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Martin Luther promoted the concept of schools so that people could learn to read. Luther felt that anyone could interpret the Bible but they had to be able to read to do that.
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In 1693 Locke wrote a book called Some Thoughts Concerning Education. He said children are born as blank slates. He also believed children’s experiences determine who they are and experiences are the basis of all learning.
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In 1755 Rousseau wrote Emile which stated the need for public or national education. He felt that it was possible to preserve the nature of the child “by means of the careful control of his education and environment, based on an analysis of the different physical and psychological stages through which he passed from birth to maturity”
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Robert Owen opened an institute in 1816 for children from 1-6 years old. He told the teachers to keep the children happy and to never be cross with them. He wanted a happy environment because he felt the environment determines a child’s behavior. He thought education would help build a new society.
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In 1837 Massachusetts created the nation’s first board of education with Horace Man as its secretary. Horace Mann felt that education should be paid for, controlled, and maintained by the public and must be provided by well-trained, professional teachers.
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Montessori opened a child care center in 1907. Maria designed learning materials and created a classroom environment that nurtured the children’s natural desire to learn. She felt respect for children is the foundation for teaching and all knowledge comes from sensory experiences.
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John Dewey wrote The School and Society in 1899, How We Think in 1910 and Democracy and Education in 1916. He wanted progressive educational reform because he felt that education should be based on the principle of learning through doing. The curriculum should be based on children’s interests.
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Lev Vygotsky in 1934 said he believed strongly that “cognitive development stems from social interactions from guided learning within the zone of proximal development as children and their partners co-construct knowledge.” According to Vygotsky adults are an important source of cognitive development.
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Erikson’s (1959) theory of psychosocial development has eight distinct stages and cognitive development occurs during these eight stages. successful completion of each stage results in a healthy personality and Failure to successfully complete a stage can result in a reduced ability to complete further stages and therefore a more unhealthy personality and sense of self.
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Howard Gardner wrote Frames of Mind in 1983. This was his first full-length statement of his theory of multiple intelligences. He believed intelligence is a set of abilities, nine in all, not just one single broad ability.
