Mercy Professor and Expert on Early Childhood Education Publishes Two New Scholarly Works

Helge Wasmuth, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Childhood Education Department at Mercy University, is a world-renowned scholar and expert on Friedrich Froebel, a pioneer of early childhood education. Now Wasmuth’s expertise has achieved greater prominence with the publication of two new books that explore different aspects of the 19th century German educator.

In mid-December, Bloomsbury Books will release “Finding Froebel: The Man Who Invented Kindergarten,” a biography that lists Wasmuth as first author. The biography follows the November release of “The Bloomsbury Handbook to Friedrich Froebel,” an anthology of scholarly articles for which Wasmuth served as a co-editor.

Wasmuth’s broad knowledge of his subject often emerges in his teaching. “Froebel’s beliefs about the importance of play as a means of learning in young children still have relevance today,” he said. “I encourage my students’ critical thinking skills by weighing these ideas against the realities of modern childhood education.”

In addition to publishing an earlier book that focused on Froebel’s pedagogy, Wasmuth has been invited to share his deep and broad expertise in a podcast, a webinar, a documentary film and as a member of the executive committee of a society of Froebel scholars. While still at work on the biography, he was approached by the publisher to co-edit a new handbook they were preparing, aimed at educators, scholars and Froebel enthusiasts. “All other editors on the handbook are well known, established colleagues,” he said. “It was a great honor to be asked to join them.”

Wasmuth’s biography, Finding Froebel, can be found at Bloomsbury Books, Amazon, and wherever books are sold.