Figure 1.-- This drawing shows Swiss educator Johann Heinrich with students. We are not sure who the illustrator was, but it is signed. Pestalozzi strongly promoted education of the poor. He emphasized teaching methods tailored to strengthen the student’s own abilities. Pestalozzi’s method became widely accepted, and most of his principles have been absorbed into modern elementary education. His basic motto was "Learning by head, hand and heart". Pestalozzi was a major force in virtually eliminating illiteracy in Switzerland, we think the first country to do so (by 1830).

Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi was an imprtant Swiss educational reformer who promoted ideals of the Enlightenment and Romanticism. Johann was born in Zurich (1746). His father was a surgeon and interestingly an oculist, a not so strange combintion in the years before the full rise of science. His father died when he was only age 33 years old leaving the family in difficult circumstances. Johann was the second of three children and was only 6 years old when his father died. His father's family had to flee the Locarno area as a result of their Protestantism. His mother's maiden name was Hotze came from Wädenswil on lake of Zürich. The family's maid was Barbara Schmid, affectionally called Babeli. When Johann's father died, Babeli help support the family. Johann attended the Gymnasium, Collegium Humanitatis (1761). Some of his teacers were Johann Jakob Bodmer (history and politics) and Johann Jakob Breitinger (Greek and Hebrew). During the holidays, Johann would often visit his maternal grandfather who was a clergyman in Höngg. He went along when his grandfather visit schools and the houses of parishioners. Johann learned bou the poverty the rural peasantry. He noted thesocial impact of young children going to work in factories rather than ttending school. He also noted the limited value of Catechism schools, many children lft iliterate. It left him with an imression of want, ignorance, suffering, and people with little opportunity. heir inability to help themselves left an impression on Pestalozzi, an impression that would help formulate his educational ideas. As an educator, He founded schools in German- and French-speaking cantons. He wrote widely on his educationsl ideas, explaining what at the time were revolutionary ideas. He strongly promoted education of the poor. He emphasized teaching methods tailored to strengthen the student’s own abilities. Pestalozzi’s method became widely accepted, and most of his principles have been absorbed into modern elementary education. His basic motto was "Learning by head, hand and heart". Pestalozzi was a major force in virtually eliminating illiteracy in Switzerland, we think the first country to do so (by 1830).

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Created: 8:41 AM 6/27/2018
Last updated: 8:41 AM 6/27/2018