First, establish a correct view of children and attach importance to their immature strength. Chen Heqin's "living education" is different from feudal, rigid and outdated "dead education" in the center and subject of education-children. Therefore, the views of teachers and parents on children play an important role in children's development. In Chen Heqin's eyes, it is foolish for ancient families to dress up their children as adults in appearance or imitate their behavior in action. It is precisely because children are not treated correctly that China is mostly a "precocious teenager". He said: "In the matter of cultivating children, the most urgent thing is to treat children correctly and treat them as children." Rousseau once had a similar view: "Nature expects children to grow up when they are young." The so-called child's appearance, that is, non-adult, is to grow up according to the child's own physical and psychological characteristics. Chen Heqin summarized the standard of children's appearance as "an immature force". He asked people to respect children, protect their immaturity, and believe that children have the initiative and independent learning ability and potential.
Second, pay attention to the accumulation of direct experience and advocate "doing" as the center. Chen Heqin attaches great importance to the accumulation of direct experience. He regards nature and society as important materials for children to learn knowledge, so he opposes the traditional view that books are the only learning materials. Traditionally, parents think that students go to school only for "learning" and teachers' job is only for "teaching". Seeking and discovering knowledge from nature requires students not to study hard, but to focus on "doing". The author thinks that the importance of Chen Heqin's "doing" is mainly reflected in the following two aspects: from the starting point of children's learning, preschool children have rich imagination, but not rich experience. At this time, it is more appropriate for us to show them the real and living things first; From the end point of learning, children can understand things more deeply and truly through the accumulation of direct experience.
Third, pay attention to cultivation education, from habit cultivation to moral cultivation. Some western educators such as Locke, Rousseau, Spencer, etc. Both put physical education and moral education in the first or more important position. The teleology of Chen Heqin's life education is "to be a man, to be a China person and to be a modern China person". The key is to be a man, mainly to cultivate children's good behavior habits, cultivate their inner interests, love of life and appreciation of art. However, in traditional education, children receive useless cramming knowledge and art. He believes that one of the purposes of early childhood education is to cultivate basic good habits, including life and hygiene. As Confucius said, "If teenagers are natural, they are used to nature." Therefore, Chen Heqin designed 25 principles of habit education to help children develop good habits. Why talk about being a man? This can be found in educational thoughts at all times and in all countries. For example, Confucius emphasized that "being a man" is the top priority of self-cultivation and governing the country. However, with the progress of history and times, today's "education" in school education emphasizes the mastery of knowledge, while the "most important" people are weakened and education has deteriorated accordingly. In this case, he emphasized "being a man". He opposes that traditional education only focuses on writing and book knowledge, and the education he advocates focuses on cultivating children to adapt to the environment, get along with the environment and treat people with things. Just as Zhu, a famous thinker in the Southern Song Dynasty, advocated "fostering education", in the primary school stage, we should "teach sweeping, coping, advancing and retreating". In other words, knowledge learning will only be carried out after the maintenance of health care and the formation of habits, attitudes and behavioral norms.
Fourth, close the spiritual distance and build a harmonious relationship between teachers and students. Chen Heqin emphasized the important role of teachers' image in creating an atmosphere and environment for children's learning and growth. He saw the children's psychological needs for a caring teacher. He is very opposed to teachers such as foremen. He never gives orders to students, but he never leads by example. Chen Heqin put forward the teacher-student relationship earlier, which is similar to the learning community. It is the teacher's duty to understand students' different personalities and hobbies. The best way to solve this problem is that teachers and students participate in activities and study together, and teachers are integrated into students' groups and teams. As Li Zhenxi said, "Teachers are not respectable and unfriendly images, but teachers and students can and should become friends". Chen Heqin believes that education can't ignore students' nature, let alone let students study in a depressed atmosphere. Therefore, he doesn't agree with the idea that cultivating children is teacher-centered and society-centered. All kinds of coercive, restrictive and threatening behaviors are unfavorable to children. Real education should edify and influence them with love, so that children can develop good conduct healthily in an atmosphere of care and love. In order to create a loving environment, Chen Heqin asked the teachers of Gulou Kindergarten to kneel down when communicating with children, because "we must be children before we can be their teachers". Some people may question what it is like for a teacher to become a child. Regarding "propriety", Mr. Yu Yongzheng replied like this: "Don't be too like a teacher, don't be too like a class, and if you are too like that, it won't be like that."