Jean-Jacques Rousseau lived in the 18th Century during the Enlightenment period. He was a very progressive-thinking man, a trait that had been fostered since his early childhood. His ideas about society, education, and politics were very different from what current thinkers were used to. Rousseau's philosophy on education alone would lead to the beginnings of what we now know as "child-centered education" in the United States. Rousseau is the creator and champion of the educational philosophy of Naturalism, which he outlines in detail in his great work Emile. Naturalism was developed after much introspection about his own life and personal experiences (his failure as an instructor, and abandoning his children at an orphanage), so it is interesting that this particular theory was birthed through such unfortunate events. Emile was written in story form and follows the life of a young man who grows up and is educated in a natural environment, free from the corruption of society. Rousseau strongly believed in "human nature's original goodness", and that children (who would one day become adults) were destined to be corrupted by society and by receiving an education in an artificial society (Gutek, 2010). Children reared and taught under Naturalism, in a natural environment free of corruption, could foster the growth of their natural goodness and become the leaders of a new, progressive, just society. Two major themes of education existed in Emile: place (where the education took place) and appropriateness of education (what was taught and when). The theme of place focuses on ensuring that children are educated in a natural, "prepared environment" that allows children the freedom to pursue their own interests. As opposed to conventional school classrooms with four walls and desks, Emile was educated on a country estate and learned simply from experiencing nature directly. Rousseau believed that natural education called for children to discover the world around them, pursuing their interests and learning from their mistakes. Rousseau believed that a child should be involved in the discovery process of learning so that he could learn to make logical decisions. In the natural setting, children would be free from the influence of socialized, corrupted adults. The way the instructor structured the "prepared environment" was just as important as the general location. Rousseau believed that setting up a classroom a certain way pointed to a certain direction or "way" the child should be learning, an idea that did not reflect a naturalistic education. The second theme, appropriateness of education, dealt with the age at which children should learn something and was not based so much on socioeconomic status as it was nature itself. Tied to this theme was Rousseau's stages of development--ages at which children should learn certain subjects. The book follows the main character from birth to manhood, beginning with the stage of "infancy" (birth to age 5); "boyhood" (ages 5-12; self-identity and sensory development); "concept of utility" (ages 12-15; purposeful activity, what things are and how to use them); "adolescence" (ages 15-18; sexual maturation); "age of humanity" (ages 18-20; morality develops); and "manhood" (the final stage of development). In each stage, Emile with the help of the natural environment and his tutor, navigates through life at his own self-directed pace and becomes a well-rounded citizen, natural goodness in tact. There is no doubt that Jean-Jacques Rousseau contributed to the foundations of the American educational system. As a proponent of natural education, he ushered in the idea of child-centered learning and discovery learning. He influenced later educational theorists to expound on these ideas, and his philosophy on education is put to use in classrooms all over the country today. Rousseau's contributions to American education, and to education in general, are greatly appreciated, because nothing is greater than helping a child to learn and enjoy learning on his or her own. Placing a majority of the responsibility for learning on the child instead of society fosters accountability and a desire to continue on the quest for knowledge.