The influence of Friedrich Froebel is strong today in quiet and influential ways. Froebel represents a thinking tradition, through which practitioners continue to develop their understanding and effectiveness.
In line with this, the Froebel certificate courses run at Roehampton University in south-west London encourage the development of a reflective practice, that is both practical and effective. Each course emphasises the importance of practitioners being able to describe their quality of practice.
If many of his ideas, like the significance and necessity of play, do not seem exceptional today, this is because they have entered the common sense of early years practice.
International appeal
The courses attract candidates from all around the world, from a diverse range of backgrounds. They draw strongly on the work of Froebel and other historical perspectives in the context of current debate and practice.
Reflective practice is encouraged 'sing traditional Froebel principles.
These help practitioners to be confident and articulate advocates for children and promote the holistic development and learning of children in a range of settings, involving multi-agency, collaborative partnerships.
Qualifications available
The Froebel Certificate in Early Childhood Studies at HE1 and HE3
These are the two levels of the course available at undergraduate level.
They are taught in one group and have achieved great success. Everyone has learned much from each other and felt they were all part of a learning community, which continues after the course.
NNEB and level 3 students have enjoyed the certificate course, along with fellow candidates from other countries such as Canada.
There are no entry requirements to take the HE1, but at HE3 it is necessary to show evidence of prior study or experience.
Both certificates are 30-credit qualifications. Both have a 15-credit taught element, intended to increase knowledge of how historical models (including Froebel, Robert Owen, Margaret MacMillan, S'san Isaacs, Maria Montessori and Rudolf Steiner) underpin key aspects of current theory and practice in early childhood services. This is taught be a series of visits which are undertaken with the tutors, and with reflective discussion in the setting visited.
Candidates can undertake either a 15-credit individual study module or a 15-credit APEL or APL portfolio.
The certificate courses are assessed by completion of a reflective diary of 3,500 words in the form of a personal log completed during the course.
The Froebel Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Studies at HE3 level This is a 60-credit course. There is the choice of a development project or an APEL portfolio (both are 30 credits).
A development project helps practitioners to be reflective and evaluate a professionally-based project at 6,000 words based on action research, with a view to changing and developing practice. It builds on, and reframes historic perspectives, in the current context.
The two 15-credit modules are:
* Historical Background to Early Childhood Studies
Time is spent in the internationally valued Froebel Archive for Childhood Studies, learning about materials 'sed by Froebel, Montessori and others
* Froebel Today
This consists of visits with tutors to settings where practice is innovative and excellent. There is discussion around current and past practices.
The course is taught with the certificate course, but the written work and the tutorials are at a deeper level.
A place depends on prior experience or study. Assessment is by a reflective diary and a portfolio, each of 3,500 words.
Although the HE3 Graduate Certificate does not count towards an MA, students have chosen to undertake it because it helps them deepen their thinking. For example, it is helping one course member to develop a PhD thesis, with study in the archive and reflections on visits in relation to Frobelian practice in the past, present and future. It helped one candidate to make the decision to become a teacher, while another has achieved promotion as a lecturer at an FE college. NW
FRIEDRICH FROEBEL (1782 - 1852)
Key messages
* Education should be aimed principally at moral and spiritual development
* Children pass through developmental stages
* Education should take account of the characteristics of those stages
* Education in the early years is of vital importance to the child's later life
* Learning takes place best through self-activity
* Play is the best activity for children in their early years
* A high value should be placed on creative expression
* All involved in the education of young children should be highly trained
Further information
* Application forms are available from Dr Phylomena Badsley (p.badsey@ roehampton.ac.uk)
* Child development pioneers: Froebel, Nursery World, 17 Aug'st 2006
* A conference is being organised by the Early Childhood Research Centre at Roehampton University for 16 June, looking at the importance of movement in early childhood in the Froebelian tradition and hearing from Kevin J Brehony, Penny Greenland MBE, Dr Ian Pickup, and Early Years Foundation Stage director Ruth Pimentel. The day will be chaired by Professor Tina Bruce. For details contact Pelagia Pais (p.pais@roehampton.ac.uk).