Ashley's Timeline for Early Childhood Education

  • The Butler School

    The Butler School at Hampton Institute is opened as a free school for black children, including kindergarten curriculum for five-year-olds.
  • Early Experiences

    Freud cites the importance of early experiences to later mental illness, ushering in the beginning of psychoanalysis and the emphasis on the importance of the first five years.
  • Children's House

    Casa di Bambini (Children's House) is opened by Maria Montessori in a slum district in Rome, Italy. She later develops an educational philosophy and program to guide children's growth through the senses and practical life experiences.
  • The Nursery Years

    Susan Isaacs publishes The Nursery Years, which contradicts the more scientific psychological view of behavior shaping and emphasizes he child's view point and the value of play.
  • American Montessori Movement

    Nancy McCormick Rambusch founds the American Montessori movement, splitting from her European counterparts to try to shape Montessori education as a viable American public school alternative and to establish teacher training programs at both early childhood and elementary levels.
  • Period: to

    The Economic Opportunity Act

    The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 passes, becoming the foundation of Head Start Programs in the United States, as part of a federal "War on Poverty".
  • Attachments

    Mary Ainsworth publishes developmental research on mother-child interaction and follows up with work on patterns of attachment.
  • DAP

    NAEYC publishes a report entitled "Developmentally Appropriate Practices," which outlines what is meant by "quality" work with young children from infancy through age eight.
  • FMLA

    The Family and Medical Leave Act is passed, providing new parents with 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave.
  • Universal Preschool

    Universal preschool is considered as a next step in providing equal access to quality early educational experiences for all children under five years of age.