-
Period: to
John Comenius
Comenius believed that education should begin in the early years with a basis of sensory learning (Morrison, 76).
His theory of education belief was that children should learn at their natural pace and at a level they can comprehend and remember (Bowens).
Comenius wrote many books about education techniques and subject matter for the benefit of parents and teachers (Bowens).
Comenius developed the school system currently used; kindergarten, elementary, secondary, college and university(Bowens). -
Period: to
Johann Pestalozzi
Pestalozzi believed that children learn naturally through proper sensory experiences and that everyone has the ability and right to learn (Morrison, 77).
He was passionate about making education available to everyone in Europe, especially the poor people. He felt they needed to learn skills to be able to improve their lives (author unknown).
Pestalozzi made education a separate branch of education (author unknown). -
Period: to
Maria Montessori
Montessori believed that students who were unable to learn were not suffering from medical issues but lacked the proper educational support (Morrison, 82).
She believed in first teaching and engaging the senses and then the intellect (Smith).
Montessori wanted the children to learn by self-determination and self-realization with the teacher there to help and guide but not be the center of learning (Smith). -
Period: to
Friedrich Froebel
Nicknamed the "Father of Kindergarten",Froebel believed that children were like seeds and the teachers the gardeners; the children had the ability to grow but needed the care and guidance from the teachers (Morrison, 78).
Froebel believed that students could learn when they were ready and needed a teacher to guide them in their development through self activity and play (Morrison, 78).
He came up with the concept of gifts, occupations, song and educational games (Morrison, 78). -
Period: to
Eric Erikson
Erickson believed that cognitive and social development occurred simultaneously and could not be separated. This was called psychosocial development (Morrison, 100).
He believed that parents and teachers play a large part in shaping the students personality and cognitive abilities by either helping (industry) or hindering (inferiority). Industry is the ability to do, be involved, be competent, and achieve and inferiority is marked by failure and feelings of incompetence (Morrison, 100) -
Period: to
Abraham Maslow
Maslow developed self-actualization which is how people become motivated based on their satisfaction of human needs (Morrison, 96).
Once needs are met in life essentials, safety and security, belonging and love, achievement and prestige, aesthetic needs, they can reach self-actualization (Morrison, 96-98). -
Period: to
Howard Gardner
Gardner believe and there are nine different intelligences and people can excel in the different categories (Morrison, 102).
The nine intelligences are visual/special, verbal/linguistic, mathematical/logical, bodily/kinesthetic, musical/rhythmic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, naturalistic and existential (Morrison, 102). -
Period: to
Individuals with Diabilities Act
IDEA is still in effect today and allows students with disabilities to learn in a standard classroom with other students (Morrison, 84).
IDEA supports inclusion, universal design, response to instruction and differentiated instruction in the classroom (Morrison 84-85).
Because of IDEA, every early childhood teacher is able to also teach in special education (Morrison, 84-85).