History of Early Childhood Education

By ls81
  • Feb 13, 1483

    Martin Luther (1483-1546)

    Martin Luther was the founding father of literacy. He believed everyone needed to read the Bible. Although his focus was on religious education, it was the begining of public education. He wanted to establish schools to teach children to read in their own native language.

  • John Locke (1632-1704)

    John Locke's views on child growth and development were; children are blank tablets, their development is based on the stimulations in the childs environment, and adults have the ability to teach children how to think and act in society.

  • Robert Owen (1771-1858)

    Opened the first infant school in 1816. Robert Owen believed that through education we not only improve the individual lives of children but, also improve society as a whole. His efforts led to the fisrt infant school being opened in London in 1818.

  • Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel (1782-1852)

    Froebel is known as the "father of kindergarten". He believed in the process of unfolding. He taught that if adults pay attention to the natural unfolding of the children we can create activities and enviornments that encourage the unfolding. He used manipulatives, he called them "gifts".

  • Maria Montessori (1870-1952)

    Montessori was the first woman in italy to earn a medical degree.She appled that degree to helping children with mental and physical diabilities. She beleived that disabled childrens lives could be improved through education. The Montessori method of teaching is used in over four thousand early childhood programs.

  • Civil Rights Movement (1960's)

    During the Civil Rights Movement the federal government became involved ensuring education for everyone. This was the point where politics and education became intangled. The first act called " The Civil Rights Act of 1964",included a provision that protects the constitutional rights of people to use public facilities, which included public education.

  • London B. Johnson

    President Johnson's Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 set the stage for the beginning of Head Start. EOA was part of Johnson's war on poverty. This bill adressed poverty by offering programs to promote health, education and general welfare for families that were low -income.

  • The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

    IDEA allows for all classroom enviornments and curriculums be accessible to children with diabilities. This law is the reason every early childhood teacher must be educated, to work with children with diabilties. This Act was reautherized in 1997 and again in 2004.