Decroly’s Interests – Being Parents

Born in 1871 in Ronse (Belgium), Ovide Decroly was a teacher, psychologist and doctor. Decroly’s areas of interest were part of his educational proposal, and arose as a response to the need for education that values ​​the interests of children.

Decroly’s pedagogy

The didactic pedagogical development of Decroly arose within the framework of the movement of new education, which began at the end of the 19th century and brought together a series of principles aimed at renovating previous forms of traditional education.

Like some of the basic principles of the new education movement, Decroly’s educational proposal is based on respect for the child and his or her personality. He thus argues that the aim of education is to prepare children to live in freedom.

Decroly envisions the need for scientific evidence in educational intervention. Thus, its contributions are based on disciplines related to childhood and society, such as psychology or biology. Sciences that help him develop his particular methodology based on “significant centers of interest in childhood”.

What are the interests of Decroly?

Decroly maintains that they are the fundamental motor of education and that they must be mobilized in order to meet the specific needs of the stage of childhood. In other words, you have to know what children’s needs are and what their interests are, in order to grab their attention and stimulate their desire to know and learn.

For Decroly, there are 4 fundamental natural needs around which the centers of interest must be grouped. He therefore speaks of the following needs:

• Eating
• Fight against cold and bad weather
• Defend against dangers and enemies
• Act and work in solidarity, have fun and improve

If the author considers these 4 needs as the main ones, he also mentions the need for light, rest and mutual help.

However, the centers of interest consist of the reason why what Decroly calls “the principle of globalization” comes into play. All this is established in a didactic process which also applies to the teaching of reading / writing.

Consequently, the principle of globalization is based on the fact that the child perceives the reality that surrounds him as a whole. So, then, we must have knowledge of what catches his attention and what stimulates his knowledge. Without putting aside his already acquired knowledge.

On the other hand, for the principle of globalization to come into action, there must be an interest, and this interest does not arise if there is not a need. Thus, the stimuli of the environment acquire importance for children, who then integrate significant learning contributing to their physical, psychological and social development.

Organization of areas of interest: the Decroly triptych

First, Decroly suggests that for centers of interest to function properly, classes must be relatively homogeneous. In other words, the children who compose them have the same learning rates, the same ages and the same level of development. And, secondly, they must not have more than 30 children.

In addition, the centers of interest must follow different phases or be organized according to 3 types of exercises which correspond to the name of “triptych of Decroly” and which are as follows:

• Observation : it is fundamental to awaken the senses and put children in contact with objects, beings or events. This is the starting point for intellectual activities from the knowledge of the environment that surrounds them.
• Association : it is a process of association and coordination of ideas. It is necessary to link spatial and temporal dimensions, such as cause and effect relationships. And, moreover, make comparisons, classifications and establish similarities as well as differences
• Expression: it makes it possible to be able to communicate what has been learned, namely knowledge. There are 2 types of expressions: concrete expression and abstract expression. The first relates to handicrafts and drawings, even including music. The second consists of the translation of thought via symbols and codes (letters, numbers, signs, etc.)

The importance of Decroly’s interests in today’s education

It is fundamental that learning is organized around children’s interests and that they are the product of their needs. In addition, consideration of the knowledge previously acquired by children is one of the major contributions made by Decroly in the service of current education.

The centers of interest focus the teaching on topics which are attractive to the pupils and which cover their basic needs. Needs such as rest and fun, or those linked to those around them, such as family or the environment. They constitute work units which articulate all the learning that the child must integrate in terms of an operational core, and in a global manner. Without, thus, that it is not necessary to fragment the contents in subjects.

In addition, putting in the foreground the character, the individuality, the personality of the children and the knowledge as well as the contact with the environment is something primordial for the teaching to be effective.