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Jan 1, 1483
Martin Luther (1483-1546)
Before Martin Luther's time most children learned how to read and write, artithmatic, science and history from Catholic monks, usually in latin. Martin Luther made it possible for children to begin learning in their own language. In today's classrooms in America, children mostly learn in English, which is many of the students' native tongues, however programs like ESL can help children who have different native tongues. -
John Comenius (1592-1670)
John Comenius was best known for his teaching style that dealt with using senses to learn best. He also thought that during a child's younger years is when they developed most of who they would be as an adult. He also wrote the first picture book, "Orbis Pictus." Many early childhood programs today deal with sensory learning. -
John Locke (1632-1704)
John Locke is credited for his theories of the mind being a blank tablet where our experiences are written and thus shape who we are. His theories are still recognized today as being very influencial. -
Jean-Jaques Rousseau (1712-1778)
Jean-Jaques Rousseau believed that the context of what a child must learn should be based upon his or her level of development. He encouraged natural education for young children. Today we have a different set of curriculums for each grade level. -
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827)
Johann Pestalozzi's influence on early childhood education today was highly based upon the works of Comenius and Rousseau. He believed that sensory learning was the best kind of learning for children. Pestalozzi encouraged lessons based upon counting, measuring, feeling, and touching. These are practices we still use today. -
Robert Owen (1771-1858)
Robert Owen decided to open a school for infants and children ages 18 months-ten years. He owned cotton fields where the parents of the children in his school worked. His ideals for important education early in childhood led to the first infant school in London in 1818. He taught that education can build a new society. This is still true to this day. What we are teaching our children directly influences what their role is in the workplace and what ideals they hold and act upon. -
Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel (1782-1852)
Known as the "Father of Kindergarten," Frobel was famous for seeing teaching in terms of gardening. The children are like seeds that he must grow to bear fruit. His gardening metephor is still used today. -
John Dewey (1859-1952)
John Dewey's appraoch to learning is one that I highly agree with. He believed that, "education is a process of living and not a preparation for future living." I think this is missed out on in American culture nowadays. We prepare students for college life or the workplace, however, we tend to focus less on their "now." He also believed that the child is more important than the lesson that they are being taught. -
Erik Erikson (1902-1994)
Erik Erikson developed a psychological development theory that was based upon congnitive and developmental research. Be believed that other children, parents, and teachers all made their mark on the life of the individual child and that each child had a desire to be involved, competent, and achieve. In today's philosophy classes, Erickson's theories about how we grow and learn are taught. We can utilize his theories to understand more about our students. -
Howard Gardner (1943-present)
Gardner believed that all children didn't learn just one exact way, but a variety of ways, nine in fact. He suggests that people can be "smart" in a variety of ways. His nine intelligences can be very useful in today's classroom to be able to reach the diverse learning styles of many children.
