Friedrich Froebel was a German educationalist, who laid the foundations for modern education systems based on the recognition that children have unique needs and capabilities. Between 1808 and 1810 he attended the training institute run by John Pestalozzi, accepting the basic principles of Pestalozzi’s theory including permissive school atmospheres as the ideal environment for learning, emphasis on nature and the object lesson. However, Frobel was a strong idealist whose view of education was closely linked to religion. He felt that Pestalozzi’s theory lacked the spiritual means that, according to Frobel was the foundation of early learning.
His famous books include “The Education of Man”, “Pedagogies of Kindergarten”, “Mother Plays and Nursery Songs” and “Education by Development”. These books mainly deal with the education of children, below the age of seven years.Frobel’s Philosophy Froebel’s philosophy is of absolute idealism. He mainly pressed two great things, namely, his ‘idea of unity in diversity’ and his ‘theory of development’. With regard to the former, he viewed this whole universe as a unity from God-the Absolute. In his book, “The Education of Man”, he remarked, “The whole world-the All, the Universe-is a single great organism in which an eternal uniformity manifests itself. This principle of uniformity expresses itself as much in external nature as in spirit. Life is the union of the spiritual with the material. Without mind of spirit, matter is lifeless, it remains formless, and it is mere chaos.Regarding his theory of development, he said that there is an absolute goal towards which all things are growing. This absolute goal is realized through the presentation of symbols, representing the various aspects of the Absolute. These symbols are called “gifts” which we shall discuss later. Development can be produced only by the exercise or use of faculty; physical, mental or spiritual. If mind is to be developed, it should be exercised and so is with the development of the body. Effective development is possible only if the exercise arises from the thing’s own activity. “Each individual must develop from within, self-active and free, in accordance with the eternal law, because full development comes only by spontaneous self-activity”. Froebel advocates balanced and unified development of body, mind and soul. His philosophy of education was based on four major principles: free self expression, creativity, social participation and motor expression. He began to focus on the needs of children just prior to entering school. Froebel envisioned a place where 4 to 6 year old children would be nurtured and protected from outside influences. Before implementing these in the kindergarten, he originally devised these concepts for the child in the family. However, these became linked with a demand for the provision of care and development of children outside of the home. In 1840 Frobel created the word kindergarten (infant garden) for the Play and Activity Institute he had founded in 1837 with its emphasis on play as well as featuring games, songs, stories, and arts and crafts to stimulate the child’s imagination and develop physical and motor skills. He considered the purpose of education to be to encourage and guide man as a conscious, thinking and perceiving being in a way that becomes a pure and perfect representation of the divine inner law through his own personal choice. Education must show him the meanings of attaining that goal. The emphasis of the early years setting was on practical work and the direct use of materials. Through exploring the environment, the child’s understanding of the world unfolds. Frobel believed in the importance of play in a child’s learning as a creative activity. To Froebel, play provided the means for a child’s intellectual, social, emotional and physical development. Froebel believed that the education of a child began at birth, and that parents and teachers played a crucial role in helping children in this activity. “Play is a mirror of life”, he wrote, leading to self discipline and respect for law and order. He developed a series of materials known as ‘gifts’ and a series of recommended activities ‘occupations’ and movement activities. Gifts were objects that were fixed inform such as blocks. The purpose was that in playing with the object the child would learn the underlying concept represented by the object. Occupations allowed more freedom and consisted of things that children could shape and manipulate such as clay, sand, beads, string etc. There was an underlying symbolic meaning in all that was done. Froebel’s educational ideas provided the major direction of kindergarten curriculum during the last half of the nineteenth century. Many of his ideas can still be observed in kindergarten today including learning through play, group games, and goal orientated activities, and outdoor time. Froebel respected children as individuals with rights and responsibilities according to their ages and abilities, and his philosophy has profoundly affected educational policy and practice around the world. Some of the early educational pioneers, most famously Maria Montessori, were influenced by the educational philosophy of Frobel.
Educators of the future will continue to look to philosophers of the past for assistance in striving to attain the common goal of being jointly responsible for nurturing, educating, and cultivating each child toward his or her maximum potential through the educational process.
His famous books include “The Education of Man”, “Pedagogies of Kindergarten”, “Mother Plays and Nursery Songs” and “Education by Development”. These books mainly deal with the education of children, below the age of seven years.Frobel’s Philosophy Froebel’s philosophy is of absolute idealism. He mainly pressed two great things, namely, his ‘idea of unity in diversity’ and his ‘theory of development’. With regard to the former, he viewed this whole universe as a unity from God-the Absolute. In his book, “The Education of Man”, he remarked, “The whole world-the All, the Universe-is a single great organism in which an eternal uniformity manifests itself. This principle of uniformity expresses itself as much in external nature as in spirit. Life is the union of the spiritual with the material. Without mind of spirit, matter is lifeless, it remains formless, and it is mere chaos.Regarding his theory of development, he said that there is an absolute goal towards which all things are growing. This absolute goal is realized through the presentation of symbols, representing the various aspects of the Absolute. These symbols are called “gifts” which we shall discuss later. Development can be produced only by the exercise or use of faculty; physical, mental or spiritual. If mind is to be developed, it should be exercised and so is with the development of the body. Effective development is possible only if the exercise arises from the thing’s own activity. “Each individual must develop from within, self-active and free, in accordance with the eternal law, because full development comes only by spontaneous self-activity”. Froebel advocates balanced and unified development of body, mind and soul. His philosophy of education was based on four major principles: free self expression, creativity, social participation and motor expression. He began to focus on the needs of children just prior to entering school. Froebel envisioned a place where 4 to 6 year old children would be nurtured and protected from outside influences. Before implementing these in the kindergarten, he originally devised these concepts for the child in the family. However, these became linked with a demand for the provision of care and development of children outside of the home. In 1840 Frobel created the word kindergarten (infant garden) for the Play and Activity Institute he had founded in 1837 with its emphasis on play as well as featuring games, songs, stories, and arts and crafts to stimulate the child’s imagination and develop physical and motor skills. He considered the purpose of education to be to encourage and guide man as a conscious, thinking and perceiving being in a way that becomes a pure and perfect representation of the divine inner law through his own personal choice. Education must show him the meanings of attaining that goal. The emphasis of the early years setting was on practical work and the direct use of materials. Through exploring the environment, the child’s understanding of the world unfolds. Frobel believed in the importance of play in a child’s learning as a creative activity. To Froebel, play provided the means for a child’s intellectual, social, emotional and physical development. Froebel believed that the education of a child began at birth, and that parents and teachers played a crucial role in helping children in this activity. “Play is a mirror of life”, he wrote, leading to self discipline and respect for law and order. He developed a series of materials known as ‘gifts’ and a series of recommended activities ‘occupations’ and movement activities. Gifts were objects that were fixed inform such as blocks. The purpose was that in playing with the object the child would learn the underlying concept represented by the object. Occupations allowed more freedom and consisted of things that children could shape and manipulate such as clay, sand, beads, string etc. There was an underlying symbolic meaning in all that was done. Froebel’s educational ideas provided the major direction of kindergarten curriculum during the last half of the nineteenth century. Many of his ideas can still be observed in kindergarten today including learning through play, group games, and goal orientated activities, and outdoor time. Froebel respected children as individuals with rights and responsibilities according to their ages and abilities, and his philosophy has profoundly affected educational policy and practice around the world. Some of the early educational pioneers, most famously Maria Montessori, were influenced by the educational philosophy of Frobel.
Educators of the future will continue to look to philosophers of the past for assistance in striving to attain the common goal of being jointly responsible for nurturing, educating, and cultivating each child toward his or her maximum potential through the educational process.
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