MooPig Architectural Bombast Department :: "Froebel Blocks and FLW"

Frank Lloyd Wright wrought us Organic Design on a Grid
Mishmashes articles by Pat Darnell  |   Apr 4, 2014  |  Bryan TX

If we were to design a Kindergarten, this is how we would do it ... just copy what Froebel did over 170 years ago. Add this to your Home Schooling curricula, and don't be shy.




[Picture LINK]

Froebel ® Blocks - educational toys from the original Kindergarten: "When Friedrich Froebel established the first system for educating young children, he created a series of playthings to provide children with focused educational experiences. Up until that time, toys were intended for amusement and education was provided through books and instruction. Froebel's Kindergarten used play as its engine and his Spielgabe (or "play gifts") were the fuel. During his lifetime he codified the series of Froebel Gifts up through Gift 7 (parquetry tablets). "

'via Blog this'

Here is an edited transcript of the above youTube...

0:04 Friedrich Froebel invented kindergarten his "garden of children" over 170 years
0:09ago
0:09his spiel ... or play gifts were the original
0:13educational toys and the first child development tools
0:16Froebel developed his ideas about preschool education over a period of 20
0:20years
0:21from 1830 until his death in 1852
0:24he drew his inspiration from the great educator
0:27Pestalozzi and other philosophers such as Rousseau
0:30... main contribution was to synthesize ideas from education
0:35science and philosophy with his own observations of child development
0:41the materials he created were influenced by his studies in architecture
0:44and by his important work in the field of crystallography mathematics was more
0:49than an intellectual pursuit of Froebel
0:51it was the language of the universe he created toys for children that would
0:55allow them to experience the order
0:56and beauty of the physical world
0:59starting with gifts 1 through 6 children experience three-dimensional solids
1:04all forms of the physical world with gifts 7 to 9
1:08children experience two-dimensional shapes ... side to solids
1:11lines the edges of solids and points
1:15the cycle abstraction is completed with gift 10, the framework --
1:18-- this framework is a representation of solids made from
1:22points and lines
1:24while this may seem too abstract for young children the Froebel gifts help
1:28children to perceive the geometric building blocks of the world
1:31at a time when they're not able to understand them intellectually
1:35Froebel created three distinct ways to play with the Gifts
1:38he named these forms of Life, forms of Knowledge,
1:42and forms a Beauty, in forms Life, children are asked to create something from their
1:46world using
1:47... the gift pieces this could be a bed, or a house ...
1:51adults guide children through forms of knowledge activities in which the child
1:55explores
1:56mathematical and scientific properties with the Gifts,
1:59this could involve cutting the size of a cube, discussing the properties of a
2:03specific triangle or discovering the sound a piece makes when
2:07it is dropped on the floor, most types of math equations can also be reasoned out
2:11using the Gifts
2:13forms of beauty are abstract designs made with the Gifts using just two rules
2:18-- always use every piece and -- modify but never destroy
2:21design,  it is important not to dictate designs
2:25but allow the child to create if a child wants to make something new
2:29he must find a way to modify an existing design stages
2:32to arrive at the new concept ... by playing with Froebel gifts
2:37a child builds his foundation of symbolic learning by internalizing these
2:41experiences
2:42this is a natural process for every child Froebel
2:46only sought to refine it why leave such an important activity to chance he
2:50thought, when a prepared environment will better nurture a child growing brain
2:54in Froebel's garden of children, adults help children to explore the world in a
2:59concrete way
3:00many years before they will understand an abstract discussion of art
3:04nature or geometry ... the gifts were just one part of his total system
3:09which also included songs in movement games, gardening
3:12and the craft activities he called occupations ...
3:15these various activities reinforced ideas for the five senses
3:20visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetics, ... Froebel realized that in infant's brain is
3:25still forming
3:26he concentrated his efforts on children from birth to age 7
3:30in Froebel's time this was considered foolish, but he intuitively understood the
3:34mechanisms of the infant brain
3:36over 150 years before science could confirm it; ... next he understood that a
3:42child's desire for play was nature's way to help stimulate the brain to grow
3:46the true nature a child is that he is sincerely trying to make sense of the
3:50universe by exploring it
3:52... it only seems natural that the parent would give the child experiences
3:56designed for this purpose
3:57play is the engine that powers education Froebel use many materials in his schools
4:03but he only wrote about the first seven gifts ...
4:05his followers expanded the list to include materials he used in his
4:09kindergarten
4:10but never described in his writings because of this the number of gifts as
4:14has ranged from 10 to 20 different items
4:17almost immediately after his death in 1852
4:20his followers spread to other countries and began to teach about the
4:24kindergarten
4:25England played an early role in establishing english-language
4:28kindergartens
4:29the book by Johan and Bertha Ranga a practical guide to be English
4:33kindergarten
4:34was the first guide to the Froebel gifts in English published in
4:381863 in the United States the Milton Bradley company published Edward B b's
4:43book the paradise of childhood:
4:44in 1869 this book listed twenty gifts
4:48actually happen be should have been called occupations
4:51the difference being that a gift can be returned to its original form
4:55while an occupation craft activities such as painting or folding paper
4:59cannot be undone it was good business to have more gifts
5:03so milton-bradley encourage many variations on the gifts
5:06even placed alphabet letters on the blocks which is completely against
5:10...Froebel's plan
5:12next came Maria ...'s  kindergarten guide
5:15she outlined 13 gifts in volume 1
5:18and 11 occupations in volume 2 the extra numbers came from the various persons a
5:23gift a connected slats, Straight sticks, curves sticks
5:27in 1882 Herman Dahmer's German language book "the kindergarten" was
5:31published in English
5:33the main contribution by Dahmer, was the inclusion up the
5:36curvilinear Gift, he called five-b ... he correctly understood that
5:40Froebel had not intended to give series to be closed but to function along
5:44certain parameters
5:47Elizabeth harrison's book the kindergarten building gifts
5:50promoted the curvilinear series developed by Bell woodson
5:53and used in the Chicago kindergarten college the simplicity of the gifts in
5:57confusion about them led to their misuse
6:00as busy work ... or simply as manipulatives ... many kindergarten teachers
6:05use the gifts by rote,
6:06dictating their use to the 4 to 5-year-olds in their care ...
6:09it was the ignorance and rigid adherence to incorrect techniques
6:13that ultimately contributed to the abandonment of the Froebel kindergarten
6:17today ... for Froebel, is mostly known for his affect on modern art and architecture to
6:21the works of  Frank Lloyd Wright R Buckminster Fuller ...
6:23the educators of the early 20th century saw Froebels' work as part of the
6:28German Romantic movement
6:29or worse as some mystical quasi-religious ...  because of their
6:33unfortunate lack of vision and understanding
6:35the true power of Froebel's work was lost.
6:39the most amazing thing about Froebel's gifts is that they are not absolutely
6:43necessary to follow his method the idea behind the gifts is focused play
6:48this could be done with materials acquired from a nature walk
6:51or with everyday household objects there is nothing mystical about the gifts
6:56as so many educators misunderstood it is about a trained adult guiding a child to
7:01form connections in their mind regarding the nature of the physical world
7:05the adult gently helps the child to experience
7:08and understand these fundamental ideas ... in this way
7:12the child can put their new ideas into a context ...
7:15this is Froebel's goal  ... the understanding by the child at the logic and
7:19interconnectedness of the universe
7:21all future information can be put into the right context or framework ... his
7:26method allows children to form an outline for future knowledge
7:29before they are asked to fill it with otherwise meaningless facts
7:33children are not empty containers waiting for information to be poured in ...
7:37it is more important in this age of the Internet to know how information fits
7:41together
7:42than to memorize the facts themselves. The foundation of Froebels' philosophy is
7:47that humans are creative beings
7:49unlike animals, whose lives have not changed much in millions of years
7:53we humans are constantly altering our world ...  our superiority over other species
7:58is due to the fact that abstract ideas can exist in our minds
8:02it allows us to become creative beings we can conceptualize the vast universe
8:07or the tiniest sub-atomic particles it is both a profound truth in a simple
8:12fact of our biology
8:13the new millennium requires children to live in an ever-changing technology
8:17filled world
8:18parents and educators now realize that early childhood is the most important
8:23time in a person's education
8:24many believe that for Froebel's kindergarten is still the most advanced
8:28system for
8:29early childhood development ever created ... To recap
8:32Froebel created his kindergarten gifts between 1830
8:36and 1852 ... the gifts were part of a system
8:39including songs, games, and occupations ...  Froebel
8:43only name gifts 1 through 7 his followers created several numbering
8:47schemes for other gifts
8:48gifts 1 through 6 or solids 7 a surface
8:52eight is line, nine is point, and 10 is a framework for solids
8:57the gifts are not mystical but rather simple tools to stimulate symbolic
9:01learning
9:02... PLAY is the heart of the Froebel system  ... children construct their understanding
9:07of the world through direct experiences
9:09humans are creative beings who can visualize
9:13new ways of living Froebel wanted children to see the
9:16interconnectedness of all creation ...  We need for Froebel's method now
9:21for our technological world
9:26if you would like additional
9:27 information please visit our website at WWW dot
9:31Froebel gifts dot com





_______________________Reference
http://www.froebelblocks.com/
http://youtu.be/LNBzmCKLNdU
http://faculty.knox.edu/jvanderg/202_K/Pestalozzi.htm
http://www.froebelgifts.com/

MooPig Education Department :: "A Plausible School of Villainry"

Education and the Arts
Mashed articles by Pat Darnell  |  Jan 22, 2014  |  Bryan TX

[Picture LINK] The Maurice Strong School of Strong Villains

To have a story line one needs a villain and a hero. It is true for any form of story telling. The referenced article mentions that believable villains do not exist in today's modern cinema. Depictions are not realistic, and tend to stereotype villain characters. Woe is me.

And I thought every villain is a master mind criminal, with a fortune hid away from his nemesis's. What the article suggests is that one needs an advanced psychology degree in order to characterize a realistic villain today.

This is why our editors in MooPig Education Department think it is a good time to start developing good villains in primary and secondary schools. "We should start our young thespians at an early age to make certain there are plenty of realistic villains available to cinema, Internet, and for what ever comes next," said R. B. Guiles, editor in chief of MooPig Education Department.

"Too many villains let their own ego's get involved in their characterizations," said Sarah P. Body, MooPig Disney Liaison. "With primary psychological research applied to youngsters at tender ages, we may see a shift to more plausible villains in the future."

Why psychopathic film villains are rarely realistic — and why it matters | MinnPost: "But just how clinically realistic are those portrayals? Not very — with a handful of exceptions, according to a paper published recently in the Journal of Forensic Sciences. This finding is of interest to more than just film buffs. Other research has shown that films exert a strong influence on people’s perceptions of mental illness."

'via Blog this'
"You’ll find an abstract of the study at the Journal of Forensic Sciences’ website, but, unfortunately, the study itself (with its list of 126 psychopathic villains) is behind a paywall."

CONCLUSION
We would like to call our new "School of Plausible Villainry" the Maurice Strong School of Strong Villains. In due course, as people get piled higher and deeper college degrees, some will become authors of better villains, to go along with their unstrung heroes.


_______________________Reference
http://www.minnpost.com/second-opinion/2014/01/why-psychopathic-film-villains-are-rarely-realistic-and-why-it-matters
http://seeker401.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/pachauri-gore-strong-the-unholy-trinity/

MooPig Site Review Department :: "Today's chart"

List of shootings on school campuses since Newtown in Dec. 2012 - via ABC World News with Diane Sawyer ...

______________________Reference

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America  

http://momsdemandaction.org/

MooPig Opinions and Editorials Department :: " Middle School and Guns"

It's all a Set Up
By Patrick Darnell  |  Oct 24, 2013  |  Bryan TX

[Picture LINK]

Comment:
... You take a child out of a nurturing elementary environ, force them into a factory setting, [middle school] while the child is going through puberty and trying to manage strong hormonal injections of estrogen and testosterone, while girls are starting their periods, and older kids and teachers are there like predators who pounce rather than nurture... it is no wonder that adolescents are psychotic, by definition they are so. Then make guns available from dad's collection, and bullets to boot... psychosis plus lots of guns equals disaster.

I have a suggestion: turn all the middle schools into farms. Introduce all middle schoolers to the wonder of animal husbandry and growing things.

[Picture LINK]

Students learn math by studying hens laying eggs, and chemistry by milking cows, and about themselves while watching animals in cohabitation, and receive a liberal arts education watching animals reproduce.

Screw all the lawyers with there new-fangled CORE programmed learning, and STAR tests, and bullshit. Teachers today are referred to as "Facilitators." This is a crime against humanity.

Put America back in the agrarian state it belongs in. Put some backbone in our kids, instead of insidious, malfunctioning, brain drama.  


I have spoke!

[Picture LINK] Kids picking spinach ...


___________________Reference
http://mtprnews.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/farm-to-school-meets-lawn-to-lunchroom-at-somers-middle-school/
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/boy-suspended-school-toy-gun-family-property-article-1.1465745
http://www.grootbos.com/en/blog/eco-tourism/spaces-for-sports/dibanisa-lesson-4-sustainable-farming-in-fynbos

MooPig Home Schooling Department :: "Twerp and His Kin"

Critical Mass Thinking
Mashed by Pat Darnell  |  July 9, 2013  |  Bryan TX

Our lead, PD, commentator wrote a book in the 80's that was meant to depict the anti-christ, and his minions. The book was never published. Looking back on its pages, titled "Twerp and His Kin," brings to mind a certain urgency. Or, as a way of measuring progress, conversations in the book tell me we haven't progressed any.

To seek closure on the failed project is hopeless. Any observable condition of the characters that grow out of the book is by now over-done by reality itself; in cinema and TV, real life drama, and in family degradation. It would have led us into the next century leaving a trail of doubt, and hurt feelings. Oh, but that has already happened.

A good friend, Joe Holesworth, "Stratoblogster," pointed out this website: Exposing the Truth -- You Decide, HERE. It points out that many of us are thinking the same thing about Twerpdom, and have been for centuries.

" ... Once, the citizens of one’s nation are already thinking, worst, critically thinking, then that is a dangerous scenario for any erring leaders, stupid administrators, unjust system, unfair policies and abnormal conditions. (Jose Mario Dolor De Vega. July 8, 2013. HERE)... "

Philosophy, Reason & Enlightenment Through Critical Thinking:
The German moral philosopher, Immanuel Kant wrote in an influential and monumental essay, “What is Enlightenment” the following remarkable words:

"Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-incurred immaturity. Immaturity is the inability to use one’s understanding without the guidance of another.

"This immaturity is self-incurred if its cause is not lack of understanding, but lack of resolution and courage to use it without the guidance of another. The motto of enlightenment is therefore: Sapere aude! Have the courage to use your own understanding!"

'via Blog this'

" ... And what are the root causes of man’s darkness of his mind that breeds immaturity and inability to think for oneself? (Jose Mario Dolor De Vega. July 8, 2013. HERE) ... "

That is the zillion dollar question, isn't it? But as you know, you have to read the article to get a feel for the answer to this.


________________Reference
http://www.exposingthetruth.co/philosophy-reason-and-enlightenment/
http://philosophy.eserver.org/kant/what-is-enlightenment.txt
http://www.stratoblogster.com/

MooPig Home School Department :: "Book Bannings"

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

MooPig Home School Department :: "Shopping e-Event"

[Picture LINK]

Do we Have Enough Study Helps?
by Pat Darnell and Arnie Palmreader  |  May 8, 2013  |  Bryan TX

In the better homes you will find organization. Yes a good home is de-cluttered. Not mine. Nope. It is the opposite.

I have made home schooling into a variety store. I will surely burn in hell for this.

It turns out I cannot get enough "study helps" for my kids. It all started when I was doing substituting for Kindergarteners through 12th graders at the Pasadena Independent School District in Texas. I needed props for when I stood before another teacher's group of 5th graders, or got bogged down in discussions with know it all seniors at high school.

Here is one of those collectible pdf files available on Internet: The Peroiodic Table of the Elements, in Pictures. Truth is you can find tons of study helps online, but you can also find cool stuff in $dollar stores, clearance aisles, that cost a little bit. A little bit here, a little bit there, and all the funds from busting a move as the cool substitute-ness is all but spent. Yes, home-schooling is yet another American shopping event.

elements.wlonk.com:

" ... These colorful, fun, and informative periodic tables are great for elementary, middle, and high school students, as well as adults. Copyrighted material. Do not copy to other websites. See Terms of Use. (Copyright © 2005-2013 Keith Enevoldsen.) ... "

'via Blog this'

LINK to the interactive Periodic Table of the Elements ...


______________________Reference
http://elements.wlonk.com/#Orbitals
http://www.iqraonline.net/the-periodic-table-of-islam-infographic/

MooPig's Home Schooling Department :: "How to Read a Book"

Retrieved by Pat Darnell | May 1, 2012 | Bryan TX

[Picture LINK]
How to Read a Book - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
I was going through old notes from classes I took in the 1980's and found a referral to this book. I think it might be the missing link to my derisive nature.

I tried to call the professor who mentioned it but he is no where to be found these days. It was at the School for New Learning, SNL, at DePaul night school -- we were called the Weekend Warriors.
'via Blog this'

[Chart LINK]
______________________Reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Read_a_Book
http://schriftman.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/a-liberal-education-books-you-absolutely-have-to-read-before-you-die/
http://braindancingsmorgasbord.blogspot.com/2009/11/synvergent-thinking-mind-mapping.html
http://andinhomenezes.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/how-to-read-a-book/

http://andinhomenezes.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/how-to-read-a-book.jpg
[Picture LINK]

Moopig's Home Schooling Department :: "Scandinavian Designs"

[Picture LINK]


Retrieved by Pat Darnell | Feb 14, 2012 | Bryan TX

[Photos Kim Wendt and Rosan Bosch]

MooPig thinks the best school atmosphere for children would be a working farm. Put the children on farms and they learn liberal arts the old fashioned, American, way... farming. Hey, it's not just the American way either.... world wide in the Global South we all need skills for farming.

[Picture LINK]


That's one idea, but there is no reason why the farmhouse can't look like this Swedish rendition of middle school:

Is Sweden's Classroom-Free School the Future of Learning? - Education - GOOD:

EXCERPT  |  "... Jannie Jeppesen, the principal of Vittra Telefonplan writes on the school's website that the design is intended to stimulate "children's curiosity and creativity" and offer them opportunities for both collaborative and independent time. Vittra doesn't award traditional grades, either—students are taught in groups according to level—so maximizing diverse teaching and learning situations is a priority. ( January 20, 2012.) ... "

'via Blog this'

______________________Reference
http://www.good.is/post/is-sweden-s-classroom-free-school-the-future-of-learning/
http://farmschool.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/thank-yous/img_6897/
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-photo/kineticsoup/1/1295776928/fairbridge-farm-school-map_-1951.jpg/tpod.html
http://thechildrenswar.blogspot.com/2011/04/strangers-of-farm-school-by-josephine.html

*

*

*

Little Johnny is at it again...

Presidential candidate, Barack Obama was visiting a primary school and he visited one of the classes. They were in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings. The teacher asked the presidential candidate if he would like to lead the discussion on the word 'tragedy'.

So our illustrious democrat presidential candidate asked the class for an example of a 'tragedy'.

One little boy stood up and offered: 'If my best friend, who lives on a farm, is playing in the field and a tractor runs over him and kills him, that would be a tragedy.'

'No,' said Obama, 'that would be an accident.'

A little girl raised her hand: 'If a school bus carrying 50children drove over a cliff, killing everyone inside, that would bea tragedy.'

'I'm afraid not,' explained Obama. 'That's what we would call great loss.'

The room went silent. No other children volunteered. Obama searched the room. 'Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?'

Finally at the back of the room, Little Johnny raised his hand. In a quiet voice he said: 'If the plane carrying you and Mrs. Obama was struck by a 'friendly fire' missile and blown to smithereens that would be a tragedy.'

'Fantastic!' exclaimed Obama. 'That's right. And can you tell me why that would be tragedy?'

'Well,' says the boy, 'It has to be a tragedy, because it certainly wouldn't be a great loss... and it probably wouldn't be a fucking accident either.'