The Background of John Heinrich Pestalozzi and His Philosophy of Education

John Pestalozzi was a Swiss philosopher, an ardent admirer of Rousseau in his concept of natural Education. Born in Zurich in 1946 he was the second son of the three children in a middle class
family. He was a profile writer and wrote on the social, political and philosophical aspects of life. In his efforts, he sought a way to make education mare functional and meaningful to the children. This was demonstrated in his important book Leonard and Getrude, where he showed how Getrude the wife of a village mason, taught her children through concrete things found in the home. His methodology was based on the principles “I will”, I can”. He believed that his success was the result of his determination. They learnt arithmetic tic by counting steps and things with motherly talks and discussions; she trained her minds and character.

Getrude encouraged the children to observe carefully all things around them like the action of fire, smoke and water. Pestalozzi wanted to show in this way that school should be like a home where learning and instruction have their foundation in parental love and that teaching and learning should start with things and not with words. Pestalozzi criticized the teaching method that expects too much from the child, and emphasized the encouragement of the development of originality and imagination in children.

Pestalozzi, like his admire Rousseau, was a naturalist who strongly believed that every child has some hidden talents that unfold as he grows up to become an adult. He advances a new idea in the area of method to be adopted in the primary education. In his view, the mind grows in three marked stages from infancy to adulthood Viz:

1. The stage when sense impressions are vagues; 
2. The stage when vague impressions get extinct; 
3. The stage when distinct impressions turn clear 

Pestalozzi believed that the child should be encouraged gain knowledge through his own sensory experienced, that is education of the child at this level should involve experiencing of things (I.e. sense impression) in .which the child sees, handles or makes direct acquaintance with objects. To Pestalozzi, a lesson is considered suitable to primary class it awakens interest and self-activity of the learner. He views the right order of learning to that which proceeds by gradual steps from simple to complex, near to far and known to unknown. The children begin with learning to court things around them and recognizing what each number means, from this learning of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division will be learnt easily. Also in language, the fundamental things to do are the elementary sound (letters), syllabus words then sentences.

He contends that education must be harmonized with nature; any topic to be taught to primary children must be reduced to the minimum element and gradually built up step, as in case of learning of numbers.

Pestalozzi advocated that children should received from their parents and teachers both instruction and discipline for the development of their potentials. The teacher should direct the process of natural growth and prepare the children for their roles in the society while the family should function as the model for the idea school. He also suggested that the society should aid the growth of the children by providing equal education opportunities for every child. He emphasized the need for moral virtue, which is vital to the individual’s constructive role in the society. He held the view that nature alone does not give social, moral of intellectual knowledge, skills and good behavior. Rather he advocated for a healthy and supportive environment to be created by both home and school for the development of young children. Cognizance of the above contribution/suggestions of Pestalozzi, the philosophy of Nigerian education as specified “the integration of the individual into sound and effective citizen and equal educational opportunities for all citizens of the nation at all levels, both inside and outside the formal school system.

The quality of instruction at all levels, the promotion of the emotional, physical and psychological health of all children. Inculcation of such values and virtues cannot effectively be implemented without a conducive learning environment.”

Pestalozzi’s ideas and contributions have positive effects in the management of primary schools in the Global World and especially in Nigeria.