Quotations: Freedom of the Child and the Adolescent

«The freedom of the child and the adolescent should grow with his ability to self-direction and responsibility. This requires a close look and a benevolent but realistic assessment of his potential at every level and in every area of behavior» (1986, 183)

«We must not let him (the student) constantly learn in dependence. If we do so, we indeed impart necessary knowledge and also the perspective of possible objectives and values; but without the opportunity to choose and realize them with a certain freedom, the crucial learning processes do not take place.» (1989d, 618)

«The attempt to constantly and tightly guide the child’s concept formation cannot lead to satisfactory results. We have to give the child greater freedom in the development of his thinking. This requirement is fulfilled if we can get the child to build up his concepts and operations himself through his own exploring and searching. Exploration is in actual fact the mental activity that is seeking to develop new responses. The first didactic problem that we need solve will be to determine precisely how the child's own exploring can be stimulated initially and thereafter be directed towards the intended goal.» (1951/1976, 90)

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