Review article
Gestalt pedagogy as „added value” of religious education
Iva Nežič Glavica
; Sveučilište u Ljubljani, Teološki fakultet
Abstract
Gestalt pedagogy appeared in the 1970s and is based upon gestalt philosophy, gestalt psychology and gestalt therapy. It developed within a circle of pedagogues (Cohn, Petzold, Brown) who wanted to transmit the findings of the above-mentioned disciplines – and also the attitude to life, the concepts and the methods connected with them – to the field of education. Due to a different, until then not appreciated concept of the essence of knowledge, learning and teaching, gestalt pedagogy was met by varied responses: some pedagogues accepted it with approval and were enthusiastic about it, while others were more skeptical or even rejected it because of its innovativeness.
Dr Albert Höfer, a priest and psychotherapist, is one of those pedagogues who saw many benefits of gestalt pedagogy. In the 1980s he and his colleagues based their holistic concept of religious education in Austria on the principles of gestalt pedagogy. Höfer’s way of teaching and studying religious contents has its origins and basis in the findings of gestalt pedagogy, humanist psychology and reform pedagogy. It is closely connected with the positive thinking of the Second Vatican Council and with the social climate of the 1960s and 70s, for example in the theology of redemption and psychological exegesis of the Bible. When teaching religious and non-religious contents, Höfer takes the experiential dimension of learning as his basis and applies it to the principles of Christian gestalt pedagogy. With such an approach he managed to develop a holistic model of religious education, which – with its creative approach – encourages a holistic development of learners and at the same time awakens and deepens their religious dimension.
Keywords
gestalt pedagogy; holistic approach; Albert Höfer; biographical learning; personal spiritual and religious formation of a learner and a teacher
Hrčak ID:
203952
URI
Publication date:
1.7.2018.
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