Friedrich Froebel: A Selection from His Writings

Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852) has long been known as a great educational reformer and the founder of kindergartens. Most of Froebel's works deal with young children. This selection, translated from the German for this volume, shows the development of his educational doctrines. The extracts are arranged by topic, with a brief introduction to each section. The first gives Froebel's impressions during his formative years and his reasons for choosing teaching as a vocation; the second presents his basic principles from his most important work, The Education of Man; and two remaining sections record his observations of children in their early years. A general introduction appraises Froebel's main beliefs and his influence, and a bibliography is included. To those concerned with child development and the history of education, this volume offers a concise readable account of the beliefs and achievements of a remarkable nineteenth-century educator given in his own words.