Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The History of Early Childhood Education
The History of Early Childhood Education
Early Childhood
Education
D - 9.01 - History 1
Who are you?
How did you grow to become the unique
person you are today?
What do you remember
about your childhood?
● Earliest memory
● Memory you expect to keep throughout
life
D - 9.01 - History 3
Other Memories . . .
D - 9.01 - History 4
The Importance of History
● Why is it important to
know about the history
of early childhood
education?
D - 9.01 - History 5
Knowing about ECE History
● Provides a sense of support and perspective
● Serves as a source of inspiration
● Helps teachers develop creative expression
● Helps teachers develop better methods of
teaching
● Creates awareness and understanding of changes
in education
● Helps individuals get in touch with their own early
childhood experiences
● Helps individuals develop a philosophy of teaching
D - 9.01 - History 6
Many people have
contributed to our
understanding of child
development …
D - 9.01 - History 7
John Locke
1632-1714
● Founder of modern educational
philosophy
● Theory based on scientific method, study
of mind and learning
● Believed that each child is born with a
“clean slate” (tabula rasa) on which their
experiences are written
Tabula rasa
D - 9.01 - History 8
Environmentalism
• The environment, not
innate characteristics,
determines what
children will become
• The environment forms
the mind
D - 9.01 - History 9
Your Views - John Locke
D - 9.01 - History 10
Friedrich Froebel
1782 - 1852
• Coined the word kindergarten
• Started the first kindergarten in
Germany in 1837
• Emphasized teacher-directed learning
• Advocated freedom, initiative, and
relevant curriculum
D - 9.01 - History 11
Friedrich Froebel ---
Father of the Kindergarten
D - 9.01 - History 12
Your Views –
Friedrich Froebel
D - 9.01 - History 14
The Id, the Ego, and the Superego –
Sigmund Freud
D - 9.01 - History 15
Your Views –
Sigmund Freud
● What do Freud’s
beliefs and his work
mean to you?
● How well were your
needs met as a child?
D - 9.01 - History 16
John Dewey
1858 - 1952
• First real American influence
on American education
• Founder of progressive
movement
• His theory = progressivism
child-centered
• Advocated
learning in groups
D - 9.01 - History 17
Dewey’s
Pedagogic Creed
“Education, therefore, is
a process of living and
not a preparation for
future living.”
-John Dewey
D - 9.01 - History 18
Your Views - John Dewey
D - 9.01 - History 21
Your Views –
Margaret McMillan
● How important are fresh air, sleep,
and bathing to the health and well-
being of children?
● Have you ever known a situation
where a child did not receive
adequate physical care? What were
the results?
D - 9.01 - History 22
Rudolph Steiner
1861 - 1925
• Founded Waldorf Schools
• Interdisciplinary, multi-
sensory curriculum with
emphasis on the arts
• Emphasized the whole child;
begin where the learner is.
• Promoted self-regulation and
self-discipline
D - 9.01 - History 23
Rudolph Steiner
● Steiner believed that experiences for
young children need to be carefully
selected. He believed that fairy tales
helped them learn important truths.
● Modern-day followers of Waldorf
philosophy believe that TV-viewing for
children should be limited.
D - 9.01 - History 24
Your Views –
Rudolph Steiner
D - 9.01 - History 25
Patty Hill
1868 - 1946
• Founded the National Association
for the Education of Young
Children
• Originated large-muscle equipment
and materials for climbing and
construction.
• Wrote the song “Happy Birthday”
D - 9.01 - History 26
Patty Hill
● Her ideas about
unifying
kindergarten and
first-grade work
became the focus of
modern
kindergarten
practice.
D - 9.01 - History 27
Your Views – Patty Hill
D - 9.01 - History 28
Maria Montessori
1870 - 1952
Child copies • Education begins at birth
reality,
rather than
constructs it.
• The early years are very important
as children go through “sensitive
periods.” Their curiosity makes them
ready to learn certain things at certain
times.
• Goals of education: the formation of
the child and development of
character
D - 9.01 - History 29
Maria Montessori
● Elements of early childhood programs
that are attributed to Montessori:
– A prepared environment (the teacher’s
responsibility)
– Self-correcting and sequential materials
(usually tactile-touch)
– Teaching based on observation
– Trust in children’s inborn drive to learn
D - 9.01 - History 30
Your Views – Montessori
D - 9.01 - History 31
Lev Vygotsky
1896-1934
• Focuses on the child as a whole
• Incorporates culture and values into
child development
• Sociocultural Theory: A child’s
development is influenced by more
than personal experiences.
D - 9.01 - History 32
Vygotsky’s
Sociocultural Theory
● Important influences on a child’s
development include
– Family
– Community
– Socioeconomic status
– Culture
D - 9.01 - History 33
Sociocultural Theory-
Implications for Teachers
1. Incorporate each child’s family and
culture into the school.
2. The relationship between teacher and
child is very important to learning.
3. Use the tools of the society to help
children learn.
4. Play is an important part of learning.
5. It’s very important to note individual
differences among learners.
D - 9.01 - History 34
Lev Vygotsky
● Zone of proximal
development (ZPD)
(the distance between the
actual developmental level
and the level of potential
development)
D - 9.01 - History 35
Your View – Vygotsky
D - 9.01 - History 36
Loris Malaguzzi
1920 - 1994
• Founded Reggio Emilia Schools
• Schools have teachers, a
pedagogista, and an aterlierista
• All children capable of learning
• Children construct their own
learning
• Documenting children’s work is
essential for success of the
program
D - 9.01 - History 37
Loris Malaguzzi
D - 9.01 - History 38
Your Views – Malaguzzi
D - 9.01 - History 39
Imagine what our world would
have been like without . . .
● Kindergarten
● Nursery school
● Montessori schools
● Child-centered learning
● Medical/dental care for children?
D - 9.01 - History 40
What do you think the
contributions of these
leaders will mean to you
as you work with young
children?
D - 9.01 - History 41
Stay tuned for more . . .
Objective 3.01
Recognize the importance of and contributions
of leaders in the history of early childhood
education.