Education or Training

Education or Training ?

Froebel rejected the methods of instruction used in schools of his day because they were not suited to his educational purpose.

Teacher directed instruction and repetition may be an efficient way to train children to do well in tests, but what is achieved? The issue is ends not means. Froebel proposed a different purpose for schools, the education of humanity.

Military and industrial trainers continue to use the demonstration and drill methods of training that were once universal in schools. They remain efficient methods for training people to perform specific tasks.

Common sense dictates that we should choose our methods to suit our purpose. Self directed exploration by children and teacher directed explanation and drill are the extremes of a spectrum. Froebel proposed an interesting form of collaboration between child and teacher. The child discovers though a process of exploration of materials provided for that purpose by the teacher. Free play provides the repetition to develop confidence and understanding. The teacher guides, without imposing, so that the self expression of the child replaces the repetition of the teahers words.

Education or Training ?

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