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John Amos Comenius
John Amos Comenius was born on March 28, 1592, in Nivnice, Moravia, Habsburg domain. He wrote a text for mothers called The School of Infancy. This text helps guide mothers to expose their children to subjects they will encounter in school. To add to this, he suggested school levels that are still used today. These school levels include kindergarten, elementary, middle school, high school, and university. To this day, he is known as one of the greatest scholars of education. -
John Locke
John Locke was born on August 29, 1632, in Wringtet, England. He was an English philosopher. During this time, many people considered children miniature adults. He noted that children are not familiar with the same things adults are. Because of this, they need to stay curious and busy to help their minds wander. Furthermore, they respond well to praise and need correction without punishment. He helped many people know the importance of caring and understanding children. -
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born on June 28, 1712, in Geneva, Switzerland. During this period, his views changed parenting practices. His work is credited as being the first developmental account of childhood due to his emphasis on stages of development, such as pre-adolescence, puberty, and adulthood. In addition, he figured out that maturation and development work together. His work also emphasized the importance of teaching and play within the early years of childhood education. -
Johann Henrich Pestalozzi
Johann Henrich Pestalozzi was born on January 12, 1746, in Zürich. He is the founder of the "Pestalozzi Method." He stated that children benefit by learning with objects and activities instead of through words. He also argued the importance of letting children be independent. Despite this, children still need to be encouraged and nurtured. Furthermore, he believed in balanced education based on psychomotor, affective, and cognitive development, otherwise known as "hands, heart, and head." -
Robert Owen
Robert Owen was born on May 14, 1771, in Newtown, Wales. In 1816, he opened the first infant school in Great Britain at the New Lanark Mills. He believed that books in infant schools are useless and teaching should be based on the children's interests by using play and exploration instead. His infant school model was later transformed into a structured program. -
Friedrich Froebel
Friedrich Froebel was born on April 21, 1782, in Oberweissbach, Thuringia, Ernestine Saxony. He was a German educator who founded kindergarten. He also was one of the most influential educational reformers of the 19th century. In his lifetime, he opened multiple schools and trained elementary school teachers. -
Kindergarten
Friedrich Froebel created the first kindergarten in Germany in 1837. He emphasized the importance of stories, play, music, and nature study. He also thought it was important for the children to sit in a circle. Furthermore, he advocated for using crafts and materials, allowing the children to learn hands-on. While kindergarten has evolved, many of his original beliefs are still present. -
Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Steiner was born on February 27, 1861, in Kraljević, Austria. He is the founder of the anthroposophy, or wisdom of the human being, involving spiritual teaching. Nowadays, "Steiner Education" exists and follows his philosophy. The main features of this form of education include strong relationships between teachers and students, a holistic approach, creativity, and play. His theory has helped many children throughout the years. -
Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori was born on August 31, 1870, in Chiaravalle, Italy. She created the Montessori system. Her system is based on the belief in the creative potential of children, their drive to learn, and the right of each child to be treated as an individual. She was also interested in the education problems of intellectually disabled children. Furthermore, in 1907, she opened the first "Children's House," a preschool for children ages three to six. -
A.S. Neill
A.S. Neill was born on October 17, 1883, in Forfar, Scotland. He was a British educator and author who founded the Summerhill School and supported self-development in the education of children. Before founding Summerhill, he founded an international school. After he founded Summerhill, it became internationally known for its flexible curriculum and self-governing student-teacher body. -
Social Reform
Social reform expects children who attend school to show social change and improvement. Many programs have worked towards improving children's health and physical well-being by responding to the physical and social aspects of their lives. Furthermore, it's important to focus on the school environment, the community, and children's interactions. -
Nursery Schools
Nursery schools were created as a place of care for physical needs, intellectual stimulation, and social and emotional aspects of young children's lives. When nurseries were first created, they followed Dewey's philosophy. Dewey's philosophy includes social cooperation, active learning, and a child-centered approach. At first, nurseries were only available to middle and upper-class families. However, nurseries are available to almost everyone nowadays. -
Sputnik
After the launch of Sputnik, the Soviet satellite, in 1957, education began an emphasis on engineering, science, and math. American education changed for cognitive achievement and social equity. -
Head Start
Head Start was founded in 1965. Head Start programs support children's growth from birth to age 5. They specifically help with early learning and development, health, and family well-being. Luckily, their services can be offered at no cost. It started as an eight-week demonstration project, but they now offer full-day/full-year services and many program options. Their programs have served over 38 million children since 1965. -
High Scope
High Scope was founded in 1970. It prioritizes active learning and participation to allow student's strengths and abilities to enhance their development. When using active learning, teachers plan activities based on observations in the classroom, allowing them to provide material that best benefits the students. Children then make their discoveries by creating plans, following through with their intentions, and reflecting. Overall, the Plan-Do-Review approach is the backbone for success in life. -
DAP
NAEYC defines “developmentally appropriate practice” as methods that promote each child's optimal development and learning through a play and strength-based approach to engaged learning. Developmentally appropriate practice recognizes and supports individuals as valued members of the learning community. -
Media and Technology
Media and Technology have made their way into the education system. The internet, computers, iPads, and more have all helped education systems. These allow for more resources and ways to teach students. -
No Child Left Behind
No Child Left Behind was the law created in the United States for K-12 schools. It was in place between 2002-2015. Before this law was created, many schools didn't focus on the progress of disadvantaged students. This law held schools accountable for their student's learning and achievements. However, the law was controversial since it penalized schools that didn't show improvement. -
Standards
Education in the United States has become focused on the implementation of state educational standards. Common Core Standards were released in 2010. This movement includes monitoring and identification of quality indicators and an emphasis on data-driven decision-making.