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Friedrich Forebel
Well known as the "Father of Kindergarten". He described stages of development that are similar to those of Piaget. -
Margarethe Schurz
The first kindergarten in the United States was founded by Margarethe Schurz in Wisconsin. -
Susan Blow
With the support of Williams Harris, Blow founded the first public school kindergarten. She launched more than 50 kindergarten classrooms. In 1892, Blow formed the International Kindergarten Union. -
Maria Montessori
Contributed her work with poor children in Rome. The prevailing opinion was that these children were mentally deficient. However, she believed what appeared to be mental retardation was not biologically based, but rather caused by the lack of stimulation in their environment. She started a program for children, ages 4-7, called Casa dei Bambini, and developed a highly successful approach to teaching children, which revealed they were not mentally disabled at all. -
Head Start
Launched in the mid 1960's, brought together the various strands of early childhood history, which are reflected in its comprehensive services, developmentally appropriate educational program, parent involvement, and its role as a national laboratory. -
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K-12 Bilingual Education
Modern bilingual programs began in the 1960's. The first two-way immersion program was established in Miami in 1963. -
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Native American Early Childhood
Federal legislation brought about significant change in the education of Indian children. Funds became available to public schools to better meet their needs and to provide bilingual education, enabling transmission of the culture and preservation of the languages, many of which were becoming extinct. -
Credential Bilingual Specialization
CDA was established for candidates who have a working knowledge of two languages and to provide more well prepared staff to work with dual language learners.