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Jan 1, 1500
Martin Luther - Universal Literacy
Martin Luther translated the bible into different languages so that people could be responsible for their own salvation. At this time the Protestant Reform supported universal education and the importance of learning to read. The importance of universal education is still prevalent in our society today. You will see early literacy in most early education centers. -
John Comenius
John Comenius believed edcuation should start early because a young plant can be planted, pruned and bent this way or that, but when the tree was full grown these things were impossible. Much research today suggests learning begins early and that "windows of opporunity" occurcearly in life. -
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Rousseau beleived in the idea of unfolding, where the nature of children (who and what they will be), unfolds as a result of allowing them to develop according to their innate timetables. This is at the heart of child led learning - devloping lessons based on developmental ability. -
Johann Pestalozzi
Influenced by Rousseau, Pestalozzi beleived that all education was based on sensory impressions and through the right experiences children can reach their full potential. He believed in providing objects and manipulatives. He also wrote books on how parents can teach young children. His influence today is evident among the bookshelves that are packed with books on similar topics. These books are great tools that can be used to bridge a families home environment to the school philosophy. -
Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel - Father of Kindergarten
Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel is known as the “father of kindergarten.” His concept of learning is based on a child’s natural unfolding. Teachers were observers that provided child led activities. Self activity was promoted by providing gifts and songs and educaitonal games were used. We see many centers today that are child led and there is a very strong emphasis on teacher observation and allowing learning to naturally unfold in each child. Songs and games are commonly used today as well. -
Educate all Children - Horace Mann
The idea of universal preschool is born. Horace Mann stressed the importance of educating all children. The Infant School Society of Boston submitted a petition to incorporate infant schools into the Boston Public Schools. This goal of educating all children still remains and is evident within our current U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. -
John Dewey - Biggest U.S. influencce?
Dewey has been noted as the most influential educaiton theorist in the U.S.His school was based on five things:
1. Early school should refelct home - academia is an outgrowth
2. Children live in a collaborative classroom community
3. Learning is focused on problems that children solve.
4. Motivation is internal.
5. Teacher's job is to individualize learning.
He laid the foundation for the contructivist theory which is what early childhood education is based on today. -
Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori & Montessori Methods – Montesorri was the first female scientist. She developed methods based on respect and dignity, always operating from a belief that given the appropriate environment children were competent and capable of learning. The Montessori Methods operate as the largest pedagogy in the world with 4,500 U.S. Montessori schools and 20,000 worldwide. It remains a heavy influence in todays educational landscape. -
Lev Vygotsky and Sociocultural Theory
Vygotsky’s theory of development is useful in describing children’s mental, language, and social development. He believed social interaction and experience to be the most important tools for learning. Language between teacher and child is very important to understand ways to scaffold their learning, or develop new concepts and think their way to higher levels of learning. Today Vygotsky's theory can be used to create mastery in the classroom and build self efficacy. -
Jean Piaget and Constructivist Learning
Constructivism is based on the idea that children are not empty vessels waiting to be filled with knowledge, but able to learn through their own experiences. Children are actually constructing their cognitive and social development themselves through: organization, repetition,social interactions, and problem solving. Piaget’s theory is a concrete explanation on how children develop intellectually. His theory can assist in creating developmental domains for assesing children.
