Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi is a major humanist educator, reformer and democrat during the bourgeois revolution in Switzerland and France, and a representative of the leading intelligentsia of that period. He devoted more than half a century of his life to public education.
Biography
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi was born in 1746 in Zurich (Switzerland), in the family of a doctor. The boy's father died early. That is why the mother brought up Johann, along with a devoted servant - a simple peasant. Both women courageously and selflessly struggled with need. And this made a lasting impression on the boy. His future views and the plight of the peasants, which he saw while in the village of his grandfather, influenced his future views.
Pestalozzi received his primary education in a German school, and secondary - in Latin. Acquaintance with the wretched program and the low level of teachers' professionalism aroused extremely negative emotions in the young man.
After graduating from high school, Pestalozzi became a student at the Carolinum College. In this institution of higher education, he graduated from junior courses in the philological and philosophical direction.
At 17, Johann became acquainted with the work of J.J. Rousseau, "Emil, or On Education." This novel enthralled the young man. Even then, pedagogical ideas of I. G. Pestalozzi were outlined. They included the need for the nature of education, in the development of the senses, in strict adherence to a certain system and in the discipline of children, which is based on trust and love for the teacher.
After the publication of a new work by J.J. Russo “The Social Contract”, Pestalozzi no longer doubted that his mission was to serve the people.
In 1774, Johann organized a shelter in Neuhof for homeless children and orphans. Funds for the maintenance of this institution were earned by the children themselves. However, the idea that due to this source it was possible to maintain a shelter was already initially a utopia. In 1780 it had to be closed due to lack of funds.
Over the next 18 years, Pestalozzi devoted himself to literary work. In 1799, he reopened the shelter. This institution, which was located in the Swiss city of Stanz, contained 80 children from 5 to 10 years. However, this shelter did not last long. A few months later it was closed. In connection with the outbreak of hostilities, the premises were given to the infirmary.
Soon Pestalozzi began to work as a teacher, and a little later organized his own institute, where, together with his staff, he continued the simplified learning experiments that he had begun in Stanza. Soon he created an educational institution, which was a huge success. However, Pestalozzi was still not satisfied with his work, because it was not peasant children who went to this school, but the sons of wealthy people who were preparing to enter the university. In 1825, Pestalozzi closed his institute, which lasted 20 years. Two years later, at the 82nd year of his life, the great teacher died.
Scientific works
In 1781, Pestalozzi completed and published the work “Lingard and Gertrude,” which became a pedagogical novel. At the beginning of the 19th century he presented his reader new works. They reflected the pedagogical ideas of Pestalozzi regarding new methods of primary education. These are four books. Among them are Pestalozzi's works “How Gertrude teaches his children”, “The ABC of visualization, or the Visual teaching about measurement”, “The book of mothers, or the Guide for mothers how to teach their children how to observe and speak”, “Visual teaching about the number”. In 1826 another world saw the light. Pestalozzi, as an elderly man of eighty years old, completed his work with the work “Swan Song”. It was the result of the professional activities of the great teacher.
The essence of Pestalozzi's ideas
The whole life of a great teacher-democrat passed in economically backward Switzerland, which was considered a peasant country. All this could not but affect the worldview of Pestalozzi. Influenced by his vision of the world and the pedagogical views he developed.
According to Pestalozzi's theory, all the positive inclinations that a person has must be developed to the maximum extent possible. The teacher compares the art of the educator with the art of the gardener. Nature itself endowed the child with a certain power, which should only be developed, strengthened and directed in the right direction, eliminating negative external obstacles and influences that could disrupt the natural movement of development.
According to the pedagogical ideas of Pestalozzi, the center for raising children is the formation of a person’s personality and moral character. The purpose of this work is the harmonious and comprehensive development of all human abilities and natural forces. In this case, the teacher can not suppress the process of natural development of the individual. He only has to direct the growing person along the right path and not allow him to be adversely affected, which can divert the child to the side.
The essence of education, as Pestalozzi understands it, is in harmony with nature. However, focused education is essential for every child. After all, if it is left to its own devices, then development will go on spontaneously and will not allow reaching the necessary level of harmonious development of the personality, which is necessary for a person as a member of society.
Theory of Elementary Education
This concept is central to the teaching practice of a teacher-democrat. According to the theory of elementary education by Pestalozzi, the educational process should be started with the simplest elements, and then gradually go to what is considered more complex. At the same time, various directions must be used in training.
This is labor and physical, aesthetic and moral education, as well as mental education. Various aspects of the educational process must be embodied in interaction. This will allow a person to develop harmoniously.
Use of labor
In his writings, Pestalozzi described in detail all the methods and means of the learning process. At the same time, he devoted considerable attention to work. It is he, according to the teacher-democrat, that is the most important means of the process of educating a person. Such activities contribute to the development of not only physical strength, but also the mind. In addition, labor education of the child forms morality in him. The working person is convinced of the great importance of joint activity for uniting people in a social union.
The most valuable activity of Pestalozzi is his desire to create a school that would be inextricably linked with the needs and life of the masses and contribute to the development of the spiritual strengths of children of workers and peasants. And these students desperately need labor knowledge and skills.
Such is the school described in the novel Lingard and Gertrude. Here, the teacher acquaints his pupils with agriculture, teaches them to process wool and linen, as well as to care for pets.
Judging by this work, it becomes clear that Pestalozzi assigned the public school a significant role in preparing the children of workers for the upcoming activities. But at the same time, he constantly emphasized the idea of the need to achieve the highest goal of education, which consists in the formation of personality.
One of the pedagogical ideas of Pestalozzi was the expansion of the curriculum of primary school. The reformist teacher introduced the learning process of writing and reading, measuring and counting, singing, drawing and gymnastics, as well as obtaining some knowledge from the field of history and geography. With this, Pestalozzi significantly expanded the boundaries of general education that existed in the public school of that period, because in these institutions children were taught only the elements of reading and the laws of God.
The introduction of elements of art and general scientific knowledge, socially useful work and physical education into the curriculum contributed to the preparation of a more knowledgeable and cultural worker.
Being a propagandist and organizer of a labor school and a person closely connected with real life, Pestalozzi was categorically against scholastic verbal instruction. It did not allow children to get the skills and knowledge that they needed in life.
Physical education
The great teacher considered the basis of this direction of education the children's natural desire for movement, which makes them be restless, play, always act and clutch at everything. At the same time, physical education according to Pestalozzi is what contributes to the development of volitional qualities, feelings and minds of students. A game for children provides movement of the joints. Moreover, the democrat teacher believed that it was necessary to lay the foundations of the physical education of the child in the family. Children’s natural home gymnastics is performed with the help of the mother. It is she who helps her child first stand on its feet, and then take the first steps. After the child learns to independently do all the movements that the human body is capable of, he will begin to take part in domestic work.
The entire subsequent school gymnastic system of Pestalozzi was built on the basis of the simplest exercises. When they were performed, they meant movements similar to those made by people when, for example, they drink or lift weights, that is, do ordinary things.
According to Pestalozzi, the use of a system of such consistently conducted exercises allows you to develop a child physically. At the same time, such classes will prepare children for work and will form the necessary skills with them.
Pestalozzi assigns a large place in the implementation of physical education to the implementation of military games, combat exercises and exercises. All these classes at his institute were closely combined with tours in Switzerland, hiking and sports games.
Moral education
Pestalozzi's pedagogical ideas were also aimed at developing students' active love for the people around them. The simplest element in this direction was seen by the democrat teacher in the child’s love for his mother. This feeling arises in children based on their natural physical needs. A mother taking care of her child gives rise to love and gratitude for her, which develops into close spiritual ties. All this, according to Pestalozzi, is also possible in pedagogy. And in the case when the school will be built on the teacher’s love for her students, she will be able to successfully conduct their moral education.
The task of the teacher in this case is the gradual transfer of the naturally arising feelings of the child - love for the mother, to people in his environment. First, it should be a father, sisters, brothers, and after that, everyone else. As a result, the child will spread his love in general to humanity and will feel that he is a member of society.
According to Pestalozzi, morality can be developed in children through ongoing activities that benefit others. Moreover, the foundations of this education are laid in the family. Further development of morality should be carried out in school. But this can only be done by the educational institution in which the fatherly love of the teacher for children takes place.
Upon entering the school, the child significantly expands the circle of his social relations. The task of the teacher is their proper organization, based on the active love of children for all those with whom they communicate.
In works on pedagogy, Pestalozzi expressed the conviction that the moral behavior of a child cannot be formed through moralizing. This can only be done through the development of moral feelings. He pointed out the great importance for children of moral actions that require endurance and self-control, which allows you to form the will of a young man.
The most valuable aspects of the theory of elementary education of Pestalozzi in relation to moral education is an indication of its inextricable connection with physical development. In addition, the great merit of the reformer was the requirement to develop moral behavior without the use of moral sermons, but with the direction of the children to do good deeds.
Religious education
Morality Pestalozzi closely associated with faith. However, at the same time, he did not at all mean the ritual religion, which he criticized. He spoke of the natural divine power that allows a person to love all people. Indeed, according to the internal religion, they can be considered as brothers and sisters, that is, children of one father.
Sensory development
The pedagogical ideas of Pestalozzi are substantial and rich. Based on the need for harmonious development of personality, they closely connect two such elements as moral education and mental education. At the same time, the teacher-reformer puts forward a demand for educational training.
Pestalozzi's ideas regarding mental education are defined in his epistemological concept. Its basis is the assertion that any process of cognition necessarily begins with sensory perception, which is further processed by the human consciousness with the help of a priori ideas.
Pestalozzi also believed that any training should be carried out using observations and experiments, rising to generalizations and conclusions. The result of this practice is the child receives visual, auditory and other sensations that prompt him to think and create.
Those ideas about the outside world that a person receives through the senses are initially unclear and unclear. The task of the teacher is to organize them and bring them to specific concepts.
Pestalozzi criticized the schools that existed at that time. After all, they were dominated by mechanical memorization and dogmatism, which dulled the students' thinking. Among his ideas was the construction of training based on knowledge of the features of the child's mental development. Pestalozzi considered the starting point for this to be the children's perception of the outside world through the senses. At the same time, he pointed out that human contemplation of nature is the foundation of learning, as it serves as the basis on which human cognition is built.
Principle of nature conformity
The Democratic teacher presented art-based instruction to help a person in his natural desire for development. And in this lies his principle of nature-like education.
In understanding this issue, Pestalozzi took a significant step forward. Indeed, before him, a similar idea was put forward by Komensky, but he tried to answer the question of the nature of learning, choosing analogies with natural phenomena, sometimes mechanically transferring to the process of obtaining knowledge the conclusions that he made when observing the world of animals and plants. Pestalozzi approached this problem from a different perspective. The nature of learning, he saw in the disclosure of the natural forces of the child himself, as well as his psychological characteristics. This ultimately allows us to solve the general tasks of the teacher, consisting in the education of a harmoniously developed personality.
A similar idea, which arose even before the writings of Pestalozzi was written and was voiced by other authors, became the subject of a serious debate that arose between proponents of formal and material education.
The main task of teaching a Democratic teacher was expressed on the basis of the theory of formal education. She, in his opinion, consists in awakening the ability to think and the growth of spiritual forces. Pestalozzi saw the ways of cognitive processes among students in a constant movement from vague and erratic impressions received by the senses to clear ideas and clear concepts. He was sure that all training should be based on concrete observations from life, and not on words that are empty and meaningless.
Visibility was seen by Pestalozzi as the highest principle of learning, the disclosure of which he gave a lot of energy. He formulated the idea, which was an analogue of the "golden rule" of Comenius, which states that the more feelings a student uses when determining the essence of objects and phenomena, the more correct his knowledge of them will be. However, all this is not an obligatory option to get acquainted with objects in their natural environment.
Pestalozzi considered clarity as a starting point, giving impetus to the development of the spiritual strength of the child, and as something that allows thoughts to work in the future. He proposed the use of observation in various fields of cognition. , , .
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When they became acquainted with a plot of land near a school or with their village, children could acquire initial geographical representations. And only later this knowledge gradually expanded. As a result, students received information about the entire planet.
According to Pestalozzi, the combination of the initial concepts of natural science with the study of native places was very useful for students. He recommended his technique, according to which children should use clay to sculpt familiar reliefs, and only then go on to study maps.
Conclusion
In the course of their professional activities, Pestalozzi developed private methods and general principles of primary education. However, he did not correctly solve the question of the unity of development of the mental powers of students and the process of obtaining knowledge. Sometimes he overestimated the role of mechanical exercises and adhered to the directions of formal education.
Nevertheless, the idea of developing schooling, which was put forward by Pestalozzi, played a decisive role in the further development of advanced pedagogical practice and theory. An undoubted merit of the reformer teacher was his idea of increasing the level of mental abilities of children to prepare them for meaningful activity.