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John Amos Comenius
John Amos Comenius is often considered the father of education. He was a Czech educational reformer who influenced many modern concepts. One of these concepts is imaged books. Comenius created books with images in different languages so that all would be able to learn from them and continue to expand their knowledge. -
John Locke
John Locke was one of the first to produce an essay that talked about the inherent goodness of children. He believed heavily in tabula rasa. Through his essay, he influenced many people to create opportunities for young children and allowed a better view on youth life. -
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Rousseau influenced modern education by proposing the study of development. As he studied the development of individuals, he stated that the construct of humans controlling other humans would only hinder creativity and overall development. -
Johann Henrich Pestalozzi
Pestalozzi was an educational reformer who advocated for those who were poor in the education system. He was also one of the first educational advocates who insisted on pursuing each individual child's strengths rather than standardizing the education system. -
Robert Owen
Robert Owen drafted the industrial emancipation law that played a huge role in ending child labor. This law stated that children less than ten years of age could not work, and children between ten and eighteen could work no more than ten hours in a day. As well as this, he provided free healthcare and protection for mothers for those working for him. -
Social Reform
The Social Reform movement stood for many things but one of the most important to modern society is creating public schooling systems. While these had a rough time, they helped to influence modern schooling systems and allow wider spread education. -
Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel
Froebel was a student of Pestalozzi. He invented kindergarten and He believed all children needed a place to feel loved and cherished and where their educations could grow. Because of him, modern education has high success rates and early childhood development is greatly increased. -
Kindergarten
The first kindergarten was established in 1886 by Friedrich Froebel. He believed that all children were inherently good and followed the ideals John Locke and many others. While it had a slow acceptance, kindergarten has become a crucial part in a child's learning and has been recognized as a successful learning tool. -
Rudolph Steiner
Steiner released a new theory short after the end of World War 1. This theory stated that all people were made up of three parts; their spirit, soul, and body. He stated that all of these needed to be satisfied to develop in full and to the highest potential. He wanted each child to have creative freedom in order to continue progressing and succeeding. -
A. S. Neill
Neill was an educator from Scotland who spoke towards the community governance of education and freedoms. His school and the ideals it held have an influence over modern educational systems and the self advocacy of modern schooling. -
Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori created classroom tools and a welcoming environment to allow better individual development. She influenced educational institutions to allow children creative choice and to help each child to have the necessary items to learn as best for them. -
Nursery School
Nursery schools were places where children would go to play outside, learn, play, and be inspected for health. These were like modern day preschools and helped to influence the further educational system. Overall it increased the public care for early childhood education and development. -
Sputnik
Sputnik was a satellite that orbited through space. This influenced many more children to be interested in engineering and sciences. STEM programs began to receive funding and child creativity and interest spiked. -
Head Start
Head Start provides educational opportunities to low income families. They advocate for early child education and development and support the idea of all children needing and deserving the opportunities that early schooling provide. -
High Scope
High Scope is a foundation that studies early childhood education. They develop methods to allow each child success and to better the overall education of children. It was founded in 1970 by David Weikert based upon the principles of the Perry Preschool Study. -
Standards
Standards help to set learning targets for children as well as educators. By having standards in place for learning, the education pace and levels are easily understood and can each child's education can be properly nurtured. -
DAP
The DAP allows teachers to get to know children personally to improve the outcome of their education. NAEYC created this association in the hopes of improving each individual's outcome rather than standardizing the education and learning styles given to children. They also focus on introducing children to situations and opportunities they may not otherwise be exposed to. -
No Child Left Behind
The No Child Left Behind act was passed by congress in January of 2002. This act focused on requiring schools to increase the success of their children's education. As well as this, it was set in place to strive for equal learning for all students.