FROEBEL AND THE 1ST KINDERGARTEN CLASS
Froebel photo from Wikipedia
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Summary In this review I first plan to explain Froebel’s philosophy of education and how it translated into the development of the first kindergarten and modern day art education. Next, I will explain three key principles Froebel built his kindergarten class upon and provide present day art classroom examples. Finally I will reflect on the significance of this lesson for me personally. |
Froebel lived at a time when children were viewed as miniature adults and man was by nature fallen and depraved. Consequently, “the purpose of education was to eradicate vile human nature” (Sienkiewicz, 1985, p. 125). Froebel, a very religious man, believed that within the depraved there was an element of the divine. He understood that it was this element that connected man with God, needed to be nurtured, and, was one, he would cultivate. He believed given the right atmosphere, the right environment, and appropriate nourishment, children would naturally grow and develop. Thus, in 1837, Froebel started the first kindergarten. He encouraged discovery and learning through the senses, symbols, and self-activity or play.
Around the same time in the United States, an educator by the name of Elizabeth Peabody began studying Froebel’s methods. She led the movement for Froebel style kindergarten in Boston and advocated the advancement of art education (Sienkiewicz, 1985, p. 129, 133). Eventually Peabody was able to help start kindergarten within the American education system. She incorporated Froebel’s drawing and painting in the curriculum at Temple School in Boston where she taught. Her support for Froebel’s use of art within the classroom eventually led to art educators incorporating his three key educational principles into the art classroom of today.
Key Points
Three key educational principles of Froebel’s work include: self-activity or play, instructional materials called gifts and occupations, and the study of the natural world. The first of these, self-activity or play is what Froebel considered as the “most important phase in the spontaneous development of the child because it allows him to exercise harmoniously all his physical, emotional, and intellectual qualities ” (Sienkiewicz, 1985, p.132). ccording to Froebel, play combines “attention with relaxation, purpose with independence, and rule with freedom” (Sienkiewicz, 1985, p.132). It promotes higher learning and is an essential part of the art classroom today. Students learn from an early age to play, explore, and experiment with art supplies. As they play, they learn and they share what they have learned with others.
In the classroom, Froebel included what he called gifts. The gifts consisted of objects with various forms, colors, shapes, and textures. They ranged from balls to a small seed, which represents a point. These gifts are used to stimulate the senses and direct the child toward occupations, which are activities that involve clay modeling, weaving, and building. The objective of the gifts and occupations is to “lead the child to an understanding of abstract relationships and concepts such as space, force and unity” (Strauch-Nelson, 2012, 63). They aid the child in making “vague connections, thus leading to a better understanding of himself and the world” (Sienkiewicz, 1985, p.131). In addition, they help students label their thoughts and express their feelings. Gifts and occupations provide today’s students in the art classroom these same benefits while encouraging exploration, discovery, investigation, and symbolic play.
“Nature study and drawing were inseparable to Froebel (Strauch-Nelson, 2012, 64). For Froebel, nature was part of his life. He grew up in a beautiful area of Germany, surrounded by picturesque landscape (Strauch-Nelson, 2012, 33). His love for nature could be seen in the way his kindergarten classroom was set up. He incorporated colors from nature, natural lighting, pictures of animals and birds, an aquarium, bunches of wheat, grains, grasses, seeds, and birds’ nests. Children were encouraged to observe, know, and appreciate things in nature (Sienkiewicz, 1985, p.127). Today nature study is evident throughout the art classroom in still life drawings, landscapes, seascapes, and animal portraits to name a few.
Personal Reflections
Froebel’s teaching philosophy has helped me recognize the importance of the right atmosphere and the right environment within the classroom. Atmosphere and environment are necessary to create a place where maximum creativity can be realized. Students need to feel comfortable and feel like it is okay to explore and investigate and sometimes even fail. To be successful, it is important to make sure the classroom is set up properly, and it is also critical to recognize the child as important, unique, and creative.
References
Sienkiewicz, C. (1985). The Froebelian kindergarten as an art academy. In B. Wilson & H. Hoffa (Eds.), The history of art education: Proceedings from the Penn State conference (pp. 125-137). Reston, VA: National Art Education Association.
Strauch-Nelson, W. (2012). Reuniting art and nature in the life of the child. Art Education, 65(3), 33-38.
Strauch-Nelson, W. (2012). Transplanting Froebel into the present, International Journal of Education through Art, 8(1), 59–72.
Around the same time in the United States, an educator by the name of Elizabeth Peabody began studying Froebel’s methods. She led the movement for Froebel style kindergarten in Boston and advocated the advancement of art education (Sienkiewicz, 1985, p. 129, 133). Eventually Peabody was able to help start kindergarten within the American education system. She incorporated Froebel’s drawing and painting in the curriculum at Temple School in Boston where she taught. Her support for Froebel’s use of art within the classroom eventually led to art educators incorporating his three key educational principles into the art classroom of today.
Key Points
Three key educational principles of Froebel’s work include: self-activity or play, instructional materials called gifts and occupations, and the study of the natural world. The first of these, self-activity or play is what Froebel considered as the “most important phase in the spontaneous development of the child because it allows him to exercise harmoniously all his physical, emotional, and intellectual qualities ” (Sienkiewicz, 1985, p.132). ccording to Froebel, play combines “attention with relaxation, purpose with independence, and rule with freedom” (Sienkiewicz, 1985, p.132). It promotes higher learning and is an essential part of the art classroom today. Students learn from an early age to play, explore, and experiment with art supplies. As they play, they learn and they share what they have learned with others.
In the classroom, Froebel included what he called gifts. The gifts consisted of objects with various forms, colors, shapes, and textures. They ranged from balls to a small seed, which represents a point. These gifts are used to stimulate the senses and direct the child toward occupations, which are activities that involve clay modeling, weaving, and building. The objective of the gifts and occupations is to “lead the child to an understanding of abstract relationships and concepts such as space, force and unity” (Strauch-Nelson, 2012, 63). They aid the child in making “vague connections, thus leading to a better understanding of himself and the world” (Sienkiewicz, 1985, p.131). In addition, they help students label their thoughts and express their feelings. Gifts and occupations provide today’s students in the art classroom these same benefits while encouraging exploration, discovery, investigation, and symbolic play.
“Nature study and drawing were inseparable to Froebel (Strauch-Nelson, 2012, 64). For Froebel, nature was part of his life. He grew up in a beautiful area of Germany, surrounded by picturesque landscape (Strauch-Nelson, 2012, 33). His love for nature could be seen in the way his kindergarten classroom was set up. He incorporated colors from nature, natural lighting, pictures of animals and birds, an aquarium, bunches of wheat, grains, grasses, seeds, and birds’ nests. Children were encouraged to observe, know, and appreciate things in nature (Sienkiewicz, 1985, p.127). Today nature study is evident throughout the art classroom in still life drawings, landscapes, seascapes, and animal portraits to name a few.
Personal Reflections
Froebel’s teaching philosophy has helped me recognize the importance of the right atmosphere and the right environment within the classroom. Atmosphere and environment are necessary to create a place where maximum creativity can be realized. Students need to feel comfortable and feel like it is okay to explore and investigate and sometimes even fail. To be successful, it is important to make sure the classroom is set up properly, and it is also critical to recognize the child as important, unique, and creative.
References
Sienkiewicz, C. (1985). The Froebelian kindergarten as an art academy. In B. Wilson & H. Hoffa (Eds.), The history of art education: Proceedings from the Penn State conference (pp. 125-137). Reston, VA: National Art Education Association.
Strauch-Nelson, W. (2012). Reuniting art and nature in the life of the child. Art Education, 65(3), 33-38.
Strauch-Nelson, W. (2012). Transplanting Froebel into the present, International Journal of Education through Art, 8(1), 59–72.
