D - 9.01 - History 1

The History of The History of Early Childhood Early Childhood

EducationEducation

Who are you?Who are you?How did you grow to become the unique How did you grow to become the unique

person you are today?person you are today?

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What do you remember What do you remember about your childhood?about your childhood?

Earliest memoryEarliest memory

Memory you expect to keep throughout Memory you expect to keep throughout lifelife

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Other Memories . . . Other Memories . . .

Most embarrassing moment?Most embarrassing moment?

Happiest experience?Happiest experience?

Scariest experience?Scariest experience?

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The Importance of HistoryThe Importance of History

Why is it important to Why is it important to know about the history know about the history of early childhood of early childhood education?education?

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Knowing about ECE HistoryKnowing about ECE History

Provides a sense of support and perspectiveProvides a sense of support and perspective

Serves as a source of inspirationServes as a source of inspiration

Helps teachers develop creative expressionHelps teachers develop creative expression

Helps teachers develop better methods of Helps teachers develop better methods of teachingteaching

Creates awareness and understanding of changes Creates awareness and understanding of changes in educationin education

Helps individuals get in touch with their own early Helps individuals get in touch with their own early childhood experienceschildhood experiences

Helps individuals develop a philosophy of teachingHelps individuals develop a philosophy of teaching

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Many people have Many people have contributed to our contributed to our understanding of child understanding of child development development ……

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John LockeJohn Locke1632-1714

Tabula rasa

Founder of modern educational Founder of modern educational philosophyphilosophy

Theory based on scientific method, study Theory based on scientific method, study of mind and learningof mind and learning

Believed that each child is born with a Believed that each child is born with a ““clean slateclean slate”” ((tabula rasa) tabula rasa) on which their on which their experiences are writtenexperiences are written

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EnvironmentalismEnvironmentalism

•The environment, not innate characteristics, determines what children will become

•The environment forms the mind

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Your Views Your Views -- John LockeJohn Locke

What do LockeWhat do Locke’’s beliefs s beliefs and his work mean to and his work mean to you?you?

What do you think What do you think about his about his ““clean slateclean slate”” theory?theory?

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Friedrich FroebelFriedrich Froebel1782 - 1852

•Coined the word kindergarten

•Started the first kindergarten in Germany in 1837

•Emphasized teacher-directed learning

•Advocated freedom, initiative, and relevant curriculum

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Friedrich Froebel Friedrich Froebel ------ Father of the KindergartenFather of the Kindergarten

In German, the word kindergarten means “children’s garden.”

Association between flower buds opening and children going through a natural unfolding process

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Your Views Your Views –– Friedrich FroebelFriedrich Froebel

What do FroebelWhat do Froebel’’s beliefs and s beliefs and his work mean to you?his work mean to you?

What do you remember about What do you remember about being in kindergarten?being in kindergarten?

Did your kindergarten Did your kindergarten experiences affect the person experiences affect the person you are today?you are today?

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Sigmund FreudSigmund Freud1856-1939

•A child’s personality develops through a predictable pattern of psychosexual stages.

•Many emotional and psychological problems of adults are connected to how their parents and care providers met their basic needs as children.

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The Id, the Ego, and the Superego The Id, the Ego, and the Superego –– Sigmund FreudSigmund Freud

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Your Views Your Views –– Sigmund FreudSigmund Freud

What do FreudWhat do Freud’’s s beliefs and his work beliefs and his work mean to you?mean to you?

How well were your How well were your needs met as a child?needs met as a child?

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John DeweyJohn Dewey1858 - 1952•First real American influence on American education

•Founder of progressive movement

•His theory = progressivism

•Advocated child-centered learning in groups

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DeweyDewey’’s s Pedagogic CreedPedagogic Creed

““Education, therefore, is Education, therefore, is a process of living and a process of living and not a preparation for not a preparation for future living.future living.””

--John DeweyJohn Dewey

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Your Views Your Views -- John DeweyJohn Dewey

How much of education do How much of education do you believe is preparation for you believe is preparation for future living, and how much is future living, and how much is the actual process of living?the actual process of living?

Do you feel that learning Do you feel that learning should be centered around the should be centered around the subject or around the child?subject or around the child?

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Margaret McMillanMargaret McMillan1860 - 1931

•Margaret and her sister Rachel extended concern beyond education to medical and dental care for children

•Created open-air nursery in a slum

•Developed the McMillan theory of fresh air, sleep, and bathing

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The McMillan SistersThe McMillan Sisters

Margaret and Rachel McMillan crusaded Margaret and Rachel McMillan crusaded to improve child care in English slums.to improve child care in English slums.

Many people credit the creation of Many people credit the creation of nursery schools to these sisters.nursery schools to these sisters.

Margaret created the name Margaret created the name nursery nursery school school ------ nursery nursery to focus on the goal to focus on the goal of nurturing good health, andof nurturing good health, and school school to to focus on educating young children.focus on educating young children.

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Your Views Your Views –– Margaret McMillanMargaret McMillan

How important are fresh air, sleep, How important are fresh air, sleep, and bathing to the health and welland bathing to the health and well-- being of children?being of children?

Have you ever known a situation Have you ever known a situation where a child did not receive where a child did not receive adequate physical care? What were adequate physical care? What were the results?the results?

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Rudolph SteinerRudolph Steiner1861 - 1925

•Founded Waldorf Schools

•Interdisciplinary, multi- sensory curriculum with emphasis on the arts

•Emphasized the whole child; begin where the learner is.

•Promoted self-regulation and self-discipline

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Rudolph SteinerRudolph Steiner

Steiner believed that experiences for Steiner believed that experiences for young children need to be carefully young children need to be carefully selected. He believed that fairy tales selected. He believed that fairy tales helped them learn important truths.helped them learn important truths.

ModernModern--day followers of Waldorf day followers of Waldorf philosophy believe that TVphilosophy believe that TV--viewing for viewing for children should be limited.children should be limited.

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Your Views Your Views –– Rudolph SteinerRudolph Steiner

What are your views on children What are your views on children and television?and television?

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Patty HillPatty Hill1868 - 1946

•Founded the National Association for the Education of Young Children

•Originated large-muscle equipment and materials for climbing and construction.

•Wrote the song “Happy Birthday”

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Patty HillPatty Hill

Her ideas about unifying kindergarten and first-grade work became the focus of modern kindergarten practice.

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Your Views Your Views –– Patty HillPatty Hill

Do you believe it is important for Do you believe it is important for kindergarten and firstkindergarten and first--grade grade learning experiences to be learning experiences to be unified?unified?

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Maria MontessoriMaria Montessori1870 - 1952

•Education begins at birth

•The early years are very important as children go through “sensitive periods.” Their curiosity makes them ready to learn certain things at certain times.

•Goals of education: the formation of the child and development of character

Child copies reality, rather

than constructs it.

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Maria MontessoriMaria Montessori

Elements of early childhood programs that are attributed to Montessori:– A prepared environment (the teacher’s

responsibility)– Self-correcting and sequential materials

(usually tactile-touch)– Teaching based on observation– Trust in children’s inborn drive to learn

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Your Views Your Views –– MontessoriMontessori

Which of Maria MontessoriWhich of Maria Montessori’’s s philosophies ring true for you?philosophies ring true for you?

Were you ever enrolled in a Were you ever enrolled in a Montessori school as a child, or Montessori school as a child, or have you ever visited one?have you ever visited one?

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Lev Lev VygotskyVygotsky

•Focuses on the child as a whole

•Incorporates culture and values into child development

•Sociocultural Theory: A child’s development is influenced by more than personal experiences.

1896-1934

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VygotskyVygotsky’’ss SocioculturalSociocultural TheoryTheory

Important influences on a childImportant influences on a child’’s s development includedevelopment include–– FamilyFamily–– CommunityCommunity–– Socioeconomic statusSocioeconomic status–– CultureCulture

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SocioculturalSociocultural TheoryTheory-- Implications for TeachersImplications for Teachers

1.1. Incorporate each childIncorporate each child’’s family and s family and culture into the school.culture into the school.

2.2. The relationship between teacher and The relationship between teacher and child is very important to learning.child is very important to learning.

3.3. Use the tools of the society to help Use the tools of the society to help children learn.children learn.

4.4. Play is an important part of learning.Play is an important part of learning.5.5. ItIt’’s very important to note individual s very important to note individual

differences among learners.differences among learners.

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Lev Lev VygotskyVygotsky

Zone of proximal development (ZPD)(the distance between the (the distance between the actual developmental level actual developmental level and the level of potential and the level of potential development)development)

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Your View Your View –– VygotskyVygotsky

Can you think of an area of skill Can you think of an area of skill in which your ZPD is large in which your ZPD is large ------ that that is, the distance between your is, the distance between your actual level of skill and your actual level of skill and your potential skill level is very great?potential skill level is very great?““You have a long way to go!You have a long way to go!””

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Loris Loris MalaguzziMalaguzzi1920 - 1994

•Founded Reggio Emilia Schools

•Schools have teachers, a pedagogista, and an aterlierista

•All children capable of learning

•Children construct their own learning

•Documenting children’s work is essential for success of the program

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Loris Loris MalaguzziMalaguzzi

The family and community are important parts of the “amiable school.”

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Your Views Your Views –– MalaguzziMalaguzzi

What do you think should What do you think should be the role of the family in be the role of the family in an early childhood an early childhood classroom?classroom?

The role of the community?The role of the community?

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Imagine what our world would Imagine what our world would have been like without . . .have been like without . . .

KindergartenKindergarten

Nursery schoolNursery school

Montessori schoolsMontessori schools

ChildChild--centered learningcentered learning

Medical/dental care for children?Medical/dental care for children?

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What do you think the What do you think the contributions of these contributions of these leaders will mean to you leaders will mean to you as you work with young as you work with young children? children?

Stay tuned for more . . .Stay tuned for more . . .

Objective 3.01 Objective 3.01 Recognize the importance of and contributions Recognize the importance of and contributions

of leaders in the history of early childhood of leaders in the history of early childhood education.education.