This is the story of a handful of people who changed British Education. These people, mostly young women, were members of a society which tried to put into practice the educational philosophy and principles of Friedrich Froebel. Following his ideas, they believed that a child's intellectual, spiritual and physical development came about through the child's own endeavours, that play was an integral part of the learning process and that every child, regardless of ability, was important. Through heir founding of the Kindergarten movement in Great Britain, and through constant lobbying of...

This book considers Friedrich Froebel's work and ideas in the light of the continuing debate over methods of primary education, raising the old conflict between child-centred and traditional education; concern about the role of teacher in the classroom; and the renewed challenge of 'play' as a tool of education. To Froebel, play provided the means for a child's intellectual, social, emotional and physical development. Froebel believed that the education of a child began at birth, and that parents and teachers played a crucial role in helping children in this activity. 'Play is a mirror of...