Friedrich Fröbel

Friedrich Frobel Friedrich Frobel was born at Oberweibock in the Principality of Schwarzburg ,Rudollsradt in Thuringia.His father was the pastor of orthodox Lutheron.So, the chruch and Lutheron christian faith had an importance place in his early education.His mother died when he was nine months old.İn 1792,Fröbel went to live in the small town with his uncle.At the age of 15 he became apprentice to a forester.Then ,he worked as a land surveyer from 1802 to 1805.He quit his job and began as a educator in 1805 at a secondary school in Frankfurt. He learnt about Pestallozi’s ideas in Frankfurt.Then, he worked with Pestalozzi in Switzerland.From 1808 to 1810 he stayed with three children from noble family as a tutor.İn 1811 he once again went back to school in Göttingen,without earning a certificate. He became a teacher at the Plomannsche Schule in Berlin.İn 1816,he quit his job and founded German General Education İnstitute. The, he passed institute to Rudolstadt.İn 1831, this institute was continued by other cofounders Wilhelm Middendof and Heinrich Longethel.Then,Frobel opened new institutes in different places.By the way ,he published sme boks about education and effect of gamet o education .He died on 21 June 1852.

Contributions to Education Fröbel has an importance place because of the contributions to education.He was a teacher.Then,he realized that he must found an educational institute system.That’s why , he founded German General Education Institute. He also published several books about education.For example, he published ‘The Education of Man’.And he founded the weekly publication ‘The Educating Families’ in 1826.He also published the magazine ‘Features of Human Education’. Friedrich Fröbel’s most important contribution to education theory was his belief in self activity and play as essential factors in child education.That is, his great insight was to recognise the importance of the activity of the child in learning.He introduced the concept of ‘free work’ into pedagogy and established the ‘game’ as the typical form that life took in childhood and also game’s educational worth.He introduced garden activities included singing,dancing,gardening and self directed play.The aim of Fröbel was to introduce the young child into adult world

By the way,he coined a new word ‘kindergarden’.His vision was to stimulate an appreciation and love for children and to provide a new but small world where children could play with others of their own age group and experience their firs gentle taste of independence

According to Fröbel,the teachers’ role is not to drill or indoctrinate the children but rather to encourage their self expressions through play,both individually and in group activities.Fröbel devised several toys that were designed to stimulate learning through play activities accompanied by songs and music.He designed this educational play materials known as ‘Fröbel Gifts’.Modern educational techniques in kindergarden and preschools are much indebted to him.

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