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Johann Amos Comenius
A Czech educator. He wrote the first picture book for children. He mostly contributed to books with illustrations, an emphasis on education with the senses, and the social reform potential of education. -
John Locke
Founder of modern educational philosophy. His theory of education was based on the scientific method and the study of the mind and learning. Locke believed that children are born neutral, rather than evil. Locke's contribution is felt most in our acceptance of differences, our reason for helping children learn, and in his theory of a "clean slate". -
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
A Swiss writer and philosopher. He proposed that children were not inherently evil, but naturally good. He reasoned that education should reflect this goodness and allow spontaneous interests and activities of the children. His ideas are still followed today in early childhood classes. -
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
A Swiss educator. He offered theories on education and caring that have formed the basis of many common teaching practices of early childhood education. His contributions are strongest around the integration of the curriculum and group teaching. -
Social Reform
Major theme in early childhood education. Referred to the idea that schooling for young children will lead to social change and improvement. -
Kindergarten
Contributed to by Froebel who believed that early education should be pleasant. Kindergarten was centered around self-activity and the development of children's self-esteem and self-confidence. The theories Froebel came up with influenced Montessori and how modern kindergartens are run. -
Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel
One of the major contributors to early childhood education. He is best known as the "Father of the Kindergarten." His organization of educational thought and ideas about learning, curriculum, and teacher training served as the foundation for the development of a system of education for young children. -
Rudolf Steiner
An Austrian philosopher, scientist, and artist. He gave lectures which led to the establishment of schools now known as Waldorf Education. This system influenced mainstream education in Europe, and its international reputation is felt in North America today. -
Robert Owen
An industrialist and follower of Pestalozzi. He established labor practices for the workers and schooling for their children. His infant school provided a secure setting for children 3 to 10 years of age, and was based on philosophy of guidance rather than punishment; nature study, dance and song, and stories were included in the program. -
DAP
Developmentally Appropriate Practices. The dynamic nature of DAP allows for both basic principles and variation. DAP can reflect the best, most current thinking of the field, and it requires periodic evaluation and revision. -
Maria Montesorri
First female physician in Italy. She worked in the slums of Rome with poor children and with mentally retarded children. She focused on the sequential steps of learning, which she was than able to develop into a set of learning materials that we still use widely today. -
Nursery Schools
Fostered the child's total development. Parent education was acknowledged as a vital function of the school and led to the establishment of parent cooperative schools. The children were enrolled from middle- and upper-class homes, as well as from working families. -
A. S. Neill
The most famous proponent of the "free/natural school" movement of the mid-20th century. Neill claimed that most education was defective because it arose from the model of original sin. Neill's belief in freedom was practiced in his school, where children governed themselves and worked toward equal rights with adults. -
Sputnik
A Soviet satellite which was the first successful space exploration in the world. Sputnik caused an upheaval in educational circles. The emphasis in education quickly settled on engineering, science, and math in hopes of catching up with Soviet technology. -
Head Start
This was conceived as education's role in fighting the "war on poverty." This was a revolution in American education which had not been seen since the short-lived child care programs during WWII. This project was the first large-scale effort by the government to focus on children living in poverty. -
High Scope
Conceived to address the effects of poverty on children's development and to focus attention on cognitive aspects of learning. The curriculum identified key experiences relating to concept development and expanded to include education for all developmental domains, as well as recommendations for the physical environment and daily schedule. -
Media and Technology
Technology is staggering into modern life with its speed and influence. The inclusion of devices into the lives of families, children, and schools is here to stay. Brain development and neuroscience must be blended with the technology that we are using in the early 21st century and beyond. -
No Child Left Behind
A type of educational reform. This reform is based on the idea that quality education can be defined so as to close the achievement gap. -
Standards
Education in the U.S. has become focused on an extensive implementation of state educational standards. The standards-based movement in early learning includes identification and monitoring of quality indicators, as well as an emphasis on data-driven decision-making.