12 PESTALOZZI, ROUSSEAU, FROEBEL AND JOHN DEWEY

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Learning Objectives

 

By teaching this lesson students will:

  • Learn the principles, applications and limitations of Pestalozzi, Rousseau, Froebel and John Dewey’s educational philosophy
  • Understand their contributions towards early childhood education

PESTALOZZI (1746-1827)

 

10.12.1 Introduction

 

Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi was impressed by Rousseau’s educational thought. Along with the ideas of Rousseau, he added a new dimension to educational thought and practice. He considered nothing is as important in life as the pleasures of the mind and soul pursuit of justice and truth. He himself became the teacher of his experimental school. His educational environment provides a loving and family type where the child’s personality is developed naturally.

 

10.12.2 Principles

  • Observation is the basis of instruction to teach all subjects. Children were made to observe real objects and analyse them on the basis of their observation. They can understand the existing relations between things and express them in language. Experience and observations of the child must be connected with speech.
  • Immediate experience of objects, whether sensory, visual or auditory, comes under the theory of Anschaunng. It is the immediate and direct impression produced by the world on our inner and outer senses-the impressions of the moral world on our moral sense and of the physical universe on our bodily senses. It stands for direct knowledge acquired by the child’s own experience.
  • No criticism or judgedment while the child is learning
  • Knowledge to be given to the child must be analysed into its simplest form. It is from these forms instruction should be begun according to the development of the child
  • Until the child masters a particular thing thoroughly the teacher should not proceed further.
  • Individuality of the child is considered. It is a child-centered education.
  • Power and skill must accompany knowledge and information.
  • More importance to discovery method and discouraged the use of text books.
  • The relation and discipline between the teacher and the student must be regulated by love. He created a home spirit in the school atmosphere.
  • It is in the relation of mother and child that the ground for moral-religious bringing up can be found.
  • It is desirable not to punish the child but sometimes it can be done if the boys behave mischievously.

10.12.3 Applications

 

Pestalozzi advocated the harmonious development of all faculties. The ultimate aim of education is to make every individual’s life happier and more virtuous. Pestalozzi presented two general purposes of education i.e. for development of the individual and for the improvement of society. On the individual level, educators should strive to educate the whole child, not just their intellect. Not only physical or technical knowledge but also emotional development is also important. He stressed that there should be balance between the head, hands and heart, i.e. between intellectual knowledge (head), physical and technical education (hands), and moral and religious education (heart). Through developing a balance among these three areas, a person becomes a “whole man.”All true reform must start with the individual and not with society.

 

On the social level, education provides the means for general development of the whole society. In other words, the more the individuals in a society develop intellectually, emotionally, morally, and socially through education, the more educated and regenerated the whole society becomes. For Pestalozzi, therefore, education plays a central role in the improvement of society.

 

It is based on the idea of organic education. It opposes the traditional method of instruction which emphasized memory and the exclusive appeal to imagination.

 

10.12.4. Limitations

  • Difficult to maintain harmonious family atmosphere in schools
  • Lack of scientific precision.
  • Creation of problems in schools and families
  • Lack of trained lovable teachers

ROUSSEAU (1712-1778)

 

Rousseau was the first educationist who advocated relieving the child from strict discipline, artificial school environment, undue control and rigid methods of teaching. He insisted that the instruction and training given to the child should be in tune with nature. He introduced child centered, nature oriented, education and given freedom in education. He is considered as father of modern educational theory. He stated that child is good by birth and it is the society that makes him bad.

 

10.12.5 Principles

  • Rousseau stressed on physical environment. Education should be for Nature, by Nature, through Nature and of Nature.
  • His emphasised on the present life of the child as the basis of education.
  • He provided freedom in the education of the child .It has no external discipline. Discipline is to be done by natural consequences.
  • He didn’t prefer bookish knowledge. He kept the knowledge from books as insignificant place.
  • He emphasized the education should be in accordance with the nature of the child.
  • Reason is the only guiding force in producing natural civilization and natural man.
  • Education should be natural, negative, and progressive. Negative education means allowing the child to move freely in nature, so that he is able to perfect the organs of the child’s body which are the instruments of acquiring knowledge. This free movement will not mean teaching virtue or truth, but protecting the heart of the child from the evil ways of the society. There is no habit formation, no time saving during childhood, no direct moral education, no formal lessons, no formal decision, no social education, not sticking to traditional procedures of education and discipline by natural consequences for the children in this negative education.
  • Rousseau advocates learning through observation and self experience, learning by doing, play – way method of teaching, learning through heuristic method(Let him not be taught science, let him discover it) and individualized instructions were followed in teaching .

    His method of education consists of four stages.

 

1)Infant stage- up to the first five years life. The child must be allowed to move freely in the open air and must grow in accordance with nature.

2) Childhood-from five years. The child should be allowed to develop his sense organs by using play way. Negative education is given at this stage. The child should be free to eat, play and run.

3)Boyhood- from 12years to fifteen years. The third stage of the boy’s education is a transition stage that aims at the development of personality.

4)Adolescence- from 15years to 20years. It aims at the emotional development of the child. The knowledge of sex is imparted. The child also develops the requisite human qualities and natural capabilities.

 

10.12.6 Applications

  • It fosters the growth and development of the child in a natural way.
  • It promotes liberty and happiness of the child.
  • It develops a balanced, harmonious, useful and natural life.
  • Sense –training is the primary aim during early stages.
  • It teaches the child to live rather than to avoid death.
  • It emphasizes the physical and health education.
  • It promotes curiosity and vocational training during the transition stage from childhood to adolescence.
  • At the adolescent stage the major aim is to control of the passions and taught abstractions of religion.
  • The child learns the necessary social skills from the literature at the age of twenty. It prepares the child for the struggle for existence.

10.12.7. Limitations

  • Neglecting books and other media.
  • Nature alone is not sufficient for educating the child.
  • Freedom to child is a myth environment.
  • Difficult to find natural for having educational institutions.
  • Little importance to the teacher in the educative process.
  • Emphasized negative education and little scope for inculcation of positive virtues.
  • Discipline through natural consequences is not acceptable. The child requires mature and wise guidance of the parents and teacher.
  • Every person can’t become an ideal human being even in an ideal environment.
  • Not believing the formation of any kind of habits by the child. Good habits are essential for good character.

FROEBEL (1782-1852)

 

Education of young children in the age of 3-6 years called as preschoolers were completely neglected in the 18th century even though child centered education movement became popular. But the man who applied the educational ideas of Rousseau in actual practice and laid the foundation for pre- school education was Frobel. Friedrich Frobel’s slogan was: “Let us live for children” He was the founder of the kindergarten system. Kindergarten means the garden of children. It is the second home of a child. The system of Kindergarten is based on the principle of teaching children through play. He emphasized that children have to be educated with play, songs, gifts and other play things.

 

10.12.8 Principles

  • Principle of unity

According to Froebel, the creation and construction of any work is not possible without unification. So, education is a minute shape of self unification. All knowledge is based on unity. The whole universe is simply a unity and it is three-fold in nature.

 

1. Unity of substance- Man and nature are made of one substance i.e. the spirit which animates them both.

2.Unity of origin- All things come from one source which is God.

3.Unity of Purpose- All things strive towards a divinely ordained perfection i.e. God.

  • Self activity

Self activity not only fills the gap between knowledge and action, but also gives joy, freedom, contentment and peace of mind. Self activities like needle work, weaving, paper folding, drawing, modeling, painting, colouring, singing, dancing and storytelling are given.

  • Creativity

Froebel recommended games for recreation, construction, imagination, knowledge, unity and character. He developed songs, gestures and construction as the chief means of stimulating the imagination of the child. Games enhance the skills of reading, writing and arithmetic.

  • Social participation

When a child participates in cooperative activities in a social environment, it not only develops physical development but also social, intellectual and moral development,

  •  Principle of development

The whole human life is dynamic. Development is a self inspired compulsory action of man and it ever goes on moving in man up to the last.

  • Teaching through gifts and occupations

It is an innovative teaching technology in nursery education. Froebel devised suitable materials known as gifts. These gifts suggest some form of activity and occupations are the activities suggested by gifts. They have been graded well. The order of the activity is devised in such a way that leads the child from the activities and thought of one stage to another. Gifts are in the wooden balls of different colours, wooden spheres, cubes and cylinders of different types and sizes. Additional gifts are in the form of wooden squares, triangles, tables, sticks and rings. Occupations include activities like construction with paper, clay, wood and materials. The activities like paper folding, clay modeling, cardboard works, wood-carving, mat-making, basket-making, embroidery, drawing, sewing etc. are given.

  • Principle of play

Froebel emphasized play way method as the purest form of self activity. Play is the purest spiritual activity and gives joy and freedom to the child. It is an essential factor for the growth of the child. The free and unfettered natural development of the child takes place through play. The play activities of the kindergarten are playing with dolls, threading of beads, construction work, building with blocks, art and craft activities, storytelling, role-play, rhythmic exercises, songs, music, dance, domestic activities like brooming, washing plates, cleaning chairs and tables, polishing shoes and outdoor play using slide, swing and jungle gym. The child’s inner desires come out through play activities.

  • Emphasis on sense training

Froebel insisted sense training against mere verbal instruction. Since senses are the gateways of learning, their training must form the first stage in the child’s education. Froebel’s gifts and occupations train the senses of children. The gifts are totally 20 in number.

  • Development of individuality through social institution

Self- activity, self-expression, self-realisation and the development of individuality must learn through the process of socialization. The life of an individual is bound up with the life of society. The social institutions like the home, the school, the church and the state is a place for the activity of an individual and through which the child attains the development of individuality.

  • Freedom

The child should be educated in a free atmosphere. Freedom means obedience to self-imposed law.

  • Emphasis on Nursery education

Froebel who greatly emphasized the importance of pre-school education. He studied the nature, aptitude, interests and endowments of the education and gave it to the world a theory and practice for the pre-school period which had been neglected so far.

 

10.12.9 Applications

  • It is a child centered one. Froebel stressed the necessity of the study of child’s nature, instincts and impulses.
  • Education aids in realizing Unity in diversity and Diversity in Unity and to discover the inter-connectedness between the things of the world.
  • It provides an understanding of the coordination spread in perfection of life, perfection of culture and in all-round growth and in all parts of life and nature.
  • As nature (God) is symbol of unity, education gives the knowledge of this unity.
  • It develops the will power of the child. By determination, character is built. Education develops the inner-determination power of the child.
  • Children are given enough freedom. The teacher acts as a guide only.
  • It is very useful for small children. He stressed the importance of play in early education. Play gives joy, freedom, contentment, inner and outer rest, peace with the world.
  • Gifts devised by Froebel give the sense of unity between the concrete and the abstract and between the object and its meaning which develops the intelligence of children. There is sufficient scope for activity in a Kindergarten.
  • The inclusion of nature study in the curriculum helps to develop love for nature and world in the mind of the students.
  • There is ample scope for the growth of social and moral qualities.

10.12.10 Limitations

  • More emphasis on play in education. Insistences on play, constructive work and many other subjects have underrated the importance of true knowledge and lead to disrespect for learning.
  • By giving more attention on games, the serious study is ignored.
  • Right growth of the child is disturbed
  • Too much emphasis on social aspect and neglect of individual personality.
  • Educational system becomes mechanical and formal in the hands of an ordinary teacher.
  • Froebel expects too much from the child to understand abstract ideas of organic unity while playing with gifts.
  • Songs given by Froebel are out-of-date. They cannot be used in all schools.
  • In the Kindergarten, too much emphasis has been given for the development from within and the importance of the environment has not been recognized.
  • The gifts of Froebel are formal in nature. The order of presentation of gifts is random. They do not satisfy much of the purpose of sense training.

JOHN DEWEY

 

According to John Dewey, Education is a social necessity. He defined Education is the development of all the capacities in the individual which will enable her to control her environment and fulfill her responsibilities. To him, society cannot progress without the help of education. Education is process by which civilization is preserved and is developed further. Dewey says that education is the process of reconstruction or reconstitution of experience, giving it a more socialized value through the medium of increased individual efficiency. He does not believe that education starts only when the child begins to go to school. He thinks that education begins since the birth of the child and goes on throughout the life. Thus education is regarded a life itself and not as a preparation of life.

 

10.12.11 Principles

  •  Child-centered approach

Once children get interested in activities, they learn wholeheartedly. So that they acquire necessary knowledge and skills.

  •  Activity-based education

Dewey prescribed the method of learning by doing. It gives importance to the needs and interests of the student. It helps to attain physical knowledge through meaningful work and problem solving. It brings out the innate abilities and develops co-operation of the student.

  •  Freedom

There must be complete freedom for the student to do or learn. It fosters democratic values. There should be no commands to do or not to do. Each and every child must undertake an activity freely. With regard to the freedom of the individual in society, Dewey thought that freedom and discipline were correlated with each other. He recommended self discipline.

  • Discovery learning

The student must find out the solution by thinking and working herself. According to Dewey, instead of teaching that flowers have a pleasant smell, the teacher should spread flowers on the table and allow the students to discover the fact by themselves.

 

10.12.12 Applications

  • It develops an ability to understand and analyze the problems.
  • It develops the skills for intelligent application of knowledge and insight into solve problems.
  • It creates interest of the student through planned experiences.
  • It helps in the adjustment according to the changing needs and ideals of society.
  • It synthesizes and emphasizes a conception of all round growth and development of the child.
  • It emphasizes the social dimension in the self actualization. It means cultivating the child’s talents abilities to the best possible extent. It also emphasis on human relationships, learning to work with the group and live in the community.

10.12.13 Limitations

  • Project method is expensive and time consuming
  • Difficult to get professionally trained and talented teachers.
  • Knowledge attained by students in the project method is very slow and fragmented.
  • More importance to science and practical aspects of life and less importance to humanistic aspect.

10.12.14 Conclusion

 

Education of children is based on the psychology of the child which is the basis of the early childhood education. The experiences gained by the child in the early childhood period in the above philosophies of schools make the passage from the home to elementary school smooth and easy. The activities provided are helpful for the growth and development of the children. The educational philosophies of Pestalozzi and Rousseau emphasized the growth and development of the child in a natural way, Froebel through play way method and Dewey insisted activity based education.

you can view video on PESTALOZZI, ROUSSEAU, FROEBEL AND JOHN DEWEY
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