Gordon Biddle, Early Childhood Education: Becoming a Professional Instructor Resource
Chapter 2: History: Exploring the Beginnings of Early Childhood Education
This chapter focuses on the history of early childhood education, beginning in the 18th
Century. The Greek philosophers, Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates, realized that there was a need
for formal education, not only to benefit their community as a whole, but to assist the individual
people. In the dark and middle ages, Plutarch wrote about the need to treat children more
humanely. Changing views toward children were beginning. There were many individual who
contributed to education, specifically the early years. Some of those theorists were John Amos
Comenius, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, Jean Piaget, Lev
Semenovich Vygotsky, John Dewey, Erik Homburger Erikson, Abraham Maslow, Benjamin
Bloom, and Jerome Bruner. It is important for teachers to learn about these early theorists in
order to understand the beginning and see how far we have come.
I. Major Ideas Influencing Early Childhood Education
A. Ancient Educational Theorists
1. Historical need for formal education
2. Greek philosophers
a. Plato
b. Aristotle
c. Socrates
B. The Dark and Middle Ages
2. Aries discussed the changing attitudes toward young children
II. Individual Contributions to Early Childhood Education
A. Renaissance and Reformation
1. European Influences
3. Erasmus
Gordon Biddle, Early Childhood Education: Becoming a Professional Instructor Resource
4. John Amos Comenius
5. John Locke
B. An Improved View of Childhood
1. John Jacques Rousseau
a. Children are not miniature adults
C. The Beginning Point for Early Childhood Education
1. Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
a. Leonard and Gertrude
2. Friedrich Froebel
1) Gifts
2) Occupations
D. Influence of European Women
1. Margaret McMillan
2. Maria Montessori
a. Independent work
b. Specific materials
E. Early Childhood Education Constructivists
1. Jean Piaget
2. Lev Semenovich Vygotsky
a. Zone of Proximal Development
b. Scaffolding
F. American Influences
1. John Dewey
a. Children’s active participation
2. Margaret McMillan
a. Developmentally appropriate
3. Abigail Adams Eliot
4. Erik Homburger Erikson
5. Abraham Maslow
6. Benjamin Bloom
a. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
7. Jerome Bruner
a. Children are active learners
III. Major Contributors to the Kindergarten Movement
A. European Influences: Friedrich Froebel
B. American Influences
1. The Peabody Sisters
2. Margarethe Meyer Schurz
4. Patty Smith Hill