tiffeni goesel froebel training brochure

FROEBEL EDUCATION for the 21st CENTURY

Course Catalog

TEACHER: Ms. Tiffeni J. Goesel BA, MEd, Waldorf certified, Froebel Pedagogue

Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

“To stir up, to animate, to awaken, and to strengthen, the pleasure and power

of the human being to labor uninterruptedly at his own education, has become and always remained the fundamental principle and aim of my

educational work”.

~ Friedrich Froebel

1782 – 1852

Copyright © Tiffeni J. Goesel 2011

Table of Contents: Biography of Friedrich Froebel

Biography of Tiffeni J. Goesel

Introduction

The Beginning:

The Mother Play Book: a Humanities Course for Children™

Froebel’s Gifts One and Two

The Building Gifts:

Gifts Three and Four

Gift Five

Gift Six

The Expanded Froebel Gifts:

The Goldammer Gift or 5B

The Divided Cylinder and Curvilinear Gifts

Surface Gift

Ring, Line and Point Gifts


Froebel’s Occupations:

Occupations using Solid Materials

Occupations using Surface Materials

Occupations using Materials based upon the Line

Occupations using Materials based upon the Point

Froebel Activities:

Gardening

Nature Study

Movement Games and Plays

Festivals

Froebel Services:

How to Plan a Froebel Education

Teacher Training

Summary

Contact

Closing

Friedrich Froebel was born in Oberweissbach; a village in Thuringia, Germany on April 21st, 1782. His father was the pastor of the Lutheran Church. When scarcely a year old his mother died; before long, a stepmother came to fill her place; but didn’t. This stepmother was severe and lacked a loving heart. As a child Froebel was left to his own devises. He was educated by antithesis. At the age of ten, Friedrich was saved by an uncle who had a big family of his own and love without limit. The uncle brought the boy up to work, but treated him like a human being. At fifteen he was apprenticed to a forester. The young man’s first work was to make a list of the trees in a certain tract and approximate their respective ages. The work in the woods built up his body and he grew to be at

home in the forest, both day & night. His duties taught him to observe, to describe, to draw, to investigate and to decide. Froebel thought his two years in the forest saved him; for it taught him to look out, not in, and to lend a hand. After two years, Froebel went to Jena, to attend the university. At Jena, Froebel had a difficult time. His early education did not prepare him. He floundered in his studies and in his tuition. He left Jena to become the chief of apprentices at the Forestry Office. Froebel’s knowledge of surveying and map-making led him naturally to architecture. He became an architect’s assistant. Unfortunately mathematics was not his strong suit.

Not skill, nor books, but life itself is the foundation of all education.

Froebel had a great desire to teach. In Frankfort there was a model Pestalozzi school. Mr. Gruner was head of the school and needed teachers who could teach these methods; Froebel applied and was accepted. Gruner & Froebel read Pestalozzi’s books & wrote to him. This led to an invitation to visit Pestalozzi’s school in Yverdon, Switzerland.

We have to do with the principles of development of human beings, and not with methods of instruction concerning specific things.

Froebel returned to the school in Frankfort full of enthusiasm. Soon his classroom was the center of the whole school. But Froebel’s past caught up with him. Because he had no college degree, his pedagogic pedigree was short. This led to Gruner’s school to be inspected by officials. They wanted to know who Froebel was. During his lifetime, Froebel never escaped the scrutiny of how he received his education. Though he lacked a degree, Froebel had been a forester, a farmer, an architect, a guardian and a teacher. Froebel was a natural teacher, he returned to Pestalozzi’s school in order to secure a certificate. Froebel then became a private tutor for a family. He traveled to Berlin & Weimar and studied as well as taught. War changed everything and Friedrich Froebel enlisted. During this time he met William Middendorf and Henry Langenthal. They would become lifetime friends and colleagues.

We grow through the three fundamental principles of human existence – Feeling, Thinking, Doing.


The first kindergarten was established in 1836, at Bad Blankenburg, Thuringia, Germany. Froebel was fifty-five years old. He had his share of disappointments both in his professional & personal life. His first wife who helped him teach at an orphanage in Switzerland and helped to write some of the songs in his book Muter und Kosse Lieder was now ill of health. Froebel was just on the verge of finding his life’s work when he took a walk up into the hills around Kielhau & Bad Blankenburg for inspiration.

Eureka! I have it! Kindergarten shall be the name of the new Institution.

Froebel was an optimist; he saw a good side in everything. The new name took; and now it was very clear to him that education must begin “A hundred years before the child is born.” And that “It would take three generations to prove the truth of the Kindergarten Idea.” Froebel’s songs, plays, games, Gifts, Occupations and educational theories were invented, tried & tried again. Froebel was destined to teach the child. Love was the keystone, and joy, unselfishness and unswerving faith in the natural impulses of humanity underlined his philosophy.

Stand far away from the tender blossoms of childhood, and brush not off the flower-dust with your rough fist.

Friedrich Froebel went onto open several kindergartens, write books, lecture, and train teachers. He first put into fruition the idea of ‘school-mother’s’ or women teachers. Mother Clubs were organized; a fore-shadowing of our PTA’s today. His educational philosophy of learning through play and with the hands & heart as well as the hands continues to this day. His Gifts have manifested themselves into every building toy out there past, present & future. His Occupations live on in hand-work & art classes. His movement games & songs continue. He stressed the importance of celebrating festivals to build community strength. His followers carried the festival of a German Christmas tree in every Kindergarten. The women teachers he trained spread throughout Europe and the United States. They opened kindergartens for children, whether they were wealthy or poor. Many of America’s immigrants first school experience was in a Froebel Kindergarten. His educational theories grew into schools everywhere. They are still there today….if you know how to see them.

Froebel was able to see the sun rise on June 21st, 1852 before taking his last breath. Disappointment lurked in the corners, as his Kindergartens were closed for being to free; a premonition for the future. His schools went underground and into family homes; they traveled throughout the world.

As early as 1836, Froebel pointed to the United States of America as the country best fitted, by virtue of its spirit of freedom, to receive his educational message. In many ways this was realized. Now it is time to renew this relationship and reintroduce Froebel’s educational theories to the 21st century. Friedrich Froebel would be proud.

This biography was paraphrased from the original Little Journey’s to the Homes of Great Teacher’s Vol.10 by: Elbert Hubbard 1916; and update by Tiffeni J. Goesel.


Tiffeni J. Goesel was born one week and 188 years after Froebel in a Chicago suburb of Illinois in the USA. Ms. Goesel is of German, Italian, Lithuanian and Norwegian heritage. She was raised to respect and learn from the past and apply it to life’s lessons. As a child she often played school. Froebel often said that what a child plays, she often becomes. Ms. Goesel is descended from strong women teachers and those who longed for an education and were mostly self-taught. She earned her BA in education, her MEd in Education History and is a certified Waldorf Teacher. While questioning the origins of Waldorf education, Ms. Goesel found Froebel.

Since the dawn of the 21st century, Ms. Goesel has been carrying her Froebelian torch. She has attended, spoke & taught at conferences, domestically & internationally. As her German family is from Thuringia, Germany also, she has paid homage to Froebel’s sites while visiting family. Ms. Goesel currently teaches a variety of children & adults in her home classroom not too far from where America began at historic Jamestown, Williamsburg & Yorktown, Virginia. She advises parents and teachers on how to use Froebel’s materials and travels to schools, parks, and museums spreading Friedrich Froebel’s philosophy; a true pedagogue.

Ms. Goesel demonstrates Froebel’s Gift Two to a private student. Classes of K - 2 students at James River International Baccalaureate Elementary School learn conceptual design with the Froebel Gifts and Occupations.


To those who are interested in Friedrich Froebel for the 21st century….congratulations! The catalog you are about to read is a treatise on Friedrich Froebel, his educational philosophy, his Gifts & Occupations, the tools he used to have children and adults understand his concepts.

Froebel’s approach should not be taken lightly and brushed aside as a mere play and craft based education for young children. It was much more than that. Like all the schools of education that descended from Froebel, such as Montessori, Waldorf, Charlotte Mason, Progressive and Homeschooling; each one takes time to learn & understand. It is recommended that one starts at the beginning. Froebel often said that the child recapitulates the history of mankind as they grow; an ascending spiral with their world expanding upward & outward.

When you are considering taking a class, it is suggested that you start at the beginning. Froebel designed his educational theory to be three-folded. The subject is approached, learned, reviewed, and then a new thought introduced. His theories are not dry, but full of life. They are thoughtful, imaginative, and active. They address the head, heart & hand.

The classes in this catalog are for everyone; parents, teachers and historians. The same courses can be taught as children’s classes for schools, camps, homeschools, history programs, other groups and individuals. Details follow each course description and on the summary page.


The Beginning

“All the child is ever to be and become, lies in the child and can be attained only through development from within outward.”

~ Froebel

“The clearer the thread which runs through our lives backward – back to our childhood – the clearer will be our onward glance to the goal.”

~ Fanny Chapin


The Mother Play Book

A Humanities Course for Children™

“I have recorded the most important aspects of my educational theory in this book; it is the starting point for an education based on nature, for it shows the way. How the germinal buds of human potentials have to be nourished and supported if they are to develop healthily and completely”.

~ Froebel

Froebel’s educational philosophy is concerned with the child’s complete development. It begins with what a child can naturally do and uses this know – how as a base to strengthen the child physically and connects it with the child’s environment developing it slowly over

time. The child learns best through their senses and through play. Learning humanities in this playful way will eventually lead to a deeper understanding of their world.

The Mother Play book consists of fifty subjects that I believe introduce a humanities course for children from one to twelve years old. Each topic includes a song, music, hand-gesture, picture, motto and commentary. I have updated this 19th century book to include lessons a

parent can do at home or a teacher in a classroom. Each topic has been expanded to include activities ranging from artistic pursuits, cooking and gardening, play, field trips, reading,

writing, arithmetic, history, science, observations, and parent/teacher pedagogical questions. Each lesson covers a week or more, covering a year or two of study.


The Mother Play Book:

A Humanities Course for Children™

from babyhood to early teen

Class description: This course for parents and teachers covers the history and philosophy of Friedrich Froebel’s Mother Play book, along with a sample lesson of one of the plays. Singing, movement games, picture study, art and other subjects will be covered. Discussions on expanding a lesson’s length, adjusting it

for multi-aged families, classrooms, and older children will be conducted.

Supplies: A reprint of the book is available on Amazon or Google Books and is needed for this course along with an 11” x 14” tablet of white paper and either crayons or colored pencils. A notebook is also recommended.

Time allotment: Two full days.

Cost: $ 1200.00

Minimum of five participants is required.

The Pigeon House in A Little Window at The Baker at A Soldier at

Williamsburg Jamestown Jamestown Yorktown

Froebel’s Mother Plays come alive while visiting Virginia’s historic sites and museum’s.


Froebel’s Gifts

“They were to be Gifts handed to children, not to signify a present given, but a tool which would help children to indicate their gifts so that the adult would know which areas of a child’s interest and understanding to encourage most. For, after all, children learn best by concentrating on that which they know, rather than on that which was still confusing and nebulous. The detailed study of the Gifts not only provides us with information regarding the composition and uses of them, but also introduces us to Froebel’s educational principles, applicable to pupils at any age”.

Quoted from: A Child’s Work by: Joachim Liebschner, page 71.


Froebel’s Gifts A Hands-on Course

for Parents & Teachers

Gift One: from 3 months old to 13 years; or infants, toddlers, children in kindergarten,

connecting school & academy.

Froebel’s Gift One consists of six knitted, crocheted, felted, or rubber balls in the three primary colors of red, yellow, and blue and the three secondary colors of orange, green, and purple. Some of Froebel’s notes include a seventh color of indigo and the colors of black, white and grey for older children.

Today, as in the past, the set of Gift One balls include six rainbow colors without strings and six with strings attached in a wooden box with a sliding lid. This Gift serves as the introduction to Froebel’s educational toys.

This hands-on course will show the parent and/or teacher how to use the Gift One ball with children of different ages. We will begin with a young infant and proceed to a rambunctious toddler and continue with an inquisitive pre-school child. Then the course will move into kindergarten work with Gift One and connect some of Froebel’s Occupations appropriate for this age group. Exploring the child’s environment through music, movement, games, nature walks & field trips are beneficial for the active age.

Then the course will move onto using the Gift Ones balls with children in the Connecting School age group of 8 to 10 years old. The Gift will be used to discover their environment on a deeper level. Writing, reading, research and handwork are part of the explorations. From there work with older, academic children ages 11 and up is shared. Gift One is studied historical & geographically. More elaborate handwork and research are conducted.


Gift Two: from ages 2 years to 13 years old; or toddlers, children in kindergarten, connecting

school & academy.

Froebel’s Gift Two consists of a wooden sphere, cylinder and cube with eyelets and/or holes in them. A solid cube is included for lessons in comparison with this and future Gifts. Gift Two comes in a wooden box with a frame work to assemble for the rotation of the Gifts.

Due to the small parts and intricate abilities of this Gift, a toddler set should be assembled consisting of a solid wooden sphere, cylinder and cube in a small wooden box. The apparatus & spinning attachments can wait till the kindergarten phase of 4 to 7 years old. This makes Gift Two a movement toy for toddlers.

This hands-on course will show the parent/teacher how to use the solid shapes of Gift Two with children from toddler-hood to pre-teens. This Gift, just like the previous Gifts and the ones to come, can be used over several years in order to be introduced and learn different concepts in math, science, art, history and geography.

We will focus on each age group. Of all of Froebel’s Gifts this one has the strongest educational value as it represents the fundamental forms of the universe. The sphere symbolizes the heavenly bodies, the earth, the sun and the moon. The cube symbolizes the mineral kingdom and the connection between the two is the cylinder. The cylinder symbolizes animal and vegetable life.

Gift Two was often called The Children’s Delight, because no matter the age, children were delighted and curious about all this Gift had and still has to offer.

Gift’s One and Two represent the solids. These two courses are given separately from the divided Gifts of Three through Six. They can be taken on their own or together.


Froebel’s Gifts

A hands-on Course

For Parents and Teachers

The Gift One Course requires a set of the twelve knitted balls in a wooden box and a notebook. Other supplies may be required and a detailed list will be mailed before the course begins. These supplies are solely the participant’s financial responsibility and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel.

Time allotment: One half-day per age group. A full course covering all four age groups is two days long.

Cost: $ 300.00 per age group Cost: $ 1200.00


The Gift Two Course requires either a Gift Two toddler set or a complete Gift Two with apparatus in a wooden box and a notebook. Other supplies may be required and a detailed list will be mailed before the course begins. These supplies are solely the participant’s financial responsibility and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel.

Time allotment: One half–day for the Toddler age group. A full–day is needed for the kindergarten, connecting school and academy age groups.

Cost: $ 300.00 for three hour toddler session

Cost: $ 600.00 for six hour kindergarten, connecting school & academy group.



The Building Gifts

Gifts Three and Four: from ages 4 to 13 years; or children in kindergarten, connecting

school & academy.

Gifts Three and Four are the beginning of the Building Gifts. The solid shape of the cube from Gift Two is now divided. This contrast intrigues the child who plays easily with it. They take it apart, arrange it many different ways and put it back together again. Froebel said that, “all children have the desire to build, and to build a house is a universal form of unguided play”.

“Prominent features of this gift are the likeness of each part of the cube to the whole, and the contrast of size between the cube and its parts. The chief object of the gift is to develop the creative power of the child; so that he is encouraged to follow his instinctive wish to see the construction of things, and begins his investigation of particular phenomena. He divides the cube to find its component parts and examines the pieces. He finds that each part is like a whole, only smaller, so that the impression of this particular form is deepened; he can create many forms and by re-arranging discover new qualities and uses.

The material allows the child to express outwardly his inner conceptions, which is one of the first demands of life. The desire to look at the interior of things is the germ of the fullest development, the beginning of the formation of the scientific mind.” Quoted from: Paradise of Childhood by: Edward Wiebe, pg. 104.

Gift Three consists of eight one inch wooden cubes in a box. Froebel chose this amount of blocks, “because of their suitability for mathematics, eight being the cube of the first integer greater than one.” Quoted from: Intimate Triangle: Architecture of Crystals, Frank Lloyd Wright, and the Froebel Kindergarten By: Jeanne Spielman Rubin pg. 98.


Gift Four: from ages 4 to 13 years; or children in kindergarten, connecting school & academy.

“From a child’s point of view, it is important that the next Gift presented is recognized by him as ‘ the new in the old ’ so that he becomes aware of the developmental processes which are to be found in the world and in life”. Quoted from: A Child’s Work By: Joachim Liebschner pg. 89.

Gift Four has several key considerations that Froebel emphasized when he designed the set of eight oblong wooden blocks in a box. They are:

1. Whatever has occurred before in a Gift must be the basis of the new one. This emphasizes the concepts on the child’s level of comprehension.

2. Every new Gift that is introduced the child must be a complete whole unto itself and at the same time part of even a larger whole.

3. Education is a matter of expressing what is known, by internalizing what is new and externalizing these thoughts through repeated play.

Gift Four is introduced to the child as their old friend cube, but this cube is different. New shapes, new math concepts, vocabulary, and designs are introduced. When Gifts Three and Four are combined, even more elaborate building can occur.

With the Building Gifts, Froebel introduced his divisions of forms. After free-play has occurred, children in the kindergarten phase of 4 to 7 years old, learn different concepts. They begin with what is known and move onto what is unknown. They are:

Forms of Life represent tangible objects in the child’s world, such as buildings, furniture, etc. It is social studies for young children.

Forms of Beauty lead the child to observe and be aware of their beautiful surroundings. Patterns, running forms, and symmetrical designs are found in the built and natural world and are replicated by the child on this small scale.

Forms of Knowledge introduce the child to the worlds of math and science. Following directions, counting, experimenting with weight & heights are all explored.

The Gifts Three and Four Course require a set of each Gift Three and Gift Four, a notebook and a tablet of graph paper. Other supplies may be required and a detailed list will be mailed before the course begins. These supplies are solely the participant’s financial responsibility and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel.

Time allotment: Two full days, one per Gift. Cost: $1200.00 Minimum of five participants.


Gift Five: from ages 8 to 13; or children in the connecting school & academy.

Gift Five is a recapitulation of Gift Three with several new changes. The most noticeable is the size of the box and the cube within. Quantity is also noticed, as there are now many more blocks. Old shapes remind the child of what has been learned and two new shapes excite them in some fresh possibilities.

The triangular prism introduces halves & quarters to the child. Inclined planes, acute angles, slanted lines, and the axis are learned. Dexterity and delicacy of the hand are needed in manipulating the many parts of this Gift.

More realistic Forms of Life can be built. The slanted roof, a Gothic window, a monument, a bridge, an arch, and the study of historical architecture can be studied and built. Forms of Beauty become more elaborate due to the amount of pieces. These can be understood by the child in showing them “that real beauty can only be produced when one opposite balances another, if the proportions of all parts are equally regulated by uniting them with one common center”. Forms with open centers, closed centers, triangular based and on a vertical and horizontal and angled axis are discovered. Forms of Knowledge are Gift Fives strongest feature. Addition and subtraction with larger numbers are learned. Multiplication, division, fractions and geometry are accomplished not by memorizing facts only, but by manipulating visible shapes. This produces the “best means of exercising the child’s power of observation, reasoning, and judging. The child builds, forms, sees, observes, compares, and then expresses the truth it has ascertained. By repetition, these truths, acquired by the observation of facts, become the child’s mental property”.

Quoted from: Paradise of Childhood By: Edward Weibe pg. 124.

The Gift Five Course requires a set of Gift Five blocks in a wooden box, a notebook & a tablet of graph paper. Other supplies may be required and a detailed list will be mailed before the course begins. These supplies are solely the participant’s financial responsibility and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel.

Time Allotment: Two full days. Cost: $1200.00 Minimum of five participants.


Gift Six: from ages 8 to 13; or children in the connecting school & academy.

Gift Six is another recapitulation of a previous gift; this time it is of Gift Four. Again the difference is in the amount of pieces and two new shapes. Friedrich Froebel left notes on this gift, but never saw them come to fruition. The men and women that followed his teachings developed this gift.

As in the previous study of the Gifts, Forms of Life, Forms of Beauty, and Forms of Knowledge are undertaken after free play. Where the Forms of Knowledge were the most important feature of Gift Five, Forms of Life are to Gift Six. The oblong blocks, the columns and the caps introduce the child to architecture’s fundamental forms. The idea that architecture is useful, beautiful and math/science based is understood by the child and nourishes their mind while replicating their world. Therefore the history of architecture is studied and coincides with the age of the child when their world is expanding and they are curious about the past.

Forms of Beauty that are developed on a multiple numbered base such as fours & fives are created upon the table. Forms with closed and open centers and ones that resemble weaving expand the child’s artistic thoughts.

Forms of Knowledge with Gift Six bring the understanding of measurement in length, breadth, and height to a child’s level of comprehension. This is used when building both the Forms of Life and Forms of Beauty. The older child’s hand is more flexible and is able to achieve finer motor skills without much frustration; making these higher numbered Gifts and coordinating Occupations very important in a Froebel based education.

The Gift Six Course requires a set of Gift Six blocks in a wooden box, a notebook & a tablet of graph paper. Other supplies may be required and a detailed list will be mailed before the course begins. These supplies are solely the participant’s financial responsibility and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel.

Time allotment: Two full days Cost: $1200.00 Minimum of five participants.


Expanded Froebel Gifts

The Goldammer Gift or 5B: from ages 8 to 13 years; or children in the connecting school & academy.

When Friedrich Froebel passed away in 1852, he left behind notes on expanding his Building Gifts. Several of his followers went on to develop these as in the previous Gift Six. One of his staunchest followers and the woman who is credited for popularizing Froebel’s kindergarten during his lifetime and for many years after was the Baroness Marenholtz-Bulow. The Baroness went on to train many teachers both men & woman after Froebel’s death. One of these men was Hermann Goldammer.

Hermann Goldammer worked for several years with Froebel’s notes to creative another building gift that would introduce the child to the curved line of the Gift Two cylinder. What he came up with was Gift 5B. The numbering system is flawed in many ways, so we shall refer to it as the Goldammer Gift. This Gift has as many supporters as it has people who dislike the Gift. Regardless of your personal thoughts, children need to be introduced to curved lines. This can be achieved by the next three Gifts.

The Goldammer Gift begins in true Froebelian fashion of what the child has seen & played with before; Gifts Two, Three & Five a represented. As the child moves from the known to the unknown, new shapes are introduced. The Goldammer Gift includes the divided cylinder and cubes that have a quarter of a cylinder removed. This introduces the Forms of Knowledge of concave, convex, and semi-circles. Forms of Life are expressed with round columns and arches leading a child to the study of Roman and Middle Eastern architecture. Forms of Beauty showing undulating curves & rosettes and representing Greek art can be created.

After learning the intricacies of this Gift and free building in all three Forms, an in depth study can be taken up, where historic buildings are built, replicas of artistic forms with the Occupations are created, and lesson books are written & illustrated & read, along with compatible stories for a complete unit study.

The Goldammer Gift Course is combined with the next course that unites all the Curved Gifts together. Please see the details of this course listed after the description of the Curvilinear Gift.


The Divided Cylinder and Curvilinear Gifts: from ages 4 to 13 years; or children in kindergarten, connecting school & academy.

Friedrich Froebel’s ideas were carried out by many educators; both men & women. The late 19th century and early 20th century saw many new developments. Some complimented Froebel’s educational theories, others distracted from it.

Women teachers called Kindergartener’s, were at the forefront. Three of these women were Elizabeth Harrison, the co-principal of the Chicago Kindergarten College, Belle Woodson, the college’s Gift & Occupation instructor and Minnie M. Glidden, an instructor at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. All three of these women expanded Froebel’s work of developing further Gifts from the sphere and cylinder shapes of Gift Two.

The Divided Cylinder and the Curvilinear Gifts are, “necessary for scientific completeness, since geometry demands curves as well as straight lines”. In fact, “geometry starts with the rectilinear, and moves into the curvilinear by division of itself until it quite reaches the point”. Quoted from: The Kindergarten Building Gifts By: Elizabeth Harrison & Belle Woodson, pg. 215. By dividing the Gift Two cylinder it illustrates how the inside relates to the outside and vice versa. This shows the child the genetic connection that lies between all the Gifts.

As with the proceeding Gifts, the Divided Cylinder & Curvilinear Gifts follow the Froebelian fashion of re-introducing the child to a familiar shape, the Gift Two cylinder, before experimenting with something new. Free play & discovery occur before a variety of Forms are shown. These new Gifts lend themselves nicely to Forms of Life, Forms of Beauty, and Forms of Knowledge. Buildings of antiquity are constructed, along with more modern structures, beautiful running patterns are illustrated and the knowledge of concentric circles, rings, arches, discs, spirals, diameter & radius are learned. When these Gifts are combined with others, very elaborate constructions can be created that unite all the forms together.

The Curved Gift Course unites the Goldammer Gift with the Divided Cylinder & Curvilinear Gift. Each of these Gifts is required for the course along with a notebook & a tablet of graph paper. Other supplies may be required and a detailed list will be mailed before the course begins. These supplies are solely the participant’s financial responsibility and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel. Time: 1 full day. Cost $ 600.00 Min. 5 participants.


Surface Gift: from ages 4 to 13 years; or children in the kindergarten, connecting school & academy.

To truly comprehend Friedrich Froebel’s educational theory one must understand that he designed his Gifts to move from the three-dimensional solid objects of Gifts 1 thru 6, to the one-dimensional surface, ring, line and point. These Gifts have been formerly called Gifts Seven, Eight, Nine & Ten. These titles are confusing at best and are corrected here without numbers to them, but with a descriptive title. The first one is the Surface Gift.

Up until now the child has been playing and learning forms with three-dimensional objects. The child recreated real object from life, beautiful patterns, and learned mathematics with their hands. Now the one-dimension of the surfaces of the solid Gifts is explored. They are familiar shapes that the child knows, but there are two new features. One is the thinness of the shapes, the other are the colors. The Surface, Ring, Line, and Point Gifts are in the same rainbow colors of Gift One, with some also available in black & white. The new features excite the child’s senses and stir their imaginations.

Introducing the new Gift with an old one, the child recognizes the similarities and differences. Several experiments to discover how this Gift of circles, rings, squares, rectangles, triangles, and half-circles and half-rings were made are undertaken before free building takes place. Forms of Life now represented as pictures, Forms of Beauty in color, and Forms of Knowledge, reviewing math processes and geometry are learned by the child, with a few pieces at first and growing gradually to larger & larger quantities.

When a unit study approach is used, combining the solid & surface Gifts together make the topic of study more realistic, beautiful, and rewarding. Froebel’s Occupations compliment the surface Gifts like no other and are often combined in the lessons.

The Surface Gift Course is combined with the Ring, Line & Point Course. Details follow after their descriptions.


The Ring, Line, and Point Gifts: from ages 4 to 13 years; or children in the kindergarten, connecting school, & academy.

Moving away from the surface of the solid gifts, the child now embraces the edge. The ring, ideally should go first as it represents the periphery of the soft sphere of Gift One and the solid wooden sphere of Gift Two. It also embodies the edge of the whole cylinder of Gift Two.

In the 19th & early 20th centuries the Ring Gift was made of steel. Nowadays they are made of colored wood. Both should be used as their Forms of Life & Knowledge are different and therefore educational.

From the whole-ring, the half-rings, and the concentric circles, the child then encounters the straight line which represents the edge of the cube, rectangle, triangle, and divided cylinder. Again offering these in the original steel & now in the colored wood is beneficial.

After the lines the child progresses to the corner of their Gifts or the points. These are sometimes referred to as dots. These are small, solid, flat, colored wooden pieces. Natural objects such as seeds & nuts are also used.

Each of these Gifts follows the same pattern of knowledge as before. Introduction of a few pieces and free building lets the child become familiar with their new gift; then follows the directed play of Forms of Life, Beauty & Knowledge. Each form is expanded is such ways as the solid gifts could not. When combined with the Surface Gifts detailed pictures can be illustrated. And when all of the above are united with the solid & curved gifts, truly fantastical creations can be constructed and a child’s whole being; head, heart, and hands is utilized in a rewarding and satisfying way.

The Surface, Ring, Line and Point Course require a set of each of these Gifts. There are many choices and different sized sets available. The larger the set the better because it gives you & the child more variety & options; metal rings & sticks are offered and black & white surface gifts are also available. A notebook and a tablet of graph paper are also required. A detailed list will be mailed before the course begins. These supplies are solely the participant’s financial responsibility and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel.

Time allotment: One full day. Cost $600.00 Min. 5 participants.

Copyright © Tiffeni J. Goesel

Froebel’s Occupations

“My educational method offers to its pupils from the beginning the opportunity to collect their own experiences from things themselves, to look with their own eyes and to learn to know by their own experiments, things and the relations of things to each other, and also the real life of the world of humanity.”

~ Friedrich Froebel


Occupations Using Solid Materials: beeswax, clay, mud, sand, and snow & wool for children 2 to 13 and beyond.

Most children are born sculptors; they represent, imitate, create, and transform. It is the child’s greatest enjoyment. They desire to produce forms with any type of pliable material. They knead it and mold it till it represents something to them. This fact did not go unnoticed by Froebel when he made the Occupations part of his educational philosophy.

The Occupations reflect the series of Gifts; recapitulating them as creative expression for the child. Solid materials are explored at first. These can be handled by the youngest of learners; toddlers. Damp sand, moist mud, snow when in season; these are tactile materials that engage the hands and senses. As the hand develops clay and beeswax modeling and wool are added.

The Occupations are not taught in a specific order, but as they complement the work with the Gifts. Unlike the Gifts, the Occupations cannot return to their original forms once they are used. This gives the child a sense of permanence. Also, Occupation work, no matter the materials used, teach not only to be creative and patient, but also many of the art forms are life skills for the future.

The Solid Materials Occupation Course explores the materials of beeswax, clay & wool. Mud, sand & snow are not included as they are self-explored materials. The course will show how to use these materials with different age groups. It will also explore how to unite the Occupations with the Gift work of the Kindergarten, Connecting School, and Academy and beyond. Forms of Life, Beauty & Knowledge will be created and shared by all in all the materials. A set of modeling beeswax, clay, and wool can be ordered from a variety of places. Along with the supplies a notebook is required. A detailed list will be mailed before the course begins. These supplies are solely the participant’s financial responsibility and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel.

Time allotment: Two full days. Cost $1200.00

Minimum of 5 participants is required.


Occupations Using Surface Materials: painting, paper folding, paper

cutting & design, paper toys, large & small scale cardboard construction and woodworking: for children ages 2 to 13 and beyond.

The Froebel Occupations gradually break down in forms from solids, to surfaces, to lines, and points. This is how the Froebel Gifts were formatted. Many educators thought that it should be a reversal of the concepts learned: that the Occupation should begin with the point and reverse to the solid. As Froebel did not leave specific instructions the pattern established in the Gifts will continue with the Occupations. Keep in mind though, that the Occupations are taught alongside the Gifts to unite the subject being learned.

After the solid materials come the surface materials. Paper is the medium most used with wood coming afterwards. Painting in watercolors in the wet-on-wet method can be done from toddlerhood through adulthood. Other types of painting can be introduced after the kindergarten age.

Simple paper folding, paper cutting & design and making simple toys from paper are creative ways to work with the hands and use ones imagination. Coordination, listening to instructions, following directions, and patience are taught. The results are a beautiful work of art, a useful object or a fun toy. Working with cardboard and other recyclable materials while creating both large and small scale constructions is rewarding for a child. Large creations that a child can crawl inside of bring the world into their scale making even a box the most magical place. Woodworking is a satisfying trade and life skill. From making a birdhouse to a toy box to building a play house the child soon realizes that playing with their wooden Froebel Building Gifts is a preparation for the adult world.

The Surface Materials Occupation Course will teach the many creative uses of paper, cardboard and wood. Painting, cardboard constructions and simple woodworking projects will be taught. A detailed list of required supplies will be mailed before the course begins. These are the financial responsibility of the participant & not Ms. Goesel.

Time allotment: Two full days. Cost $1200.00 Min. 5 participants.


Occupations Using Materials based upon the Line:

drawing, thread games, finger knitting, knitting on needles, crochet, weaving, embroidery, slat weaving, interlacing and braiding: for children ages 2 to 13 and beyond.

The Froebel Occupations continue to progress from solid materials, to surfaces, and now to lines. Any activity based upon the line can be made into an Occupation as long as the child sees & understands its unity.

Drawing is one of the simplest & most rewarding art forms. Children as young as two are happy with a large sheet of paper and a good set of beeswax block crayons. No pictures per say will be created that an adult will recognize. The importance is in the free movements of the hand, playing with color and being lost in the moment. Something young children do very well. Drawing develops as the child does; as they grow different materials can be explored such as pencil, chalks, and pastels. Indoor & outdoor sketching excursions expand a child’s world and help them to see & respect the details of their surroundings. Thread games have been around for centuries. Children everywhere are simply enchanted by a ball of yarn and what can be done with it. A ball of yarn is really a long line. Games, finger knitting, and eventually knitting on needles and crochet can be taught. These Occupations prove that Froebel knew that children’s play turned into an adults work, trade or hobby. Sewing on graph paper, on printed cards, or on embroidery cloth is another line based Occupation. These simplest designs begin with the kindergarten age group of 4 to 7 year olds. Children in the Connecting School & Academy create more detailed work. Paper is explored as a line when the surface is divided into long strips. With this new form many Occupations can be learned. Weaving paper strips onto a mat can lead to weaving on a loom. Interlacing paper strips can create Froebel Stars and other decorative items. Braiding yarn & braiding paper teaches coordination and math patterns. Weaving thin wooden slats into geometric forms continues the math concepts for an older child.

The Line Materials Occupation Course will teach all the Occupation listed in their appropriate age groups. Previous knowledge of these techniques are not required; as we should all be like children & learn something new. A detailed list of supplies will be mailed before the course begins. These supplies are solely the participant’s financial responsibility and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel.



Occupations Using Materials based upon the point:

perforating paper, beadwork and peas work: for children ages 4 to 13 and beyond.

The Occupations have now reduced their size to the smallest area; the point. The point in Occupation work is represented by the perforated hole on paper, generally punched with a sewing needle or a special perforating needle. At first the paper is graphed. This allows for the image to be sewn out, reflecting the previous line occupations. Free-hand designs on plain paper are created by older children with skilled hands.

Beadwork can be introduced to children as young as two years old in the form of large wooden stringing beads that reflect the shapes of Froebel’s Gift Two and the colors of Gift One. As the child grows into their hands smaller beads and intricate pattern work can be accomplished.

Peas work or construction with moistened peas or garbanzo beans and toothpicks is a very rewarding and engrossing Occupation. Children of the kindergarten age enjoy this activity and older children create amazing constructions that defy gravity. The most sanguine of children are able to focus with this Occupation. Peas work is directly related to the natural world of the garden & forest and teaching unifying lessons is an important part of a Froebel education.

The Point Materials Occupation Course will teach each of the Occupations of perforating, beadwork & peas work to participants. Uniting these activities to the Gifts, other Occupations and the natural world will be shared. A detailed list of supplies will be mailed before the course begins. The supplies are solely the participant’s financial responsibility and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel.

Time allotment: One full day. Cost $600.00

Minimum of 5 participants is required.


Gardening: a life skill for children ages 4 to 13 years and beyond.

“The garden of [ Froebel’s ] Kindergarten was not only a symbol, it was an essential means for the physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development of the child. Not only were there flowerbeds, herb-beds, vegetable patches, fruit trees and bushes which were planted and tended by all, but each child had his own little plot of land for which he/she was responsible. To learn from the environment around the school was important, yet it was equally important to teach children to care for this environment”.

Quoted from: A Child’s Work By: Joachim Liebschner, pg. 39.

Gardening is a very important skill for a child to learn. A garden is like a child and a child is like a garden, in the sense that they need caring, nurturing, feeding, and room to grow and unfold naturally. A child’s world is also a garden. The family and home is where the nurturing takes place. Soon the child’s “garden” grows & expands to include school & other life experiences; and when adulthood is reached, the whole world is a garden just waiting to be explored.

Regardless of space, a garden can be grown by a child and an attentive adult guiding the way. A small plot of land, a windowsill or a porch will do nicely. Community gardens & wild areas are also possibilities. Beginning one & maintaining it are the most important. Relating the Gift & Occupation work to the garden & vice versa is educationally significant.

Froebel’s gardens included many lessons in them. The children observed the plants, the wild & domestic animals that were in the garden. They dug the earth, they sowed, watered, weeded, cared, and reaped their reward. The garden was tied to the kitchen, with the harvested goods included in the daily meal or in an Occupation. The lessons also included art, botany, farming, forestry, geography, geology, history, mathematics, science, stories and zoology.

The Froebel Garden Course will discuss Froebel’s educational philosophy and why the symbolism of the garden was so important and significant to him. A list of the plants in Froebel’s garden at Kielhau will be shared along with a discussion about planning a children’s garden at your home and/or school. Lessons for each age group from Kindergarten, Connecting School, and Academy and beyond will be shared. A detailed list will be mail before the course begins. The supplies are solely the participant’s financial responsibility and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel.

Time Allotment: One Day. Cost $600.00

Min. 5 participants required.


Nature Study: excursions and observations with children ages 2 to 13 and beyond.

“The laws of nature are also the laws of education.” Froebel

The observation, study, and being in nature are what nurtured Froebel from his childhood and throughout his life.

Froebel spent many an hour in his father’s garden in Oberweissbach, Thuringia, Germany observing the plants, insects and birds. As a teenager, he was apprenticed to a forester, who taught him how to care for the trees and animals, but also botany, farming, hunting, surveying and mathematics. Froebel’s love and understanding of nature continued to grow into adulthood while at Jena University, while studying crystallography and when he became a teacher.

Froebel’s own teachers were encouraged to conduct weekly nature walks. During the walks the teachers taught geography, history, language, botany, geology, and other topics of interest. The walks were continued in different types of weather and throughout the four seasons. Sketchbooks and baskets for collecting were part of each child’s belongings. The knowledge gained on the walks continued in the classroom with the children using the Gifts and Occupations in order to express their observations.

Today, nature is just as much as an educational resource as it is a tonic for children and adults. Froebel was and continues to be a wise counselor.

The Nature Study Course will include ideas for different walks for a variety of ages throughout the seasons. Suggestions and examples of different lessons will be shared. A sketchbook and collecting bag or basket are required. A list of other items will be mailed before the course begins. The supplies are solely the financial responsibility of the participant and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel.

Time Allotment: One full Day. Cost $600.00

Min. 5 participant’s required.


Movement Games & Plays: for children ages 2 to 13.

“These games cultivate, as the expression of a healthy inner life, a beautiful bearing of the whole body as well as individual parts. They educate towards language and

song, awaken attention, a sense of law and order, decency and beauty.” ~ Froebel

Froebel’s Movement Games should never be taken lightly. They should not be represented by a circle of children clapping their hands and singing a song. His games were far more important and beneficial to the child and therefore should be included in any Froebel education program.

Froebel’s laws of Life, Beauty & Knowledge were not limited to the Gifts, Occupations or Gardens. They were meant to be experienced by the child through their senses. Froebel’s saying since adopted by 20th century educationalists was “To make the inner outer and the outer inner.” A child naturally expresses their inner life by playing and at the same time understands the world they live in. The children played games of walking, wandering, and visiting. These led up to representational games; physical exercises were not included. The movement games were conducted indoors and out. They often began and concluded each day which illustrated unity in a physical way. The games were present throughout the kindergarten years, into the Connecting School, and even in the Academy; where they became more agile and rule based.

Today many teachers and schools do not have the time or encouragement to begin their days with games. Many lessons can be learned in Froebel’s Movement Games. One important feature is waking the body & mind up and focusing ones attention in a fun and physical way.

The Movement Games & Plays Course will be an active class filled with Froebel’s games for each of the age groups. Participants will learn how to use these movement games in their classrooms and homes and which games are best suited for different times of day, indoors or out and with school events or festivals. A notebook is required and a list of items that may compliment your games will be mailed before the course begins. The supplies are solely the participant’s financial responsibility and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel.

Time Allotment: One full day. Cost $600.00

Minimum of 5 participants are required.


Festivals: for children, families & communities of any age.

“Just like nature’s seasons and the changes of day and night….so too have man’s festivals and games a symbolic meaning. Their power is revealed in wisdom while here mankind unites in beauty and joy. As a means of education it demonstrates that play with its free movement can and does illuminate man in his dignity.” ~ Froebel

Festivals at any age are fun. How often do we look forward to certain times of year in order to plan and/or attend one? Our calendar is filled with seasonal games, markets, parades, cooking demonstrations, art shows, patriotic gatherings, religious days, family days, etc.

As early as 1830 Friedrich Froebel was writing about the importance of these festivities. He mentions birthdays, holy days, family days, youth and community gatherings. He also stresses the importance of the day to day festivals of a family’s daily rhythm. From sun up to sun down and the hours in between and what we do on a daily basis can be considered a little festival; though many of us today in our hurried lives do not consider the magic of each day. A springtime festival to honor Friedrich Froebel’s birthday was often celebrated in schools after his death. We will share its importance & relevance for today.

Young children depend on repetition. Children in the Connecting School and older are ready to branch out & explore new horizons; festivals are the foundation. Each season, each age, each family has their own special days. School’s often have a challenging task in organizing festivals for their students and community. Frequently we forget the real meaning behind these days, and that is to simply gather together and enjoy each other’s company.

The Festivals Course will discuss the importance of festivals during Froebel’s time and now. Each participant will plan a festival year that will fit their circumstances, family, school & community. Ideas, songs, games, music, recipes, etc. will be shared. A calendar and notebook is required for this course. We will also share information about personal festivals. A detailed list of other festival suggestions will be mail before the course. These items are the participant’s personal financial responsibility and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel.

Time allotment: One full day. Cost $ 600.00 Min. 5 participants.


How to Plan a Froebel Education

“My children will not be schooled, they will be developed.” ~ Froebel

In true Froebelian fashion we must bring into unity all that has been written. Whether you are planning on attending these courses out of curiosity, to incorporate them into your existing school or home school program or as a historian; the importance is that you are here. Romantic Victorians often thought Froebel was looking down from heaven and smiling at whomever continued his work. Let us give in to that warm fuzzy feeling.

The How to Plan a Froebel Education Course will consist of unifying all the Mother Plays, Gifts, Occupations, Movement Games, Gardening and Festivals into one well-rounded education for children from two to thirteen and beyond. Each educational stage will be addressed; babyhood 3 months to 2 years, the 3 to 7 year old kindergarten, the 8 to 10 year old Connecting School and the 11 to 13 year old Academy. The planning, organizing, gathering families, hiring & training teachers, purchasing supplies and finding the ideal location will be discussed. A detailed supply list will be mailed before the course begins. These supplies are the financial responsibility of each participant and will not be provided by Ms. Goesel.


Please note, Ms. Goesel is also available to visit your school or location for planning guidance, advice & training. Cost to be determined.

“Never forget that the essential business of the school is not so much to teach and to communicate a variety and multiplicity of things, as it is to give prominence to the ever-living unity that is in all things.” Quoted from: The Froebel Yearbook By Fannie Chapman, Jan. 10th. Copyright © Tiffeni J. Goesel 2011

Teacher Training

“After all, the best teacher is he who gives not things but thoughts, not facts but ideas, not rules of conduct but ideals….” Quoted from the book: The Home-Made Kindergarten circa 1912 By: Nora Archibald Smith pg.3

During the 19th & early 20th centuries Froebel Teacher Training Schools were everywhere; today not a one exists in the United States. In order to learn this elegant and all-encompassing program, to learn about Friedrich Froebel’s life & philosophy one must either become an autodidact or find an expert in the field that can mentor an individual, a group of parents or a school. Since a true Froebelian education disappeared somewhere in the 1920s, a mentor may be difficult to find.

Ms. Tiffeni J. Goesel, a Froebel Pedagogue, is available to mentor and train individuals, teachers & institutions. One-on-one mentorship and group workshops are some of the options offered. Ms. Goesel is able to travel to your area or you can attend classes at her own Froebel Teachers College in Williamsburg, Virginia. Travel fees, room & board are not factored into the cost of the classes & workshops. Those interested should contact Ms. Goesel by email at [email protected].

Ms. Tiffeni J. Goesel taught at the International Froebel Conference at Sina Spielzeug, Germany 2007; lectured at the Froebel USA Conf. Grand Rapids, MI 2010 and visited the Froebel’s Gravesite in Schweina, Germany 2007.

Copyright t© Tiffeni J. Goesel 2011

Summary of courses:

The Beginning

1. The Mother Play Book: A Humanities Course™ for children from babyhood to early teen

Details: Two full days, 6 hours each day. Cost: $1200.00

2. The Gift One Course: For children from babyhood to early teen Details: One half day per age group or the full course on two days Cost: $300.00 for 3 hours or $1200.00 for two 6 hour sessions

3. The Gift Two Course: For children from toddlerhood to early teen Details: One half day for the toddler age group and one full day for each remaining group. Cost: $300.00 for 3 hour for toddler group & $600.00 for 6 hour remaining groups.

The Building Gifts 4. The Gifts Three & Four Course: For children 4 years old to early teen

Details: Two full days, 6 hours each day.

Cost: $1200.00 5. The Gift Five Course: For children ages 8 to early teen


Cost: $1200.00 6. The Gift Six Course: For children ages 8 to early teen


Cost: $1200.00 Copyright © Tiffeni J. Goesel 2011

The Expanded Froebel Gifts

7. The Curved Gift Course: For children ages 4 to early teen Details: One full day of 6 hours.

Cost: $600.00 8. The Surface Gift and The Ring, Line & Point Gifts Course:

For children ages 4 to early teen

Details: One full day of 6 hours. Cost: $600.00

Occupations

9. Occupations using Solid Materials Course: For children ages 2 to early teen Details: Two full days, 6 hours each day. Cost: $1200.00

10. Occupations using Surface Materials Course: For children ages 2 to early teen Details: Two full days, 6 hours each day. Cost: $1200.00

11. Occupations based upon the Line Course: For children ages 2 to early teen

Details: Two full Days, 6 hours each day.

Cost: $1200.00 12. Occupations based upon the Point Course:


Details: One full Day of 6 hours.

Cost: $600.00 Copyright © Tiffeni J. Goesel 2011

Froebel Activities

13. The Froebel Garden Course: For children ages 4 to early teen Details: One full day of 6 hours. Cost: $600.00

14. The Nature Study Course: For children ages 2 to early teen

Details: One full day of 6 hours.

Cost: $600.00 15. The Movement Games & Plays Course:


Details: One full day of 6 hours.

Cost: $600.00 16. The Festivals Course: For children, families & communities of any age

Details: One full Day of 6 hours. Cost: $600.00

Froebel Services

17. How to Plan a Froebel Education Course: For Adults Details: Two full days, 6 hours each day.

Cost: $1200.00 18. Teacher Training: For Parents, Teachers & Historians

Details: Six weeks for the entire course as listed above or to suit your needs Cost: $18,000.00 Travel, room & board expenses not included.

Contact Email: [email protected] Phone: 757-645-8517 EST Mail: Ms. Tiffeni J. Goesel, 125 North Quarter, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23185 USA


“In all fairness to Froebel, whose stature as a top-ranking scientist has been thus far overlooked by historians, and to his kindergarten, the scientific basis of which has been similarly overlooked, a significant section of the history of education should be rewritten. Perhaps his approach – after more than a century and a half of incomplete understanding or, more often, of total misunderstanding – should now be reinvestigated as a possible candidate for guiding young minds, eyes, and hands into the twenty-first century.” Quoted From: Intimate Triangle: Architecture of Crystals, Frank Lloyd Wright, and the Froebel

Kindergarten By: Jeanne Spielman Rubin pg. 266.


tiffeni goesel froebel training brochure

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