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1- INTRODUCTION
2. CHILDHOOD OF PESTALOZZI
Pestalozzi was born in Zurich and defined the education system of the
city as one of the best in Europe but he did not like it very much (Pekin &
Gazalcı, 2002). Teaching system at schools in his childhood was based on
memorization (Fikret, 1931); and students had to memorize knowledge
that they did not understand. Teachers adopted an authoritarian attitude
and students were in a state of constant fear, which prevented them from
acting, studying and thinking freely (Tonguç, 2011).
Despite the financial problems of his childhood and youth, Pestalozzi
continued his education life contrary to ordinary people and graduated
from Zurich University (Laubach,2011). After attending schools based on
memorization, he wanted to get Theological Education, then gave up the
idea and decided to become a lawyer and work for government but finally
decided that this was against his life view and nature (Tonguç, 2011).
He studied theology, philosophy and law between 1751 and 1765
(Pekin & Gazalcı, 2002) and gained fame as a young social activist (Quick,
1916, akt., Bowers & Gehring, 2004). He became friends with other
youngsters who wished to raise ethical standards of the nation and
discusses education reform ideas with members of Helvetic Society (a
group of young people with political and ethical demands) (Bowers &
Gehring, 2004). He was keen on politics and imprisoned for his attempts
to reveal misconduct and corruption of politicians. ( Mesquida et al., 2017;
Ruddy, 2000).He had quite traumatic prison experience and decided to be
in less conflict with poverty. (Ruddy, 2000). He gave up the idea of
working in government services and decided to leave urban life to settle
in a village and occupy with farming and family education. One of his goals
was to help poor and destitute villagers to raise their life standards
(Tonguç, 2011).
5. PESTALOZZI PEDAGOGY
5.1. Definition and Goal of Education According to Pestalozzi
Early childhood experiences of Pestalozzi played a key role in his
future living and interests (Bowers & Gehring, 2004).Social troubles he
experienced at early ages influenced his education philosophy, causing
him to focus on practical training and socialization of the child (Quick,
1916, akt., Bowers & Gehring, 2004). Pestalozzi devoted his life to seeking
the truth for humanity (Mesquida et al., 2017 ), and became regulator,
director, counselor of his age in the field of pedagogy (Bowers & Gehring,
2004).
According to him, education is the natural, harmonious and
prospective development of one’s innate strengths (Sinclair, 2014). Goal
of education is to develop children’s innate self-activity skill and help
them to become aware of their internal strengths in natural ways (İto,
2008; Schultz, 1995). During this process, children must first be taught to
think and feel correctly and act fairly. They must then be allowed to do
intellectual exercises and take part in theological discussions (Laubach,
2011). One of the ultimate goals of education is to bring together
individuals of these values and establish an ethically perfect and
financially strong community (Topuzkanamış, 2014).
Educationa goal of Pestalozzi is to provide “useful knowledge” and he
believes that “life itself” is the real teacher (Schultz, 1995). According to
Pestalozzi, learning must follow an order from far to close, known to
unknown, simple to complicated (Schultz, 1995) and concrete to abstract
(Oktay & Unutkan, 2003; Schultz, 1995). Educational activities must be
designed according to children’s development level, intellectual and
ethical development must be supported in a holistic way (Veder, 2008;
Oktay, 2010). Pestalozzi suggests that three basic elements must be
considered in holistic development of personality. These are “mind
education, ethical education and practical or physical education”. He
focused on industrial training in addition to these three elements (Oktay,
2010). Froebel who studied Pestalozzi’s school models and observed his
curriculum and pedagogical principles suggested that learning and early
experiences were important in education (Adelman, 2000).
5.2. “Method”
Pestalozzi designed a new system that considered the child’s
cognitive and psycho-motor skills. In this system he called “Method”, he
placed the child in the center(Oktay, 2010; Oktay & Unutkan, 2003). Goal
of the Method is to provide the stimuli that the child needs to reveal his
secret strength. He eradicated the dominant non-human education system
and replaced it with a system based on teaching the subjects compatible
with certain laws and methods of nature (Oktay, 2010).
The Method also aims to teach pragmatic content and create a
teacher-student relationship based on respect and defined as dialogue,
freedom and ethics by Pestalozzi. This method aims to develop children’s
intellectual capability according to nature (Pestalozzi, 2011, akt.,
Mesquida et al., 2017). Pestalozzi’s method is actually involves a series of
educational activities designed for both schools and institutions he
founded. In this method that he designed by observing Rousseau’s
teachings, Pestalozzi emphasizes that education must be internally-driven
rather than externally and children should not stay passive during
education stage and therefore play is quite important for children.
(Rajawat & Patel, 2015). According to him, “Method” is a philosophical
concept much beyond classroom practices and is defined as a path that
must be followed to develop the child’s character and skills and lead a
happy life as an adult (Oktay, 2010).
What Pestalozzi called “my method” is not only a combination of
teaching techniques and didactic pedagogic resources but also an
education policy related to using pedagogical theory and practice with
philosophy and psychology (Mesquida et al., 2017). Several observers
agree on the importance of Pestalozzi “Method” support to children in
learning to read, write and calculating methods. (Horlacher, 2011). It may
be said that Pestalozzi Method is originally suitable for human soul
(Khripkova, 1983).
5.3. Training of Head, Heart and Hand
Pestalozzi emphasizes that education must be a combination of head,
heart and hands; that is cognitive, emotional and psycho-motor fields (
Biesta, 2012; Uysal, 2006; Soëtard, 2000)According to Pestalozzi, these
three elements act together to activate every individual’s capacity to exist
independently (Uysal, 2006; Soëtard, 2000).
Pestalozzi emphasized this trio and settled his pedagogical works on
it. It is not a coincidence that heart is in the middle of this trio. The heart
feeds and completes human existence, mind, feelings and actions.
Pestalozzi suggests that there is a balance between head, heart and hands,
adding that this balance is never fully arranged (Mesquida et al., 2017). He
also emphasizes that one of these elements (head,heart,hand) may be
more dominant than others (Pekin & Gazalcı, 2012). Pestalozzi claims that
he combines physical, emotional, social, ethical and intellectual
development of children by means of this perspective that he calls the
unity of “head, heart and hand”. This trio is also considered as a
comprehensive educational concept (Mesquida et al., 2017; Biesta, 2012;
Bredekamp & Copple,1997;).
5.4. Object-based Pedagogy and Sensorial Education
One of the significant contributions of Pestalozzi to education that he
gave inspiration to what is called “object teaching” (Latham, 2002;
Schultz, 1995). According to him, “object teaching” must be through
concrete objects and emotional impressions of students rather than
words. He calls this teaching method “Object Teaching” (Bowers &
Gehring, 2004; Latham, 2002 and can realize the idea of making children
use materials with hands in learning and teaching processes (Szendrei,
1997, akt., Uribe-Flórez, 2009;). Pestalozzi claims that students must learn
with their feelings and physical activities (Zuckerman & Resnick, 2003)
and aims to use this method to make children access, explain, categorize
and name materials in their natural settings (İto, 2008). This method also
helps children to learn that real objects are more meaningful than words
(Adelman, 2000).
According to Pestalozzi, senses must be developed as well for ideal
education. He thinks that children may realize their natural potential
through sensorial training. Thus, he particularly focused on sensorial
training in his practices (Gordon & Browne, 2011; Laubach, 2011).
5.5. Pedagogue
Pestalozzi assumed the task of restructuring schools by changing
teacher-student relationship (Ruddy, 2000). In addition, Pestalozzi is
recognized as the first innovator whose work ultimately resulted in
teacher education and teacher licensure.He criticized the rule-based
learning at schools, claiming that it was not right as it meant intervention
in the child’s learning process (Schultz, 1995). According to him, teachers
have a wide range of effects on students’ lives, from supporting their life-
long independence to hindering it. Pestalozzi defines this task as “Ethical
Responsibility of Educators”. Structure of education system must be
designed to help educators to work independently in a free setting
(Soëtard, 2000).
5.6. Concept of Woman and Mother
Pestalozzi was influenced by Rousseau and never put down his book
“Emilie” (Pekin & Gazalcı, 2002). He even went beyond Rousseau and
formulated his own pedagogical views on public education and the roles
of women (Pestalozzi 1945, cited by Laubach, 2011). In his articles, he
always emphasized the importance of mother on a child’s life and the
effects of mother-child relationship on child development. (Quick, 1916,
akt., Bowers & Gehring, 2004; Dere, 2001). Raised by his mother and their
loyal maid Barbara in an atmosphere of love in early childhood(Bowers &
Gehring, 2004, Pestalozzi emphasized that a baby always needed help and
care which must be given by his mother in a spiritual manner, adding that
this love and affection is extremely important for children (Silber, 1960,
akt., Bowers & Gehring, 2004).
He also suggested that restricting women’s roles to traditional
housework and child care was wrong and women must be active citizens
to prevent social corruption with their capability (Ruddy, 2000). He
reported that the best pedagogues were mothers and a mother could
educate herself in addition to the child as a result of her interaction with
the child in a love-based relationship (Oktay, 1999). Therefore, in order to
solve problems of education system he designed a model resembling a
family particularly the maternal relationship, the child’s first learning
atmosphere (Ruddy, 2000).
He thought mother was the primary responsible for education and
spiritual issues of a child. In his letters he wrote in 1818 to his friend
Greaves, he lists a number of advice to mothers on child raising. His letters
were translated and published in England in 1827 (Latham, 2002). His
books “How Women Educate Children?” and “Manual for Mothers” reveal
how vital love and care of mothers are.
5.7. School-Family Cooperation
Pestalozzi opposed to the destructive effects of industrialization and
modern working life on family and always focused on the importance of
the relationship between parents and school (Dere, 2001). He also
mentions the importance of a close relationship between school and
family for child’s success (Quick, 1916, akt., Bowers & Gehring, 2004)..
Pestalozzi thought parents were important educators (İto, 2008)
resembling the child to a seed with wisdom and personality that may be
shaped by parents and educators. (Launbach, 2011).
According to Pestalozzi, parents’ education at home develops
spontaneously through natural activities in children’s natural
environment and according to their needs ( İto, 2008). Beyond being low-
cost and accessible, these activities help children to begin their education
in a warm and safe environment (Laubach, 2011). For development of
family, he thought that the community needed the support of school
which had a central role in creating a civilized society (İto, 2008).
5.8. Love
Pestalozzi's views on “human’s original goodness and loyalty to the
poor” are the result of the love and devotion of his mother and their maid
Barbara who raised him and his siblings (Silber, 1960, akt., Bowers &
Gehring, 2004). Pestalozzi is a pedagogue who said “an education based
on love will never fail” and proved it with his never ending love
eğitimcidir (Kalıpçı, 2008; Uysal, 2006). Pestalozzi thought knowledge
without love is more dangerous than ignorance with love. Pestalozzi,
1951, emphasizing that the child must be developed in free and warm
atmosphere where he can realize his inner potential(Oktay, 2004).
7. CONCLUSION
Pestalozzi's view on the child’s value and innate goodness was shared
in Europe in late 18th century (Latham, 2002), and his works in
Switzerland in early 1900s caused excitement in other countries including
France, Germany and England(Kastanis, 2007). Many reformers studied
Swiss education reformer Pestalozzi’s (1746-1827) theories and
practices. Advent of Pestalozsi’s theory and practices was a turning point
for school curriculum, teaching methods and democratic education
olmuştur (Laubach, 2011). As Pestalozzi’s works were carried to much
beyond from their time as they spread the seeds for hundreds years of
innovation efforts of future reformers (Bowers & Gehring, 2004).
Today, European Council developed a Pestalozzi Education program
and initiated a 15-month educator training in 2015 under the title of
“European Council Pestalozzi Program” to carry values of respect to
human rights, (Zagreb, 2014)superiority of justice to educational
practices and support member countries on these issues (Gebauer, 2016),
showing that Pestalozzi has left remarkable traces in the field of
education.
It is possible to see the effects of Pestalozzi’s views on education
programs in Turkey. Central of child in Pestalozzi education, his principle
of close to far and emphasis on school-family cooperation are some of the
features of preschool education programs (MEB, 2013). Pestalozzi is also
the original owner of the idea of ordering acquisitions and indicators from
concrete to abstract and arranging them in a consecutive order ( MEB,
2013).
The idea of training head, heart and hand together overlaps with the
philosophy of “learning by living”. Work training approach adopted in
higher levels of vocational schools is also based on Pestalozzi’s views
(Turkish Education Institute 6th Education Meeting, 1982). As seen in the
examples given here, every scientist influenced the views of other
scientist with their contributions to the field of education. In this process,
basic ideas were developed and kept their popularity although their
origins were a little forgotten.
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