Ovide Decroly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean-Ovide Decroly
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Born | 23 July 1871 |
Died | 10 September 1932 |
(aged 61)
Nationality | Belgian |
Occupation | Teacher and psychologist |
Jean-Ovide Decroly (born in Ronse, Belgium, on July 23, 1871 – died in Uccle, Belgium, on September 10, 1932) was a famous Belgian teacher and psychologist. A psychologist is someone who studies how people think, feel, and behave. Decroly is well-known for his new ideas about how children should learn and be taught.
He first studied medicine at the University of Ghent. He also spent half a year at the University of Berlin in 1898. There, he researched how certain substances affect the body's health. After his medical studies, he worked in Brussels with children who had special learning needs.
In 1907, Decroly started his own school called The Hermitage School. He was also a member of a group called Les Amis Philanthropes, which was part of the Grand Orient of Belgium in Brussels. Today, a school in Uccle, Brussels, called "Ecole Decroly," still uses his teaching methods. This school teaches students from kindergarten all the way to high school.
Decroly's Ideas on Education
Ovide Decroly developed a special way of teaching, often called the "Decroly plan." This plan was all about helping children learn to fit into society. He believed that schools should help children meet their basic needs, like needing to play, to learn, and to be part of a group. He called these "biosocial needs."
Decroly thought that children learn best when they are interested in what they are doing. His schools focused on real-life activities and projects. Instead of just listening to a teacher, students would explore topics that connected to their own lives and the world around them. This way of learning helped students understand things better and use their knowledge in practical ways. Many teachers and schools today still use ideas from Decroly's plan to make learning more engaging and helpful for students.
What Decroly Believed About Learning
Decroly strongly believed that education should prepare children for life. He thought that schools should create a place where children could grow and learn as much as possible at each stage of their lives. This meant letting children solve problems on their own. By doing this, they would gain the skills to handle new challenges later on. He felt that a good school provides the right conditions for children to explore, discover, and develop their full potential.
See also
In Spanish: Ovide Decroly para niños