An educational method that shall have liberty as its basis must intervene to help the child to a conquest of liberty. That is to say, his training must be such as shall help him to diminish as much as possible the social bonds which limit his activity.

Independence is not a static condition; it is a continuous conquest, and in order to reach not only freedom, but also strength, and the perfecting on one's powers, it is necessary to follow this path of unremitting toil.

Growth is not merely a harmonious increase in size, but a transformation.

The development of the mind comes through movement

No one who has ever done anything really great or successful has ever done it simply because he was attracted by what we call a 'reward' or by the fear of what we call a 'punishment.'

Except when he has regressive tendencies, the child's nature is to aim directly and energetically at functional independence.

One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child.