The standard education
Before the Enlightenment, attention to children was taken for granted. Rousseau argues that by neglecting to improve education, a society dooms itself to the chronic entropy of time. Not only that, but where is true knowledge? Rousseau's Emile is secretly a replication of the education he gave to himself as a true philosopher. His goal is to create a culture that produces more powerful thinkers like himself. The irony of his education is that without it, Rousseau is doomed to be alone in his greatness.
Logic and the obvious
Rousseau elaborates a theory of education that focuses on explaining the obvious facts of life to a child to help them lay the groundwork for common sense and logical calculation. This seems like the most easy, obvious kind of education, but actually, Rousseau observes that typically education is done as fact-memorization. That is to say that many teachers don't actually have common sense or a logical understanding of their own existence.
Tactical education
Should Emile be raised in an array of desks and tables? Perhaps there is some value in that, but Rousseau mentions science and physics. To teach a child about air and object density, to teach about light and shadow, to teach about skill, why not exit the classroom and fly a kite? Book 2 elaborates his theory about this. The irony is that although sometimes education would be much more practical and effective if done physically, kinetically, still many teachers only resort to language and fact-memorization.
Punishment and truth
By threatening a child with a failing grade, what does that teach the child? Instead of teaching the child about punishment, threat of shame, and fear of failure, the philosopher turns to a more ethical, less moral option. He argues that by giving Emile over to a master of a craft for apprenticeship (that the boy actually enjoys), the child could learn about their full potential. Then, their motivation to learn would be tied to their own self-discovery, and the child would not need to be threatened to learn.
Religion and irony
Rousseau hopes that by teaching his pupil about religion, he can lead him to the waters of enlightenment and teach him the benefits of drinking. Just as Emile can look around at the people who were educated without Rousseau's insightful adjustments, so too can he look at religion and see that the officers of the church were educated the way the world was. The religion is typically taught in the fact-memorization way that dooms so many educations, and therefore, the organized religion of the church must be used in an ironic way, as a stepping-off point, as a touchstone, and as a reference to Emile's own beliefs. Rousseau wants to teach Emile that, ironically, no one is qualified to teach true religion to Emile but God and Emile himself.
