ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces some key ideas, movements and characters in the history and philosophy of education. It concentrates on traditions and approaches where diverse modes of learning are integrated. The chapter suggests relationships between; educationalists' beliefs and their biographical and educational experiences by starting with reflections on my own primary education. The historical overview serves as a reminder that what we now call 'cross-curricular' approaches have characterised education thinking across time and cultures. The chapter tries to identify the sources of the curricular and pedagogical choices that characterised primary education. The curriculum is the vehicle for releasing, parcelling up and allocating the knowledge and skills considered important. Pedagogy concerns the ways knowledge and skills are communicated and/or delivered by individuals. Traditional education in rural communities often uses stories that capture the values, morality or history of the clan or tribe.
