Friedrich Froebel: Influenced People's Views On Children

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Friedrich Froebel was born in Oberwiessbach, Thuringia, Germany on the 21th of April 1782. During his lifetime he was at the forefront of a new idea which changed people’s views on children. He died on the 21th of June 1852 in Marienthal which is near Thuringia aged 70. He was one of the most influential educational reformers of the 19th century. (Brosterman ,1997) Froebel’s system allowed children to compare, test and explore. His philosophy also consisted of four basic components which were free self activity, Creativity, Social participation and Motor expression. His approach became known internationally over the years and is a well established part of the school system in America as well as many other parts of the world including Chile, Australia, Britain and New Zealand. (Brosterman ,1997) Froebel wanted children to be free to explore and learn things for themselves through play. Friedrich Froebel believed that direct everyday experience of the natural world is essential so that the children can learn to appreciate its wonders and begin to understand the relationship between living things.(O Shea, 2017) It was not until he was in his mid fifties that Froebel opened his first kindergarten. His first Kindergarten opened in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg which is a small village close to the Thuringian mountains. Froebel strived to create a happy harmonious environment in which the child is treated with respect and encouraged to grow and explore at their own natural pace.