A Study on Pestalozzi''s Preschool Education Concepts

• Main Authors: Shih, Tung-i, 施彤宜
• Other Authors: Ho, Huoey-Min
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2004
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/11697048412426277450

碩士 === 國立臺灣師範大學 === 人類發展與家庭研究所 === 92 === Abstract This study investigates the preschool education concepts of Johann Heinrich Pestalosszi (1746 ~ 1827). This study is based on the analysis, induction and summarization of Chinese and English translation as well as related studies about Pestalozzi. Deeply influenced by the philosophical thinking of John Amos Comenius, John Locke, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Immanuel Kant, Pestalozzi dedicated his life to the reformation of young children education and the research of education science. He objected to the philosophy of absolute rationalization and slavish religious moral. Whether a man would become to be a good one or a bad one, this depends on the development of his nature. Through education he tried to eliminate the fear and superstition that created by religion. By means of education the potential of a person can be developed and a person becomes a free man with moral consciousness and of practical ability. Pestalozzi emphasized the importance of preschool education. According to him education should begin in the living room of young children. He insisted that education should be applied with emotion. The educator should own the quality of a mother. Both mother and teacher should be a mature person with harmonious emotion and rationalization who can respect and encourage young children, give them rational love properly. The educator should not only take care of young children with love and patience, but also be able to provide necessary experiences through sensible observation. Furthermore, preschool education should focus on the building of a healthy character. Therefore young children should be encouraged to be independent and to build up their own moral sense and the ability of self-denial. Pestalozzi suggested the principles of learning in everyday life and harmonious sensual development. According to him preschool education should be based on the interest of young children and the development to be a mature person. Thus, playing should be integrated into teaching processes. The sense of moral and happiness can be built up through physical, musical and drawing activities and the development of sensual organs, intelligence as well as languages. Eventually harmonious development of Heart, Head and Hand can be reached. The characteristics of Pestalozzi’s preschool education concepts can be summed up as followed. A person’s Anschauung on his environment is the ground of all experiences, thus a person should learn from his living environment. His idea of holistic education emphasizes a balanced relationship between god and human. He suggested that teaching methods should be consistent with nature and education should be based on the physical and mental developing progress of young children. Parent-children relation is also emphasized by Pestalozzi, since the development of young children is based on the trustfulness between mother and child. Therefore, he set a high value on the teacher’s quality. That means, a teacher should be familiar with the development of young children and love them. Finally, this study discussed how can Pestalozzi’s preschool education concepts applied to the young children and family education in our country. Learning should be oriented toward the learner — young children. Proper parenting education based on sexual equality, multicultural perspectives and family system should be promoted in Kindergarten. Teachers nowadays should own religious educational concept, only then can they help young children to have balanced development and to become a “happy person”. The government should help parents to realize family education through public educational polices. Thus, the preschool education concepts of Pestalozzi should be very good references for kindergarten teachers, parents and social workers in family education.