Johnson And Her Organic Education School

Marietta Johnson is one of the founders of the Progressive Education Association. Inspired by "The Development of the child", a book of Oppenheim’s, she took shape of a complete theoretical system of organic education. The concept is borrowed from Henderson. To form her theory, Ms. Johnson combines her personal understanding with Rousseau’s and Dewey’s educational thought and takes the former a fundamental guiding principle. Meanwhile, she founded an organic education school in Fairhope, conducting an educational experiment about the natural development of child.In the late19th and early20th century, the founding of organic education school has its historical background. Being into the industrialized society, the United States faced with many difficulties; the change of the view about children since the Middle Ages; the vigorous campaign of progressive education; and the influence of the child study movement. All these have a great impact on the establishment of the organic education school.According to the characteristics and development needs of children in different age, Ms. Johnson divides the organic education schools into different classes. For children under12years, they will enter the kindergarten, the first life class and second life class. The curriculum of each stage is designed to help children grow in an organic way, thus the teaching is also taking a natural method. The curriculum is a natural continuation of the previous stage in content and depth. Good organization and curriculum sustains the development of the school. In addition, Ms. Johnson spends most of her energy in the financing of the school, showing a real educator’s spirit who dedicates herself to educational practice.Ms. Johnson summed up her educational thought during conducting the school job. She emphasizes that the purpose of education is to protect the organic development of children’s physical, spiritual and mental health and to make him a complete person; to respect and protect children’s instincts and make appropriate guidance; to value children’s creative games and work; and to correctly understand the relationship between discipline and freedom. In short, all of her educational thought is to make children develop organically, naturally, and harmoniously.As stones from other hills, organic education school is worth learning and thinking in the school spirit, educational thought and spirit. Looking back on organic education school has an important realistic meaning for today’s children education.