Mother, Meet Mr. Froebel!

$10 Westcott Member. $15 Non-Member. A Pint and Supplies Included. Program for All Ages. Pint for Adults (21+). Location: Mother Stewart's Brewery

Join us at the Mother Stewart's Brewery for a fun evening of hands-on demonstrations. It is quite fitting that in October we paired great beer with the fascinating world of Friedrich Froebel, the German educator and inventor of Kindergarten. Developed in the early 1800s, the Froebel Gifts appear deceptively simple, but they represent a sophisticated approach to nurturing abstract thinking. Over the last 180 years, Froebel's philosophy had a widespread impact, becoming interwoven with the history of art, design, education and popular culture. For example, the gifts were purchased for Frank Lloyd Wright by his mother after she discovered them at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876. The gifts had a profound impact on the Westcott House’s famed architect, greatly influencing his philosophy and approach to design. Experience for yourself how Froebel Gifts bring joy and creativity to the learning process at any age.

Instructor: Tiffeni Goesel studied architecture and historic preservation, and has worked for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. She's a certified Waldorf grades teacher, with a B.A. in Education and M.A. in the History of Education. She has been a nanny and homeschool teacher, and an avid researcher of Friedrich Froebel. Tiffeni makes frequent trips to Germany and has conducted classes on the Froebel method internationally since 2006. During her visit to Springfield, Tiffeni will also facilitate a workshop for preschool and kindergarten at Ridgewood School. If you are a teacher or a parent interested in bringing a Froebel workshop to your school in the future, please send us an inquiry to info@westcotthouse.org.

This program is part of Westcott Design Hub, a design education initiative generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, Ohio Arts Council, Turner Foundation, Springfield Foundation and Ruth B. and Thomas F. Mackey Charitable Trust. Your tuition directly supports free family, youth and in-school programs that are part of this program.

Questions? Email info@westcotthouse.org.