Chapter 3: History of Early Childhood Education

Many early childhood programs have their roots in the humanistic approach to education. This approach reflects the viewpoint that the humanities (e.g., art, music, literature) should be emphasized during the early years.

John Locke is credited with the concept of tabula rasa, the idea that the child enters this world with a mind that is like a blank slate, open to receiving knowledge through the senses.

The term kindergarten compares schools for young children to a garden for flowers. It envisions it as a place where children can flourish, nurtured and protected from outside influences.

Robert Owens was a popular activist who launched the War Against Poverty in the 1960s.

A typical day in a High/Scope classroom follows a three-step process called "plan-do-review." Teachers let children know the lessons planned for the day, facilitate them in completing tasks, and review what was learned at the end of each work period.

The founders of the Bank Street approach believe the classroom must allow children to participate in a social experience that reflects life in a democratic community.

In the Reggio approach the environment is seen as the "third teacher."

The first early childhood education and care settings in the United States were initiated by philanthropists to come to the aid of poor working women who needed safe care for their children.

Head Start was designed to provide work for teachers during the Great Depression.

Before the 1960s, children with disabilities were educated in separate settings from typically developing children.

Early education and care today grew out of two traditions, The Nursery School with a health and safety focus and the child or day care focus, where children were cared for while their families worked.

Respect for children and their development has not always been a part of early childhood education.

The Greek philosophers Aristotle and Plato believed

Religious reformer Martin Luther was a strong advocate of

One idea that Comenius contributed to early childhood education was

Rousseau was an early proponent of

Who believed that the first year of life was the most important and education should be adapted to each child's interests, abilities, and stage of development.

Who was the father of the modern-day kindergarten and the first to propose training young women to become kindergarten teachers.

The first nursery school was created in response to

The National Association for Nursery Education (NANE), founded in 1926, was the first professional organization for nursery educators. This later evolved to become what?

Progressive education was a reaction against traditional forms of public schooling. Its proponents advocated greater freedom and spontaneity in play and involvement of children in the social life of the classroom. One of the leaders of this movement was

The educational approach in which social studies and learning trips form the core of the curriculum is:

Montessori began her work in early education because of:

The Reggio Emilia approach is known for promoting the intellectual development of children through the systematic focus on symbolic representation. Children in Reggio Emilia schools are encouraged to

Historically, child care in the United States

There was a great upsurge in federal sponsorship of child care during the

The creation of Head Start in the 1960s was based on the premise that