History of Early Childhood Education

By cortneycabrera
  • Period: 450 BCE to 100 BCE

    The Origin of "Schools"

    Greek and Roman philosophers began educating small groups outside of the home.
  • 1517

    The Reformation

    In his pursuit of Reforming the Church, Martin Luther encouraged parents to educate their children in a more intentional fashion. Schools that teach traditional subjects begin to be founded.
  • Period: to

    Locke & Rousseau

    Influential philosophers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau focus attention on the individual learner. Locke's "tabula rasa" and Rousseau's book "Emile" both emphasis the unblemished nature of young children and the need to educate from an early age.

  • The First Children's Book

    Johann Amos Comenius published the first picture book written for children. Comenius influenced early ideas about child development and the acquisition of knowledge.

  • The Integrated Curriculum

    Johann Henrich Pestalozzi popularized the idea of the "integrated curriculum"--educating the whole child in multiple disciplines.

  • The Founding of "Kindergarten"

    Frederich Wilhelm Froebel founded his first "kindergarten" dedicated to educating children under age 6. Froebel believed the early years of learning should be play-based and enjoyable.

  • John Dewey Progresses American Education

    Dewey's ideas closely aligned with Rousseau, Froebel, and other scholars who believed that early education should be child-centered and hands-on. Dewey changed the landscape of the American classroom from rigid to accommodating.

  • Marie Montessori's First Preschool

    Montessori combined her medical background and her desire to care for young children to open a preschool center. Montessori emphasized structuring the environment to meet the needs of the child. She suggested that children could guide their own learning and would learn as they progressed through "sensitive periods."

  • National Association of Nursery Education

    Patty Smith Hill established the National Association of Nursery Education and attempted to define standards and requirements for the education of young children. NANE would later develop into the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

  • Brown v. the Board of Education

    A series of court cases, including most famously Brown v. the Board of Education, led to the desegregation of schools. The concept of "separate but equal" was found to be unconstitutional.

  • Head Start

    Head Start was founded as program aimed to provide opportunity to economically disadvantaged populations. The founding principles suggested that early education was a necessity to ending the cycle of poverty.
  • Period: to

    Standards-Based Movement

    With the passing of No Child Left Behind and the introduction of the Common Core Curriculum, the current educational environment emphasizes education based on a common, measurable set of standards.