Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Demand Letter Counter Offer

Jose Abelardo Nuñez Murua


Born in Santiago in 1840, a family of educators. His father was José María Núñez. Joseph was orphaned at age 14, studied at the National Institute and then at the School of Law, University of Chile, where he became a lawyer in 1865. Although practiced law and was about politics, his vocation early bent toward educational problems.

In 1879 the Minister of Public Instruction tasked to travel to the United States and Europe to study their educational systems. Of the countries I visit, the educational system that mostly impressed him was the German, mainly due to the precision of its operation.

"The first impression produced by a German school is the admiration of the dominant discipline within. You do not hear the slightest noise, less mess, all proceeds with perfect order. Teachers and students seem equally convinced that such a place no space or time for anything else other than study, and all since passed the threshold of the school observed a poise and seriousness as if they were in the church ... and what more worthy of mention is that this discipline, this order, not something forced in any way, nor the result of rigor, or the angry faces of the teachers who as effective disciplinary agents, have the stick or glove to his students, but In contrast are the children themselves who seem to profess an affection and respect for the school such that they do not think changing the order or disrupt the teacher's correction. "

What more impact to Núñez was the discipline of German education, and their arguments were decisive in the resolution of any educational model import. The less visible side of the great reception that Núñez's proposal is linked with the sense given at the time to primary education by the ruling elite. Primary education was understood as a system of care and control of the lower classes, who constituted the mass of customers of public education. Note that the central concern was the primary Núñez tax.

A new reform for primary and normal schools began in 1883, where among the new measures include increased financial resources and the insertion of foreign teachers. Since starting this new phase began arriving the first teachers, mostly Germans, who introduced new materials in the training of regular teachers as psychology, critical pedagogy, teaching methodology, and other art-focused teaching.

In 1888 he was appointed Inspector General of Primary Education, and promoted the creation of primary schools across the country, and colleges of Copiapo, La Serena, Chillan, Victoria Valdivia, to expand education for all the nation. For the training of teachers, traveled back to Europe to promote the recruitment of teachers exclusively Germans and Austrians were convinced that some of the best educational system.

No field as an innovator he was forbidden education, being in addition to above, founder of the Pedagogical Museum

This distinguished educator, active member of the Board of Education until the end of his days, died in Santiago in August 1910 of bronchopneumonia.