Pestalozzi’s View of Education
Under the influence of Rousseau, Johann H. Pestalozzi (1741-1827) advocated an education in conformity with “nature” and sought to liberate human nature, the noble nature inherent in all people. He held that when people based themselves upon something simple and pure, they come to do good by intuitively understanding fundamental principles. He also held that education starts from maternal love in the family, and asserted that family education forms the basis of education.
Pestalozzi said that there are three fundamental forces forming human nature, namely, mental power, heart power, and technical power; these three, he held, correspond to mind, heart, and hand. According to him, an education of mind is an education of knowledge, an education of heart is a moral and religious education, and an education of hand is technical education (including physical education). The internal power that unites these powers is love. Love is the basis of heart power and the driving force of moral and religious education. Accordingly, he advocated that these three types of education can be harmoniously united, centering on moral and religious education. 5
The image of the ideal person advocated by Pestalozzi was that of a person in whom the three fundamental powers are harmoniously developed―namely, a “whole man.” He advocated the education of the “whole man” centered on love and faith. The purpose of education was to cultivate human nature and build a moral and religious nation and society.