Johann Heinrich PestalozziJohann Heinrich Pestalozzi was born in Zurich, Switzerland on January 12, 1746. During his childhood, he suffered many hardships. Four of his six siblings died in infancy, and his father died when Pestalozzi was just five years old, leaving his mother to raise her three remaining children in poverty. The poor living conditions, combined with the trauma of losing her children and her husband, led her mother to dedicate her life to raising her children in a socially isolated and overprotective environment in which she indulged them with love and care. Although Pestalozzi received a lot of attention from his mother, his general lack of adequate socialization outside of his isolated environment led to awkward and inappropriate interactions with his peers. As a result, his peers eventually rejected him due to his nonconformity and he developed greater difficulty acquiring the practical skills necessary for successful socialization. During his childhood, Pestalozzi was strongly influenced by his grandfather, Andreas Pestalozzi. The elder Pestalozzi was a minister in a small Swiss village and often spoke to the younger Pestalozzi about the poor living conditions of the Swiss lower class. He inspired him with the idea that the social privileges of the rich should be abolished. He believed that education should be provided to all children, regardless of their social class. Never forgetting his grandfather's ideals, Pestalozzi studied law under the tutelage of Johann Jakob Bodmer. Bodmer and his students formed a group called Patrioten, in which they studied the thoughts of ancient and modern philosophers. They also discussed the social conditions in Europe at the time and how they negatively affected...... middle of paper ......kes, described his observations, analyzed the objects, and satisfied his natural curiosity . 5) Discipline must be exercised with love. Judgment or criticism is inappropriate when a child is learning. It was only in Pestalozzi's later years, and even more so after his death, that educators, social reformers, philosophers, politicians, and religious leaders began to understand and appreciate his work and ideas. .BibliographyBowers, Fredaline B., www.bnet.com, Journal of Correctional Education, December 2004, “Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi: 18th Century Swiss Educator and Correctional Reformer” Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, www.britannica.com, Pestalozzi, Johann HeinrichEducation Encyclopedia, www.answers.com, Johann PestalozziReese, William J., The Origins of Progressive Education; History of Education Quarterly, Volume 41, No. 1 (Spring 2001)