THE PURPOSES OF GARDEN CHILD IN THINKING OF FRIEDRICH FROEBEL

Abstract

This paper focuses on Friedrich Froebel’s conception of the kindergarten and its educational goals to gain a deeper understanding of the history of preschool education and to stimulate reflections about the purpose of education.  The Letter to German Wives and Maidens, 1840   has been consulted as a primary source concerning Froebel’s plan for the establishment of the kindergarten in an effort to promote an educational reform and changes in the family and the society.The analysis suggests that Froebel integrated Christian beliefs, as well as romantic, idealist, naturalist, neo humanist notions to his philosophy of education, as reflected in his kindergarten proposal.   Based on such foundations, the kindergarten was conceived as an educational system for humanity, as an institution for teacher training and for the education and care of children of all social classes, as a project to be implemented beyond its context of origin, and as a mission primarily in charge of women.  Through the implementation of the kindergarten Froebel attempted to address deficiencies in education and issues resulting from the process of industrialization, urbanization and the modernization of the family.