1.2 Visiting the archive
You will now have the opportunity to take some time to be a visitor to the archive yourself.
Activity 1 Exploring the Froebel Archive
Timing: Allow about 20 minutes
Explore the resources in the Froebel Archive [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] and find one that interests you. If you are not sure where to start, you may like to choose either ‘Froebel’s Letters on the Kindergarten’ or ‘Pamphlets on Froebel’s principles’. As you search, respond to the questions below. You can record your responses in your Learning journal or the text box below.
- Why did you choose it?
- What did it make you think?
- What did you learn?
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Comment
Here is an example answer.
| Chosen resource | Pamphlets on Froebel’s Principles >THE KINDERGARTEN and Its Influence on Industrial Activity in After Life. |
|---|---|
| Why did you choose it? | I thought it had an interesting and intriguing title and the word ‘pamphlet’ made me think it might involve a more practical and concise discussion of Froebel’s ideas. |
| What did it make you think? | It made me think about the contexts in which Froebel’s ideas were being introduced and how ground breaking these ideas were, particularly in terms of what it meant to be a child. For example, in the context of the kindergartens being opened in the poor areas of San Francisco, the children are described as ‘little bandits…whose only occupation till then had been to rob and steal and destroy’ (p. 2). |
| What did you learn? | I learned more about Froebel’s thinking on the purpose of education and why it is as important to engage the hands, through active learning, as it is to engage the head. It also showed how Froebel’s ideas reflected current day thinking about links between the setting and home. |
To finish this section, you might like to listen to Kornelia talking about her favourite objects in the archive.
Download this video clip.Video player: yon_1_s3_kornelia_q1.mp4
Transcript
KORNELIA CEPOK
I do have a few favourite objects here in the Froebel Archive. And both of them that I would like to introduce today have to do with what I talked about in relation to Froebel's ideas. One is about play, the importance of play and the relationship between the teacher or the parents. And the other one talks about the importance of nature and the learning through nature.
So the first one is a notebook by Fanny Poole. Fanny Poole studied the Froebel education in the 1890s, 1891-92. And we are fortunate to have quite a few of her notebooks, her lecture books, and other resources. So this one here talks among others about the kindergarten rules. And it sets out a whole set of rules within the kindergarten setting, but it's the first one that for me, really epitomises the importance of Froebel.
And it reads, "No punishment is allowed if a child is unmanageable appealed to the kindergarten mistress, but try the power of love and firmness first." And it's the power of love, that for me really stresses it. And we're talking here Victorian England, and the power of love in schools.
And the other section here talks about the importance of play. And it is actually really quite long, which I think in my view, again, emphasises its importance. It's an introduction to the Froebel gifts. And here in this introduction it really puts the play in the centre of children's learning, of children's development, really makes it a focus.
The other resource that I wanted to talk about is a slightly later one compiled by students who was here between 1922 and 1924. And 1922 is when the Froebel Education Institute moved to the grounds here, to Grove House. And I think it is in a way celebrating the grounds, celebrating the freedom to move around freely, and to really make use of the grounds and these facilities here in a much greener environment, coming back from or coming over from what is now Hammersmith area.
So this notebook was compiled by a student called Hilda Miller. It describes every aspect and every tiny detail that she observed together with other students within the grounds. She talks about all insects, about every creature she observed and found in the grounds. And she puts it down with some sort of sense of humour as well, which is really nice. And it's illustrated beautifully, like all the other nature notebooks.
So she talks here about the bird seen in May 22 and how many, so for example, a head sparrow. On the 6th of May, there were two eggs. And on the 19th, there were nine, some deserted. The black bird discovered on the 6th of May, two naked nestlings, on the 10th, leg chicks, feathers, and so on. So it goes into this detail of observation.
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