Childhood

I have decided to base my essay on 'Childhood', primarily because it is of such importance to Froebel, but also because I still believe it to be a hugely important stage in a child's life today.

I order to appreciate and understand childhood fully I intend on initially reflecting on my own, taking into consideration Froebel's theories and the possible impact they had or did not have on my life.

The picture is of my as a baby with my first hockey stick. I find this particularly interesting as you can already see the huge influence of my mother, the hockey player. Interestingly I went on to achieve international recognition in hockey, and still believe that my hockey is one of the contributing factors in why I became a teacher.

In this picture I am certainly no older than one, and yet the evidence is clear that the influence of a mother is so important, even in the very early stages.

'But man and his education are, at this stage, wholly in trusted to the mother, the father, the family, so, together with the child, constitute a compete unbroken unity.' (FROEBEL 1906)