Methods of Teaching by FROEBEL.pptx

kinder garden

1. Methods of Teaching by FROEBEL Submitted by Manjima b rajeev English optional Roll: no: 9

2. Contents Friedrich Froebel Contribution and ideas Beginning of kindergarten education system Educational philosophy of Froebel Froebel ‘s principles Characteristics of kindergarten system Main features Curriculum Teaching methods Analysis of kindergarten system of education( merits and demerits)

3. THE BEGINNINGS OF KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION SYSTEM In 1816 Froebel opened a school at Griesheim under the name German General Education Institute, which was later shifted to Keilhau . Froebel put into practice his educational theories in this school and he developed his own methods of instruction. During this time Froebel wrote numerous articles. In 1826 published his most important work titled “The Education of Man”. In this work he presented his philosophical principles and ideas on education in great detail. In 1831 went to Switzerland accepting Swiss government’s invitation to train elementary school teachers. There he founded an educational institution, worked as the head of an orphanage, and published the magazine titled Features of Human Education. During the training sessions he conducted for teachers, Froebel noticed that there is no systematic education system available for children who are of pre-school age. When he returned to Germany in 1837 he started his first infant school in Prussia. This school was originally named the Child Nurture and Activity Institute.

4. Later in 1840 he renamed it to Kindergarten, or “garden of children”. He dedicated his time exclusively for developing methods to educate young kids. He also started developing educational materials for preschoolers including geometric building blocks and activity blocks. These educational play materials designed by Froebel were known as Froebel Gifts. Froebel recognized that the activities carried out by children play an important role in process of learning. He proposed that game has educational worth in the early years of childhood. The first kindergarten he started had many activities such as singing, dancing, gardening and self-directed play with the Froebel Gifts. He also published a collection of Mother-Play and Nursery Songs with the aim of introducing kids into the adult world. This book became popular and was translated into many languages. He believed that the most important step towards comprehensive educational and social reform should start by improving infant education. His experiments at the first kindergarten were extremely successful, and that concept generated widespread interest. Many other kindergartens were started across the country. Slowly it started spreading into other parts of Europe. Froebel died on 21 June 1852 before he could see the spread and popularity of the education system he developed.

5. His ideas about childhood development and education were propagated to other parts of Europe by one of his enthusiastic disciples Bertha Marie. She brought his ideas to the notice of educators in England, France, and the Netherlands. Other countries such as the United Sates adopted his educational methods later, and they were immensely successful. John Dewey implemented the educational principles of Froebel in his experimental school at the University of Chicago. Very soon kindergartens became popular across the globe, and today it is regarded as one of the standard educational institution for children of three to six years of age. The origin of kindergarten education in Asia, especially India, was largely a missionary enterprise. Today it is a widely accepted system of early childhood education in India together with Montessori system of education.

6. EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF FROEBEL Many scholars argue that Froebel’s educational philosophy was based on absolute idealism. He assigned an important place to education in the development of an individual. In his masterpiece titled The Education of Man he expressed his idea that “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; education must show him the ways and meanings of attaining that goal.” Frobel held the belief that developing harmony with the world and with God is the way to achieve fulfillment in life. Practical work and direct use of materials should be given importance in the early education of children.

7. It is through exploring the environment that children understand the world around them. Thus Froebel gave heavy emphasis on the role of games and playing in a child’s learning process. It helps children develop intellectually, socially, emotionally and physically. According to Froebel, the education of a child begins with his/her birth. Both parents and teachers have an important role to play in helping children in this activity. He considered education not as a preparation for future life, but as the preparation of the life around an individual. To him, a child learns a lot of important things in life from school, including the essentials of truth, responsibility, justice, free personality etc. These cannot be learnt by studying, but can be learnt only by living and practicing them. Thus, schools should enable children to discover their own identity and personality. Schools should also help children to develop their abilities for initiation and execution.

8. Froebel’s Principle of Unity in Diversity: As an idealist, he viewed the entire universe as a unit. His principles were based on the idea that there is unity between man, nature and God. According to him, human beings should realize the fact that there is absolute unity in the universe. All through his life, Frobel advocated the idea of unity in diversity. According to him, the school shouldn’t communicate a variety and multiplicity of facts. The aim of schools should be to teach children that there is an everlasting unity in all things. To him, the child was an agency through which God’s will in human nature can be realized. Education is a development through which individuals can come to the realization that they are one unit of the all-encompassing unity.

9. Froebel’s Principle of Development : This is an offshoot of his principle of unity. Froebel proposed a balanced as well as unified development of body, soul and mind. Life is in a continuous process of changing and growing. Thus development should happen from within and the purpose of development should be to achieve unity. He also argued that development should not be based on any artificial or unnatural force, but it should be directed by natural inner laws. Children are born with some innate tendencies which inspire them to realize God. The development of both mind and body will happen only if such innate tendencies are exercised by children through self-activity.

10. Learning and Discipline: Froebel maintained the view that in early childhood education, games play an important role. Young kids have more interest in play activities and games. Hence, the curriculum of young children should be organized in the form of activities and games. This will help the children learn more easily and effectively. Also, children should be given full freedom so that they can express their ideas through activities and attain educational development. Frobel was a proponent of self-discipline. According to him self-discipline is attained through self-activities. Outside interference in the form of compulsion and control should be avoided completely. Education in a free atmosphere and under social discipline is what children need. Such a discipline should be exercised in team activities and group work as well.

11. Characteristics of Kindergarten Method  1. Self-Activity 2. Creativeness  3. Social Participation.

12. Self Activity By self-activity Froebel meant that the child should not indulge in any activity which is suggested by parents or teachers but he should carry out his own impulses and decisions. Education, he believed, is a process of individual growth. This growth is directed by inner forces in the child. As the child has perception and reason he can be made conscious of the presence of God within him. Divinity is already within the child. That divinity has to be revealed or manifested through spontaneous self-activities of the child. It is this self-activity which merges the child’s individuality with the spirit of humanity. Education, said Froebel, should not be prescriptive, categorical, interfering, but should provide for “free self-activity and self-determination on the part of man — the being created for freedom in the image of God.” Self-activity makes instruction easier and continuous. It requires no artificial techniques. Self-activity, in his opinion, is a process by which the individual realizes his own nature and the phenomenal nature and then he harmonizes the two. In all this, the child is free and determines his own activities

13. Self-activity arises out of one’s own interests and is sustained by one’s own power. It alone can produce the evolution of mind and can secure the aim of education. It is, therefore, essential that all processes of instruction must originate with the interests of the child. Self-activity manifests in the child a desire to enter into the life around it, the desire to help, to discover, and to participate in common activities. The child wants to know the connection between himself and the activities of others. Froebel said that there is no conflict between theory and practice and no discrepancy between profession and deeds.

14. creativeness The second characteristic of Froebel’s method is creativeness. This principle is closely connected with self-activity. Creativeness is the natural inner urge of the child. Man is, he said, by nature an active and dynamic being. He is not a passive and silent observer of events. He wants to do something and must create. Froebel believed in the unitary character of human nature and its harmonious growth. Head, soul and hand are inseparable. They are interdependent parts of man and must be developed together. Mind and soul express themselves through bodily activities. Froebel condemned intellectualism and verbalism. He advocated that thinking and doing must go hand in hand. Gandhiji accepted and developed this ideal of education.

15. Social participation The third feature of Froebel’s method is social participation. Rousseau advocated isolated and unsocial education for Emile, but Froebel attached great importance to social participation of the child. Froebel believed that self- realisation is only possible through, self-activity and self-activity is effective and productive only when it comes through social participation. Man has a social self. Social instinct is a primary instinct of man. Individual self cannot be developed without social self. An individual can be educated truly only in the company of other human beings. Human life is intimately connected with social life. The home, the school, the church, the state — all are social institutions and the media for individual activity and means of social control. The school, Froebel said, is an association for the child wherein he discovers his relations with the society in an effective manner. It is a means of social progress and individual development. In the society the child gets the necessary nourishment for development and social efficiency for healthy living. The child’s growth, therefore, should be in harmony with the unity and purpose of humanity to which be belongs.

16. FROEBEL AND KINDERGARTEN SYSTEM OF EDUCATION As we have already seen, one of the remarkable contributions of Froebel was that he established the first kindergarten in 1837. Kindergarten is a German word which means “garden of children”. It was the name of his first school, but later the word kindergarten began to be used as a common word to denote schools that offer early childhood education. According to Froebel, children are plants and the teachers are gardeners. Just as a gardener nourishes the plants, a teacher should take care of children and help them develop their skills and abilities. He found many similarities between children and plants. Just like plants children are delicate and tender. Hence they need utmost care and protection. Also, plants grow from within the inner fertility of seeds. Likewise, the development of children happens based on their innate tendencies.

17. Main Features of Kindergarten: Froebel envisaged kindergarten as a place where children can enjoy freedom and pursue playing and activities. The aim of this place is to inculcate a sense of self-realization and socialization in young kids. Froebel’s kindergarten didn’t have books or fixed academic tasks for children. The training was conducted through songs, gestures, and constructions which were identified as three connected parts of a whole process. For example, when a story is read out, it is done in the form of a song, enacted through gestures and illustrated using blocks or clay or drawing. Emphasis was also given to the use of language as it helps to enhance self-activity, creativeness, social cooperation and concrete expression. Some of the main features of kindergarten are self-activity, creativeness, social participation, child-centered education, freedom and the role of games and plays in the process of learning.

18. Curriculum Followed in the Kindergarten Froebel identified different stages of development in the education of children. Hence different programmes should be offered at these different stages. Infancy is a period when children rely completely on sensory perceptions. They use only sense organs during this period to acquire knowledge. During childhood; innate tendencies, actions, external thoughts, watchfulness and attention are manifested in children. The method of instruction at this stage should be the play-way. Actual education of a child begins at this stage. The external is made internal during the period of adolescence. Whatever the children perceives in their environment are internalized during this period. Hence this stage requires child-centered education. Froebel made a set of recommendations with regard to what should be taught as part of educational curriculum. His suggestions include drawing, painting, gardening and nature study along with formal subjects such as mathematics, language, natural sciences, philosophy, religion etc. He proposed that all these subjects should have internal unity as well as higher degrees of correlation. The curriculum followed in the kindergarten included manual work, religious instruction, natural sciences and mathematics, language, and arts.

19. Teaching Methods Used in the Kindergarten Froebel was a great advocate of spontaneous development of children by means of self-expression. His kindergarten was a place where kids could move around freely and joyfully. The teaching methods used in the kindergarten included 1. Teaching through songs 2. Teaching through Froebel gifts 3. Teaching through occupations 4. Teaching through play

20. Songs: Songs were one of the important tools Froebel used in his Kindergarten to impart education. These songs were meant to satisfy the social, moral and mental needs of children. They were also meant to enhance the physical development of children through facilitating physical movements of muscles, limbs, and other senses. The songs were organized based on the development of children. Froebel Gifs: Froebel gifs is the name given to a set of educational materials developed by Froebel. These gifts are designed to provide materials for the self-directed activity of children. They contain a series of activity-based playthings such as simple sphere-shaped objects, geometric wooden blocks, wooden balls, cylinders of different types and shapes, triangles, tables, sticks and rings.

21. Occupations: Occupations are activities connected with the gifts. They include activities such as construction with clay, paper, wood and other materials, mat making, basket making, embroidery, clay moulding , wood carving, sewing, painting, cardboard worksetc . These gifts and occupations were designed with the purpose of enabling children to use their senses, sight and touch. They also give kids an idea of shapes, size and other spatial relationships. Play-way Method: As we have already seen, Froebel stressed the significance of play in the process of education. So he introduced play-way method in his kindergarten as a gateway to knowledge to help the development of children. Learning through play was introduced as a means to develop the children’s senses, habits of action and thinking.

22. AN ANALYSIS OF THE KINDERGARTEN SYSTEM OF EDUCATION The kindergarten system developed by Froebel became immensely popular in many countries. As a system of early childhood education, it had its own merits and demerits.

23. The Merits of Kindergarten System • It gave importance to the education of children between the age of 3 to 6 • Play and games were given prominence in the early childhood education • Froebel expanded the concept and scope of school as a social institution which enables children learn many values including empathy, cooperation and responsibility • The Gifts and occupations designed by Froebel introduced an altogether novel approach to early childhood education • It have importance to the creativity of young kids and provided children ample opportunities for activities • It gave importance to the role of natural impulses and instincts rather than relying completely on textbooks or fixed curriculum • Sense trainingwas given importance in this system of education • It is a child-centered education • It is argued that, in kindergarten system, children are able to sustain their interests in learning till the end • It offered children a healthy atmosphere of freedom, joy, love, peace and contentment • It was designed to cater to the mental, physical, social, cultural and spiritual development of children

24. The Demerits of Kindergarten System • It has been pointed out by critics that Froebel gave too much importance to the inner development of children. He didn’t pay attention to the environment in which children grow up, and the adaptations they have to make within that environment. • The songs developed by Froebel were outdated and can’t be used uniformly by all schools. The songs need to be revised based on the changing needs of kids. • Critics maintain the view that Froebel neglected individual attention while he gave too much importance on socialization. • Teachers who are part of the kindergarten system require proper training, without which they can’t create new songs or come up with new techniques. • The use of gifts and occupation within the system consumes both time and energy. • Too much stress is given to play and games that it might distract children from serious learning. • It is also pointed out many educators that the subjects are not taught in a correlated way within the kindergarten system

25. SUMMARY Frobel established a new era in the field of early childhood education which continue to influence even in the modern times. Kindergarten system is the greatest contribution of Froebel. His ideas on educational theory and practice provided the world new insights into the development of younger children. The nature and structure of preschool education was radically transformed with the advent of kindergarten system. He gave emphasis on nursery education that made modern educators recognize the importance of education in the early years of children. He was the first educator who introduced self-activity as the basis of education. He also brought a new approach that valued and respected a child’s individuality. Introducing a method of learning using arts and crafts is yet another contribution made by Froebel in the field of education. His ideas of sense training and education through play are also regarded as greatest milestones in the history of modern education. Likewise, he put emphasis on the sociological aspect of education. In addition to these, he introduced nature study as part of school curriculum. It is also argued that, due to Froebel’s influence, women teachers are considered suitable for the task of instruction in preschools and pre-primary level classes. Above all, he introduced a new conception of school by deve loping the kindergarten system where the responsibility of young children is shared by all. Many modern educators consider kindergarten as a miniature form of ideal society which is based on brotherly sympathy and voluntary cooperation.