The Birth Of Froebel's "Kindergarten" Concept

The aim of education is the perfection of human nature.In order to link this aim with early childhood education,we need to reflect the current ways of understanding child nature and early childhood education,such as the scientific and technical way of researching children and the utilitarian purpose of education.But if we want to get an insight of our reflection,the best way for us is to compare these ways with the historical understandings about child nature and the nature of early childhood education.So as the fountain of early childhood education,Froebel's thoughts become the good beginning of the historical research.By exploring the concept of "Kindergaren",it can be found that "Kindergarten" is the representation of Froebel's understandings about child nature and the nature of early childhood education.So if we want to understand the connotation of"Kindergarten",we need to show Froebel's ideas about child nature and the nature of early childhood education completely.In order to do that,this research starts with exploring the social background of Froebel's thoughts,including exploring the historical background of rational and romantic spirit and the changes in the ideas of God,nature and human nature in Froebel's time,and showing the historical evolution of the views about child nature and childhood education which is brought by Locke,Rousseau and Pestalozzi.Then,it goes to the exploration of the development of Froebel's own thoughts,including the influences of the social background in his thoughts,his findings on the unified laws of nature and man,the threefold nature of Unity as unity,diversity and individuality,and his understandings on threefold human nature and the nature of school education.After that,it concentrates on Froebel's developing of his views about child nature and the nature of early childhood education based on the formal thoughts,and his creating on the Kindergarten system and the concept of "Kindergarten".By this kind of exploration,it finds that Froebel has very unique understandings about child nature and the nature of early childhood education.Froebel thought that children have their innate nature which is very similar to the plants,and they also follow threefold ways to unfold their nature just as the plants does.As one part of the universe,children will follow the universal law of"the connection of opposites" to show their spirits and to develop towards good.As one part of the unconscious natural world,children will follow the special way of showing "the connection of opposites" in the development of nature,such as the crystals and the plants,to unfold their creative instinct unconsciously and outwardly by their bodily movement and sensual development in their plays.As one part of human world,children will follow the laws of freedom and self-activity.Based on this understanding about child nature,Froebel thought that early childhood education is close to the cultivation of the plants.So the best way of educating the young children is to create a symbolic environment according to the threefold laws of child development,such as connecting the opposites between law and freedom,unity and individuality,then children will unfold their creative instinct according to the threefold laws freely and unconsciously.These understandings about child nature and early childhood education are the connotations in the word"Kindergarten".Froebel's ideas were never fully understood in the history of early childhood education,and we forget to ask the questions about the nature of children and early childhood education stated by Froebel in modern times.So it is very important for us to use Froebel's broader views and ways of understanding child nature and early childhood education to challenge the current views about children and education,then we may have the better understanding on these important questions in the development of modern early childhood education.