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A Look Back at Early Childhood Education
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Boston Latin School
The first public school in America was established in what is now Boston, Massachusetts. Named the Boston Latin School, it was a boys-only public secondary school, lead by schoolmaster Philemon Pormont, a Puritan settler. Some of the most well known students to attend include John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. -
Harvard
Founded in Cambridge, by vote of the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Named after the first donor, Reverend John Harvard, who left half his estate and personal library to the institution. The charter grated to Harvard by the Colony in 1650 is the authority under which the University of today operates. -
John Amos Comenius
John Amos Comenius was a Moravian philosopher, considered by some to be the father of modern education. He strongly believed that learning for children is rooted in sensory exploration. He wrote the first children's book to promote literacy. -
John Locke
John Locke writes An Essay Concerning Human Understanding.
The essay grapples with fundamental questions about how we think and perceive the world. His essays lays the ground work for the continued exploration of the detailed and systematic philosophy of mind and thought. He also coins the term "blank slate" also known as tabula rasa, which postulates that is how children start out, and their environment fills the metaphorical "slate". -
Friedrich Froebel
He was a major influencer in early education who believed that children learn through play. He designed teacher training where he emphasized the importance of observation and developing programs and activities based on the child's skill level and readiness. Froebel formalized the early childhood setting and founded the first kindergarten. -
Horace Mann
An American educator, and the first great American advocate of public education. He believed that, in a democratic society, education should be free, universal, and non-secular, democratic in method, and reliant on well-trained teachers. -
James Mark Baldwin
Among his many accomplishments was the creation of the American Journal of Psychology. He also established the first experimental psychology laboratory in the United States. He focused on adolescences development and more specifically aggression. -
Rudolph Steiner
He is the creator of what is now known as the Waldorf education philosophy and schools, focused on developing free and morally responsible individuals with a high level of social competence. Steiner broke this down into 3 developmental stages: Preschool to age 6 (experiential education) ages 6-14 (formal education) and ages 14+ (conceptual / academic education.) -
Piaget
John Piaget's theory of cognitive development, published in 1936, is still widely accepted and used today. He fundamentally altered our view of how children learn."If logic itself is created rather than being inborn, it follows that the first task of education is to form reasoning." -
Maria Montessori
She viewed children as the source of knowledge and the educator as the social engineer, and believed the learning environment was just as important as the learning itself. The Montessori Method is still a popular and internationally recognized mode of educating children today. -
John Dewey
He firmly believed that learning should originate from the interests of children, which is foundational to the projects approach. Dewey believed the educator is there to promote their interest for discovery and inquiry. -
Brown vs. Board of Ed
Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka was an unanimous decision by the Supreme Court that the state laws establishing racial segregation in schools were unconstitutional by violation of the 14th Amendment. They ruled separate is not equal. -
Lawrence Kolhberg
Kohlberg expanded on Piaget's theory of moral development. He suggest there are three levels to moral development, people move through these stages in a fixed order, and moral understanding is linked to cognitive development. -
ESEA
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society program. Signed into law in 1965, it created a clear role for the federal government in K-12 policy, offering $1 billion in aid, known as Title I, to districts to help cover the cost of educating disadvantaged students. -
Indian Education
The Indian Education Act was the first piece of legislation to provide a comprehensive approach to meeting the unique needs of American Indian and Alaskan Native Students. It helped empower parents and provide funds for student programs at all grade levels. -
Title IX
Since 1972, federal law has guaranteed the right to education free from sex discrimination. Since then, women and girls have made great strides toward equality. -
Charter Schools
The charter school movement was inspired by Ray Budde, a Massachusetts educator, who issued a report called Education by Charter. -
Board of Ed vs. Pico
The Supreme Court, in a 5-to-4 decision, ruled that "as centers for voluntary inquiry and the dissemination of information and ideas, school libraries enjoy a special affinity with the rights of free speech and press." Therefore, the Board could not restrict the availability of books in its libraries simply because its members disagreed with their idea content. -
Teach For America
This nonprofit organization started in 1989 and has been on a mission ever since to enlist, develop, and mobilize, as many as possible of our nations most promising future leaders to grow and strengthen the movement for educational equity and excellence. -
Erik Erickson
Erickson developed psychosocial stages of development for children where the parent and educator play a crucial role in supporting the child's success in every stage for a positive outcome. He stressed that social emotional development isa key component to the early childhood curriculum. -
Minnesota
City Academy, in St. Paul, became the first charter school to open its doors. As of 2019, there are more than 7,000 charter schools in the US enrolling 3.2 million children, according to the Center for Education Reform. -
Georgia
In 1993, Georgia becomes the first state to provide universal pre- K to all four year olds. During the 2011-2012 school year, more than 82,000 children enrolled in the state funded pre school program. -
Columbine
Two teens went on a shooting spree at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado killing 13 people and wounding more than 20 others, before committing suicide. In the aftermath, schools nation wide enacted "zero- tolerance" policy regarding disruptive or threatening behavior. Even with the increased safety measures, school shootings have continue to climb at frightening rates. -
No Child Left Behind
The No Child Left Behind Act is passed by Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush. This law was a resurrection of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, authorizing several federal education programs that are administered by the state, as well as requiring students be tested in reading and math in grades 3-8 and once again in high school. -
ESSA
President Barack Obama signed Every Student Succeeds Act into law, rolling back the federal government's large role in education policy. It grants the states more of the decision making power. It continues our nations commitment to equal opportunity for all students, preparing them for college and careers. -
Betsy DeVos
Trump names billionaire and school-choice advocate Betsy DeVos Secretary of Education. Many are concerned by her lack of competence, experience, and academic credentials. Not to mention the systematic dismantling of the civil rights office.