Johann Heinrich PestalozziJohann Heinrich Pestalozzi was born in Zurich, Switzerland, on 12 January 1746. During his childhood he suffered many difficulties. Four of his six siblings died in infancy and his father died when Pestalozzi was only 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 husband, led her mother to dedicate her life to raising her children in a socially isolated and overprotective environment in which she pampered them with love and attention. 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 peer interaction. As a result, his peers ultimately rejected him due to his nonconformity, and he developed greater difficulty achieving the practical skills necessary for adequate socialization. During his childhood, Pestalozzi was strongly influenced by his grandfather, Andreas Pestalozzi. The old Pestalozzi was a minister in a small Swiss village and often spoke to the young Pestalozzi about the poor living conditions of the Swiss lower classes. It inspired him with the idea that there should be an abolition of social privileges for the rich. 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 guidance 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 social conditions in Europe at the time and how these negatively affected...... half of the sheet of paper, described his observations, analyzed objects and satisfied his natural curiosity. 5) Discipline should be done in a loving manner. Judgment or criticism is inappropriate when a child is learning. It was only in Pestalozzi's final 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 Pestalozzi Reese, William J., The Origins of Progressive Education; History of Education Quarterly, Volume 41, No. 1 (spring 2001)