First, Pestalozzi's life and educational activities
Pestalozzi was born in a family of doctors in Zurich, Switzerland. His father died when he was five years old. He and his younger brother and sister have lived under the care of their mother and a maid since childhood. At the age of 9, Pestalozzi began to go to school, but because of his poor development and introverted personality, school life brought him more loneliness and loneliness. When he was a child, his life at his grandmother's house in the country had a great influence on him. The poverty of farmers' life and the enjoyment of rich children made him deeply sympathize with the poor. Since then, "eliminating bitter roots" has become the goal of his life.
Pestalozzi lived in an era of profound changes in Swiss society. The old agricultural economy gradually disintegrated and capitalist workshops and handicrafts developed rapidly. At that time, the French Enlightenment also influenced Switzerland. Pestalozzi, who went to college, came into contact with Rousseau's Theory of Social Contract and Emile and became an admirer of Rousseau's political and educational thoughts. At school, he and some friends joined a progressive "patriot" organization. Due to the propaganda of social reform ideas, this organization was cancelled and Pestalozzi was forced to drop out of school. From then on, Pestalozzi went to the society and started a new life.
1768, he set up an experimental farm in Xinzhuang near Zurich, trying to help farmers improve their lives, but the experiment failed due to poor management. However, his failure enabled him to find a suitable job. In the process of raising his son, Pestalozzi began his initial education work. He was determined to educate his children according to Rousseau's method, but he found some shortcomings. So, according to his own understanding of children and educational methods, he made observation records and wrote the Diary of Educating 3-year-olds. At the same time, he began to pay attention to the education of other children, especially poor children.
1774, Pestalozzi established an orphanage in Xinzhuang, taking in 50 orphans and street children aged 5- 10. Pestalozzi provides them with food and clothing, teaches children basic knowledge such as reading, writing and calculation, and enables children to acquire life skills through manual labor such as spinning and weaving. At that time, this institution was neither like a factory nor a school, but a big family with a combination of education and labor and full of affection. Pestalozzi lived with the children and gave them everything. Recalling this experience, Pestalozzi said, I share joys and sorrows with them in poverty, and I live like a beggar myself in order to teach beggars to live like people. Later, due to the sharp increase in the number of orphanages, there was a problem with funds. By 1780, all orphanages were closed.
From then on, Pestalozzi began to sum up his own experience and lessons and concentrate on writing. 178 1 year, he wrote his first educational novel "Lianhard and Godud" with his familiar rural education life as the theme. Starting from reformism and humanitarianism, the book points out that the root of human progress lies in developing human inner strength through education and improving people's living conditions through legislation. After the publication of this book, it caused a great response, and people began to pay attention to Pestegic's educational thought.
1798, entrusted by the Swiss government, Pestalozzi established an orphanage in Stanz, and took in 80 children aged 5- 10. With the help of the maid, he works day and night and is responsible for the children's life and education. He lived, worked and studied with his children and established a father-son friendship. In education, Pestalozzi pays attention to the education of family love for children, and carries out intellectual education, moral education and physical education according to the characteristics of children. In education, Pestalozzi also conducted research and experiments on simplifying primary education methods to improve school education and teaching. Although the efforts in Stanz were successful, due to the war, the orphanage had to be converted into a military hospital, and Pestalozzi's work was interrupted again.
From 65438 to 0799, Pestalozzi taught in a kindergarten in burgdorf and continued his research on teaching methods. The following year, he served as the leader of burgdorf College. During this period, he wrote "How Godud Educates Children", trying to work out a simple method, which can not only make housewives in every family master it, but also improve the teaching work in primary schools. These thoughts form the basis of "factor education theory". 1805, burgdorf College was moved to Ifotong and changed to Ifotong College. Since then, this school has existed for 20 years and enjoys a good reputation in Europe, which has led many educators and scholars to come here for academic investigations and visits, and some rich children have also come to study. Later, the school closed on 1825 due to management problems. 1827, Pestalozzi left his last book, Song of the Swan, and died.
Second, about the harmonious development and education of human beings.
Pestalozzi, who lives in the era of social change, attaches great importance to the harmonious development and education of people. His educational thoughts are based on bourgeois humanist social and political views. In his view, human development goes through three stages: first, human society is in a natural state, and human beings exist as natural persons; After human beings entered the social state, people began to become social people, and various contradictions and conflicts occurred between people and society and between people; Finally, human society enters a moral state, and people become moral people. Through the power of morality, human society is full of affection and fraternity. So he believes that the reform of the country lies in the change of people. Only when people have strength and virtue can the social environment change, and a good country begins with a good citizen.
The educational idea of attaching importance to people's harmonious development is also based on his understanding of social reality.