Questions for discussion 1. in this essay, ralph waldo emerson describes his view of an ideal education. what are its defining characteristics? 2. in what ways is emerson’s advice appropriate to a child’s first teacher — his or her parents? 3. why does emerson believe "[i]t is better to teach the child arithmetic and latin grammar than rhetoric or moral philosophy" (para. 5)? 4. in what ways does this essay point out the education system’s effect on teachers as well as students? 5. what exactly is the "natural method" to which emerson refers (para. 8)? 6. why does emerson criticize schools as bureaucratic institutions (para. 10)? 7. emerson refers to educating "a boy" and "a man" and uses masculine pronouns when referring to students. as a reader, does this gender bias affect how receptive you are to emerson’s ideas? are his ideas equally applicable to women? if you do not think so, then how would they need to be changed to be applicable to both men and women, boys and girls? 8. describe the adult that emerson imagines would emerge from an educa