Introduction

Friedrich Frobel’s kindergarten pedagogy, as well as its subsequent development, is at the center. Frobel’s pedagogy has often been simplified, or even partially misunderstood, and that is not because of disinterest or lack of rigor. Instead, access to essential writings was and continues to be limited for non-German-speaking scholars. A new look at Frobel’s kindergarten pedagogy seems to be worthwhile. One reason for a new work on Frobel’s kindergarten pedagogy seems to be rather banal, but essential. Many of the older works on Frobel were written without the benefit of the material. It will, so the hope, lead to a better understanding of Frobel’s kindergarten pedagogy. The chief task of the present study is threefold: to reexamine Frobel’s kindergarten pedagogy, as well as to trace its modification in Germany, and finally ask which Frobel understandings arrived in the United States. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.