouping and Learning…..…..…..…..…..…..…....48 Photographic Images of Maktabs…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..51 3. WONDER IN PHILOSOPY AND CULTURES…..…..…..…..…..……54 Wording and Philosophy of Wonder…..…..…..…..…..…..…..54 Philosophy of Wonder and Education…..…..…..…..…..……..56 Wonder and Opportunities …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…….60 The Practice of Wonder …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…...60 Wonder Embedded in History, Cultures, Societies …..…..……62 Wonder and Alienation …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..….62 Wonder and Cultures…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…….62 4. WONDER AND PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION IN IRAN…..…..…66 The Perception of Weakness…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…...67 Wonder and Nineteenth Century Iran …..…..…..…..…..…..….67 Travelogues; Wonder and the Formation of The New Self….…69 Early Travelers and The Practice of Wonder…..…..…….69 Travelogues and The Education of Other …..…..…..…...72 Students, Observers and Wonderers…..…..…..…..…..…73 8 Evolving Philosophies of Modern Education in Iran: Examining the Role of Wonder Newspapers as Creators of New Wonder …..…..…..…..……..76 Wonder in Newspapers and New Prioritie……………... 76 Comparative Wonder in Newspapers …..…..…..…..…...77 Wonder at Others’ Education and Mimesis in Newspapers …..……………………………………....79 The Seminal Effect of Wonderers…..…..…..…..…..……..…..80 5. CONCLUSION …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..….....82 Reflections: Contemplating With Dewey …..…..…..…..…..…..…….83 Where to From Here? …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…87 BIBLIOGRAPHY …………………………………………………….89 9 Evolving Philosophies of Modern Education in Iran: Examining the Role of Wonder LIST OF FIGURES Fig. 1 Corporal punishment in Maktabs …………………………………p. 75 Fig. 2 A scene from a Maktab in Qajar Era………………………………p. 75 Fig. 3 Maktab in a yard…………………………………………………...p. 76 Fig. 4 A typical Maktab Classroom ………………………………………p. 76 10 Evolving Philosophies of Modern Education in Iran: Examining the Role of Wonder 11 Evolving Philosophies of Modern Education in Iran: Examining the Role of Wonder Prologue A Free-fall With Wonder Besides the fact that we could feel there was an element missing in the class, the rest of it seemed right. It was the only way to learn about Iran’s literature: The main activity in our undergraduate literature classes was listening and writing down what the professors would say about the meanings of the words and the technical elements of a poem. The classes were spacious and with enough lighting. As for the textbooks, one could not complain. The textbooks were all fundamental books of Persian literature. Learning was considered happening when a student could find the elements of poetry, spot the literary techniques, and recite the vocabulary. This was also something we did for 12 years in school when covering Persian literature. An Islamic awning sheltered the overall aura of literature and thus limited the range of interpreted meanings. There was usually no discussion about the contextual aspects of literature, nor any non-Islamic interpretations. This placed limitations and made the teaching procedure restricted to the literal explanations of the poem. One day I attended a class on Hafiz poetry. I took out my notebook and pen and thought to myself that this is the end of the road – it was the last course of my undergraduate degree. I started to listen. The pen and the notebook were in front of me, and I was thinking nothing was wrong with this experience except that it was a bit of a grim day. The professor came to the class late. It was as if there was no rush and not a whole book to 12 Evolving Philosophies of Modern Education in Iran: Examining the Role of Wonder be finished for the end of the term. He sat down, selected a very well known and much recited poem, and started to teach. When the class was finished, I knew that two things had happened. First, that the pen and the notebook had remained untouched, and second, that I was a changed person. What element was there in that session that resulted