Time Tested Early Childhood Theories and Practices.

Abstract

Introduction The origins of many early childhood education theories and practices today can be traced back in time to early educators and philosophers who had a passion for the development and education of young children. Theories and practices drawn from such individuals as Johann Amos Comenius, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Johann Pestalozzi, William Froebel, John Dewey, and Maria Montessori still have a strong presence in the philosophies, instructional strategies and curriculum materials found in early childhood settings today. While modifications and adaptations to the original ideas proposed by these individual have taken place, the essence of their contributions continue on. Many scholars argue that it was only in the seventeenth century (Betty, 1995) that childhood was beginning to be recognized as a separate life stage that may require a unique approach to care, development and education. The early writings and teachings of Comenius, Locke and Rousseau set the stage for discourse and theories on how to best raise and educate young children. Comenius, Locke and Rousseau wrote treaties that advocated more child-centered, natural approaches for the development and education of the young. While many of these early educators suggested that early education of the young take place in the home environment, their fundamental beliefs had applications for formal schooling of the young. Comenius developed a curriculum for the home consisting of three areas: things young children should know, things they should be able to do, and things they should be able to say. In years to follow Pestalozzi, Froebel, Dewey, and Montessori began to design educational programs in Europe which later had a major influence on early childhood curriculum in the United States. Much of the pedagogy promoted by Pestalozzi, Froebel, Dewey, and Montessori focused on formal schooling in institutional settings away from the home environment. Many of the early theories were put in to practice and modified by such educators as Margarethe Shurz who was credited with establishing the first kindergarten program in the United States; Elizabeth Peabody who spread the philosophy of Froebel and was instrumental in the American kindergarten movement across the country; and Patty Smith Hill who also strongly promoted kindergarten education (Snyder, 1972). What follows is an overview of the theories and practices from the past that are present in early childhood education today. Specific attention in this article will be given to the following areas: thoughts on the nature of children, thoughts on how children come to learn, curriculum development, and instructional materials used in the learning process. The article concludes with an epilogue listing of the significant contributions of the past that, in many respects, still influence early childhood theories and practices today. Nature of Children Prior to the time of Comenius, Rousseau, Pestalozzi, Froebel, and others, little thought was given to the development and education of children, especially the very young. With the exception of harsh discipline, a majority of common children were ignored until such time as they could work and contribute to the well being of the family. Infants were usually left to do whatever with care being provided to them by older siblings. By the age of four or five, they were left more to themselves and were assigned small chores around the house. At the age of about twelve, children were assigned jobs in the fields. Little parent-child interactions or education took place in most homes which was the norm during this time period. In the years to come, the thoughts on the nature of young children would be reevaluated and in the case of some families, change. Johann Comenius was a Czech educator who was one of the first individuals to advocate and stress the importance of pre-birth care and early education for the young. …