Friedrich Froebel
The purpose of education is to encourage and
guide man as a conscious, thinking and perceiving
being in such a way that he becomes a pure and
perfect representation of that divine inner law
through his own personal choice. (Friedrich
Froebel 1826 Die Nenschenerziehung, pp. 2)
• Froebel was born in Prussia in 1782, son of a clergyman.
• His mother died soon after he was born and he had an
unhappy early childhood, brought up by and uncaring
stepmother.
• However he grew up to be a highly spiritual man whose
appreciation of the natural world guided his philosophies.
• Aged 10 he went to live with an Uncle who was kinder to
him and sent him to school.
• His first job was a forester, which allowed him to spend a
lot of time exploring the natural world
• After various jobs he took a post as a teacher at the
school of Pestalozzi, a Swiss educator who believed every
child had a right to an education based on using the
senses, indoor and outdoor learning and development
from concrete to abstract ideas. This had a major
influence on the young Froebel.
Community of Learning
Let us live with our children, let them live
with us, so we shall gain through them
what all of us need.
Froebel in ‘The Education of Man’
• Froebel left Pestalozzi’s school to study mineralogy. He
developed ideas about the links between the patterns in
nature (in this case crystals) and the laws of human life.
• He then served in the army fighting for the Prussians
against Napoleon.
• In the early 19th century play was seen as idle and
children seen as miniature adults who should be taught to
be productive in society as soon as possible
• Against this background Froebel set up his own school
based on his observations of nature and young children
and their families – a revolutionary idea!
• He championed the role of the family in the education of
children and this first school was a community where
teachers and other families lived together.
Learning through play
“Play is the highest expression of human
development in childhood, for it alone is
the free expression of what is in a child's
soul.”
Friedrich Froebel
• Although he was married for 21 years, Froebel had no
children of his own
• Froebel moved his school to Keilhau and began to
develop his educational theories based on the idea of
child centred education.
• The main focus was developing the creativity of the child
through games and exploration.
• He used nursery songs which he later published as an
educational resource.
• He spent some time in Switzerland working as the head
of an orphanage school. This sparked his interest in early
years development.
• His book ‘The Education of Man’ was published in 1826.
It was deeply philosophical, discussing his belief in the
links between God, man and nature.
Kindergarten
“Children are like tiny flowers; they are
varied and need care, but each is beautiful
alone and glorious when seen in the
community of peers.”
Friedrich Froebel
• Froebel set up his first ‘kindergarten’ school in Bad
Blankenburg. The name is thought to reflect both the
idea that children grow like a plant, and the importance
he attached to outdoor learning.
• Each child had their own patch to plant as they wished,
but there was also a communal area where things were
planned and they worked together. This way the ideas of
individual creativity and responsibility towards the
community were combined.
• Outdoor activities were balanced with intricate indoor
tasks designed to develop manual skills and the child’s
thoughts about the nature of the world.
• Frobel invented a sets of ‘gifts’. These were solid
geometric shapes which the children used to create
structures or explore the laws of nature. The first was a
simple ball, which he believed would attract and inspire
them throughout their life. The gifts were arranged in
sets to gradually develop the child’s understanding.
• There were complimentary activities, such as weaving,
cutting and sewing to develop motor skills.
Legacy
• Kindergarten were banned in Prussia in 1851, a year
before Froebel death. They were very radical in their
time and the Prussian government linked them to the
more fiery socialist views of Friedrich’s cousin.
• Froebel died in 1852, probably heart-broken by the
apparent failure of his life’s work.
• However his ideas had travelled far and wide and his
philosophies spread to Europe, the USA and Britain
where they have survived to this day.
Froebel’s methods and ideas are still relevant today as seen
in:
• The kindergarten movement in the USA
• Teacher education in Britain – the Froebel college was
amalgamated into the Roehampton Institute of
Higher Education in 1975, now the University of
Roehampton.
• In Europe including Germany where his supporters
worked to have the ban lifted and kindergarten survives
to this day.
• Learning through structured play – dormant in the UK
for a long time, but now back in mainstream EY and
infant education.
http://www.froebelblocks.com/
• Born in Prussia in 1782
• His mother died 9 months later
leaving him to be brought up by a
stepmother who showed him
little affection
Birth
• Aged 10 he went to live with
his uncle who was kinder and
sent him to school
• His great passion was nature,
but he enjoyed languages and
maths
Childhood
Early working
life
• At 15 he became a forester
and was able to experience
the wonders of nature
• At 17 he went to university
but the lessons failed to
engage him and he got into
debt
Beginning to
teach
• He took a job as a teacher at a
Pestalozzi school and studied
under him
• He set up his own school in
Greisheim, aged 34 in 1816
Developing
theories
• In 1818 he moved the school
to Keilhau in Prussia
• The school was run according
to the principles of child
centred education.
Publishing the
theories
Kindergarten
set up
Gifts and
occupations
invented
Death
• In 1826 he published his
theories in ‘The Education of
Man’
• This was a philosophical work
reflecting his ideas about God,
man and nature
• Education for the under sixes
• Incorporates the ides of
children blossoming like a
flower and a learning through
nature
• ‘gifts’ were resources such as
balls, cubes and sticks
• ‘occupations’ such as weaving
and clay work to develop
manual skills
• Kindergartens were banned in
Prussia for political reasons in
1851
• Froebel died in 1852,
dispirited by the ban
Froebel pioneered a comprehensive theory and practice
for the holistic education of young children.
Froebel’s key ideas:
•
He valued the role of the mother in a young child’s
development and deliberately recruited women teachers
•
He believed in the education of babies and young children at a
time when it was not considered possible for children under 6
years to develop socially or intellectually
•
He encouraged children’s own development as saw this as a
spiritual activity
•
He believed children should be given opportunities and
equipment to make sense of the natural world
•
He considered play (including outdoor play) and singing
games essential components of a child’s learning experience
•
He developed structured methods of play and activities and he
believed the whole family should be involved in the education
of children
Friedrich Froebel
“Play is the highest
expression of human
development in childhood,
for it alone is the free
expression of what is in a
child's soul.”
Friedrich Froebel
Froebel’s influences:
Cornelius (1592 – 1670 ) believed
the purpose of education is to open
the mind so the pupil’s
understanding can develop
organically, that all children whether
boy or girl, rich or poor should be
educated and that all humanity was
equal.
Pestalozzi (1746-1827) believed
in a safe environment where all
children could learn using their
senses to develop from concrete to
abstract studies. Froebel’s first
teaching job was in Pestalozzi’s
school.
Froebel’s legacy:
•
The kindergarten system in the USA
•
The Froebel College of teacher training founded in 1892
which is now part of the University of Roehampton.
•
The Froebel ‘gifts’, similar to items now found in every early
years setting, were designed to help children recognise the
patterns and forms found in nature
•
The idea that children learn through play and outdoor
exploration