History of Education

  • Johann Amos Comenius

    In 1657 Comenius published the first children's book with pictures. This was one of the first in the growing children's picture book industry.
  • John Locke Essay

    John Locke published his original essay explaining his new ideas. He discused how children are born without preconceived ideas/notions, and all experiences/education is to be taught.
  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau

    Jean-Jacques Rousseau published his thoughts on education. He believed growth in education should be based on the child's growth and based on the physical and mental stages of an individual/group.
  • Johann H. Pestalozzi

    Johann Pestalozzi published a book "How Gertrude Teaches Her Children," to emphasize home education.
  • Robert Owen

    Robert Owen created an infant school. This was created in New Lanark England and was used as a social reform for children with working parents.
  • Start of Kindergarten

    In 1837, Froebl opened the first kindergarten in Germany. This was the beginning of more kindergartens being opened around the world, and the journey to public kindergartens, training programs for teachers, and the Kindergarten Union.
  • Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel 

    In Blankenburg Germany, Frobel opened the first kindergarten. This was the first of many kindergartners to be opened.
  • Education Reform

    More students were aloud to enter public schools regardless of race, ethnicity, etc. Eventually, this lead to more acts and a reform was created for diversity/equal oppertunity in school.
  • Rudolf Steiner

    Rudolf Steiner was born. Steiner brought his thoughts to the education world. He discussed how important real-world living and skills are to education and how education is more than "just learning."
  • Maria Montessori

    Montessori opens "Casa di Bambini," a children's house in a poor district in Rome Italy. Montessori went on to create an educational philosophy program to help lead children's growth.
  • Nursery School

    Nusrey schools were started in the 1920s in England. These were created to help young children. These children could engage their minds while still having "fun," with acting, playing outside, drama, art, etc.
  • A. S. Neill

    A. S. Neill founds "Summerhill School." This school was founded in England and served as a example for the "free school movement." There was later a book published on this movement.
  • Sputnik

    Sputnik was an artificial satellite launched in 1957. This satellite inspired many students to pursue science or mechanical engineering, creating the next generation of students in these fields.
  • Highscope

    Highscope was a study that took place from 1962-1967. The study focused on increasing children's IQs and found the primary 5 factors in children's learning.
  • DAP

    DAP (developmentally appropriate practice) was created in 1987. This was put in place so students worked at paces and learned at paces they were developmentally capable of, so each student/grade didn't get rushed or behind.
  • No Child Left Behind Legislation

    In 2002, the United States passed the No Child Left Behind Legislation. This forced federal programs to overall improve the performance of public schools. Annual state testing, report cards, & progress updates are now to be mandated in schools.
  • Technology

    The creation of the worldwide web. Computers came to schools within the next 20 years and with the combination of the www, we are able to access the internet and do a majority of our work online.
  • Standards

    Standards are always being raised in education, but one primary example is in the 2010s. School State Cheifs realized a much more in-depth curriculum of what needed to be taught in each grade, which was enforced almost immediately.
  • Head Start

    Head Start completes the plan to raise teacher education requirements. This changes the rules to require at least one teacher in a classroom to have a bachelor's degree.