Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel
a. Personal Background of the psychologists or advocates in education (please include
picture/s)
Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel or Froebel (21
April 1782 – 21 June 1852) Was a
German educator, a student of Johann Heinrich
Pestalozzi. In 1837, he created the concept of
the kindergarten and coined the word, which
soon entered the English language as well. He
also developed the educational toys known
as Froebel gifts.
Froebel's philosophy of education was based on
Idealism. In the Education of Man (1826),
Froebel articulated the following idealist themes:
(1) all existence originates in and with God;
(2) humans possess an inherent spiritual
essence that is the vitalizing life force that
causes development;
(3) all beings and ideas are interconnected parts
of a grand, ordered, and systematic universe.
b. Known theories, principles, and ideas contributed to the field of education
He believed that each child at birth has an internal spiritual essence–a life force–that
seeks to be externalized through “self-activity”.
Froebel was convinced that the kindergarten's primary focus should be on play–the
process by which he believed children expressed their innermost thoughts, needs, and
desires. Like Kindergarten activities included games, songs, and stories designed to assist
in sensory and physical development and socialization.
Froebel's emphasis on “play as the highest expression of human development in
childhood for it alone is the free expression of what is in the child's soul."; because
he believed that, play facilitated children's process of cultural recapitulation, imitation of
adult vocational activities, and socialization.
Froebel Introduced the idea of "Frei-Arbeit",
which can be translated into "free work".
Here, children were allowed to work on
things by themselves. To help facilitate this
process, he developed a set of educational
toys known as Fröbel Gifts; a set contained
20 objects, such as balls, blocks, and sticks,
and introduced occupations, (including
sticks, clay, sand, slates, chalk, wax, shells,
stones, scissors, paper folding) carefully
designed to help the children in his
kindergarten recognize and appreciate
common patterns and forms found in nature.
Froebel's principles
Everything in the universe is connected. The more one is aware of this unity, the deeper
the understanding of oneself, others, nature and the wider world.
Each child is unique and what children can do rather than what they cannot, is the starting
point for a child’s learning.
Childhood is not merely a preparation for the next stage in learning. Learning begins at
birth and continues throughout life.
The relationships of every child with themselves, their parents, carers, family and wider
community are valued.
Creativity is about children representing their own ideas in their own way, supported by a
nurturing environment and people.
Play is part of being human and helps children to relate their inner worlds of feelings,
ideas and lived experiences taking them to new levels of thinking, feeling, imagining and
creating and is a resource for the future.
Experience and understanding of nature and our place in it, is an essential aspect.
Educators facilitate and guide, rather than instruct.
C. Importance or relationship of this theory, principles, or ideas in a learner-centered
teaching.
Froebel's ideas on educational theory and practice provided the world new insights into the
development of younger children. He gave emphasis on nursery education that made modern
educators recognize the importance of education in the early years of children. His ideas of
developing the social side of a child's nature and a sense of readiness for learning introduced
self-activity as the basis of education. For example; children were free to move, explore, play,
create, participate and to learn at their own pace, hence allowing the children to have sense of
autonomy or control over learning process with less dependence on the adults
References:
https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1999/Froebel-Friedrich-1782-1852.html
https://www.froebel.org.uk/uploads/documents/FT-Froebels-principles-and-practice-today.pdf
https://onlinenotebank.wordpress.com/2021/03/22/educational-philosophy-of-friedrich-froebel/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Fr%C3%B6bel
https://www.early-education.org.uk/about-froebel
