BUILDING ON A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE CHAPER TWO.

BUILDING ON A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE

CHAPER TWO

Learning from the pastProgress ~ Spurts ~ Setbacks…

What does this painting tell you about children?

Changing Views of ChildhoodMiniature AdultsNeed of RedemptionBlank Slates – John

LockeInnocents -

RousseauEconomic ValueCompetent ChildCitizen with RightsProduct of your own

History

A continuum of influences & ideasConsider the Beliefs held by each individual and place them on the continuum of beliefs about children, education, teaching and learning.

Current practice strongly reflects early influences

European Influences

John Amos ComeniusCzech 1592-1670; Minister with his own schoolThree Key Ideas

Change from punitive to making learning easier, deeper and more pleasant

Teacher engage children with nature; follow the child

Children should learn their own language, not Latin

Orbis Pictus – first children’s picture bookLearn through senses; need to be active;

developmental stages; child-centered

Johann Pestalozzi (1746-1827)

JOHANN PESTALOZZI

By: Jaclyn AvdoyanAntoinette BurnsBrianne Toomey

Erin HoganJamie Jenkins

Who? When? And Where?Swiss educator born in Zurich, SwitzerlandStudied theology at the University of

ZurichIn 1769, he lived on his farm where he

managed a school for poor children.In 1799 he directed a school at Bergdorf.In 1805, he was the director of a boarding

school in Yverdon.He described all his philosophies on

education in his book How GertrudeTeaches Her Children.

View of the Child and LearningBelieved that children need to discover

ideas for themselves through their own activity

Teachers must guide the child’s learning and nurture it rather than direct it

Learning must be done through direct observation and sensory experience in the natural world

All children – including children who lived in poverty- could benefit from education

View of TeachingPromotes “whole child” point of view, which

he called “the hand,heart, and head”Believed children learned in stages,

mastering a skill before progressing to next stage.

Opposed memorized learning, and replaced it with concrete learning. Ex. Use of tactile objects

Individuality of each child is IMPORTANTChildren are motivated to learn by their

interests, not threats or punishments

Pestalozzi’s InfluenceNot only did Pestalozzi influence the elementary

education system for Prussia, but also had a great influence on America.

His book, How Gertrude Teaches Her Children, played a significant initial influence in that he passed his plans through into his practice.

Educators today follow his idea of the ‘reflective practitioner.’ He is focused on observation and reflection; however still concerned with experimentation and action.

The teachings of Pestalozzi became effective in immeasurable school systems.

Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852)

Maggie Leggour, Kellie Smith, Jamie Vanduzer, Noelle Rosen, Chelsea Hunt

•Nicknamed, “The Father of Kindergarten” •German•His ideas spread throughout Europe •Basis for kindergartens in the United States

Froebel’s Beliefs• Believed in the innate goodness and

capacities of children, and saw God’s image in them

• Teaching should be based on students interests and teachers should understand there development by observing them directly– Observe and nurture without interfering

• Learning is a process of unfolding from within and it should be done on the child’s own timetable

Froebel’s GiftsUsed to guide and structure children’s playConcrete materials for children to

manipulate in specific ways6 wooden balls in the colors of the spectrumCube that divided into 8 smaller cubes

Froebel’s OccupationsPlanned experiences designed to train

children’s eye hand coordination and mental activityDrawing on grid paperLacing paper stripsWeaving matsFolding and cutting paper into designs

Froebel’s InfluenceThe creation of a large scale kindergarten

in the United StatesToday many of his basic ideas are used in

preschools and child care programsHis beliefs are still used and recognized

over 150 years later

Maria MontessoriBy: Amanda O., Katherine B., Phil L., Jaclyn R., and Amanda K.

About MariaBorn in 1870 – 1952Major figure in the history of

early childhood education First woman in Italy to receive

a medical degreeNominated for the Nobel

Peace Prize

HistoryMontessori worked with poor children whom many thought were mentally deficient.

Believed children were not this way biologically, but rather because their environment was not set up for them to learn effectively.

Created Children’s House in which she educated needy children to prove how successful they could be early in life.

Same theory as Head Start used when they began their program.

Key ElementsBelieved each child had unique potential

to reveal rather than a “blank state” Teacher made a Prepared environment for their

students The Montessori Method consisted of dividing the

classroom into centers where students could use materials to work freely and independently to learn

Focused on making the classroom a natural environment where she could observe the students and wanted each student to individually fulfill their potential

Maria Montessori did not have “play-time” scheduled in her classroom because she felt her method of work was fun

ImpactSeveral elements of her

approach remain widely accepted practices today 

Association Montessori International (AMI) and the American Montessori Society (AMS) provide information, teacher training, and certification

Lasting contribution to the field was her development of Montessori materials and her impact on the organization of early childhood environments

Kindergarten Movement

Kindergartens ~ Children’s GardenFirst K – Wisconsin 1856 – Margarethe

SchurzElizabeth Peabody- social reformer…first

English speaking KSusan Blow – expanded K and kept

Froebels vision First public KindergartenDefended Froebel’s ideasFormed the International Kindergarten Union

– became Association for Childhood Education International

Similarities between Progressivism and Developmentally Appropriate

Practice

Progressive Education

John Dewey(October 20, 1859 – June 1, 1952)

“Education is a social process. Education is growth. Education is not a preparation

for life; Education is life itself.” -John Dewey

• Born in Burlington, Vermont• John and his two brothers grew up in

a middle-class household. • American psychologist, philosopher,

educator, social critic and political activist.

• Received his PhD from Johns Hopkins University in 1884.

• Also wrote about many other topics, including experience, nature , art, logic, democracy and ethics.

Views on ChildrenPassive learners = waste of timeBelieved children should determine the

curriculum Children need to learn by experienceEngaging in active learning vs. lectureLearning is not just obtaining knowledge

, but developing skills, habits and attitudes.

*Passive learners absorb information compared to active learners who do and become involved*

Views on Teaching & Learning

LearningInteractionTraditional approachGood judgment

Teaching•Social institute-community•Influence and assist children as they work together•Teachers and parents working together•Social interaction•Integrated curriculum•Build on interest •Child-Centered curriculum

Influences

Dewey was influenced by G. Stanley Hall, William James, George Hegel and many others.

Influenced by observing his own children at play, and immigrant English learners

He has been influencing education for over 100 years and influenced progressive education in the 1920’s

Major influence on public education

Based on the philosophy of studying and nurturing children’s

development

Nursery School Movement

Patty Smith Hill(1868-1946)

Patty’s father believed that girls should be prepared for a profession; her mother agreed and also thought that play was essential to childhood.

These experiences as a child influenced her views of childhood and education for her entire life.

Anna Bryan started a teacher training program in Louisville, Kentucky which Patty was one of the first students.

She started her own kindergarten where she encouraged children’s play as a way to learn.

Work as a Kindergarten Teacher

1896: Patty Hill and mentor Anna Bryan studied with G. Stanley Hall.

Together they developed a new curriculum for teaching young children.

Patty Hill believe in the importance of teaching the “whole child”.

This caused her to value a multidisciplinary approach to the field.Included: Physicians, social workers,

psychologists, and artists

Patty Hill’s vision for kindergarten included 3 purposes:

1. “To minister to the nature and needs of children from 4 to 6 years of age.”

2. To see the relation of K to the first grade curriculum; lay the foundation that children need “without sacrificing the right of the kindergarten child to free, full development on his own level.”

3. To connect kindergarten to the home, reduce the gap between the two, and build on the learning that takes place there.

She feared public school kindergarten would take away from parent education, as well as push the children away from early reading, writing, and play.

Other Important Contributions Developed resources such as building blocks,

songs, poems, and books to use as fun teaching tools.

Faculty of Teacher’s College in New York, considered a master teacher.

Served as president of the IKU in 1908. Her report on the content of curriculum and the role of play became the vision of Kindergarten as we know it today. In 1926, she founded NANE which later changed its name to NAEYC. She was the first member and her views about early childhood education dominated the movement during its early years.

Caroline PrattTeacher’s College: play freely and experiment

with materialsI learn from children – Study of children in

open-ended settingsPretend playSelf-directed plansField tripsSolve problems through playUnit blocks

Founded The Play School in NYC Greenwich VillageCity and Country School

Lucy Sprague Mitchell By: Kara, Alyssa, Jenna, & Jamie

• Prolific writer and authored a series of children’s books. • Created a writers workshop for authors of children’s books.

•Among the best- known writers who were involved in the workshop were Margaret Wise Brown (Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny) Ruth Krauss.

• Instrumental in efforts to expand early childhood education beyond laboratory schools and use it for true social reform.• Mitchell lived to see the Bank Street approach used as the model for the Head Start program, a cornerstone of the war on poverty.

Lucy Sprague Mitchell By: Kara, Alyssa, Jenna, & Jamie

BUREAU OF EDUCATIONAL EXPERIMENTS• Launched in 1916 to teach teachers and conduct research• Goals…

1. Focus on child development rather than learning specific curriculum.

2. A whole-child approach to learning and development.

3. Observe how children’s development is stimulated by experiences and activities.

4. Focus on scientific measurement of stages of development and establishing norms.

Lucy Sprague Mitchell By: Kara, Alyssa, Jenna, & Jamie

BANK STREET APPROACH• Mitchell’s educational philosophy for the Bank Street College, formerly the Bureau of Educational Experiences.• Curriculum should be based on individual children’s development• Learning occurs through interaction with the environment and other people.• Children’s experiences in the “here and now” provide the launching pad for their learning.