Sloyd
Sloyd (Swedish ), also known as educational sloyd, is a system of handicraft-based education started by Uno Cygnaeus in Finland in 1865. The system was further refined and promoted worldwide, and was taught in the United States until the early 20th century. It is still taught as a compulsory subject in Finnish, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian schools. Historical overview Background The word ''sloyd'' is derived from the Swedish word , which translates as crafts, handicraft, or handiwork. It refers primarily to woodwork but also paper-folding and sewing, embroidery, knitting and crochet. Otto Salomon, with the financial support of his uncle, started a school for teachers on the Nääs estate (now a part of the Swedish municipality of Lerum) in the 1870s. The school attracted students from throughout the world and was active until around 1960. Educational sloyd's purpose was formative in that it was thought that the benefits of handicrafts in general education built the c ...
[...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  

Meri Toppelius (1894)
Meri Toppelius (9 July 1863 – 1896) was a Finnish-born American educational theorist who was the first to introduce the sloyd system in the United States. Early years and education Jenny Maria ("Meri") Toppelius was born in Hamina, Finland, a daughter of General Gustaf Viktor Toppelius (1825–1906), of the Finnish army, and Jenny Hedvig Carolina Toppelius. She was also a niece of Zachris Topelius, the poet laureate of Finland. Toppelius was educated and lived as the eldest daughter of a family of rank, but she sought in vain for the satisfaction which social distinction was expected to give. At seventeen, she decided to devote her life to children. The rounded culture of manual and mental accomplishment, which is characteristic of the North-European education, was available to her, and at Vera Hjelt's training school, in Helsinki, she found sloyd (). After taking a course under Hjelt, a progressive educator, Toppelius remained in the school as instructor. Career Finland Toppeli ...
[...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]