TIME TESTED EARLY CHILDHOOD THEORIES AND PRACTICES

TIME TESTED EARLY

CHILDHOOD THEORIES AND PRACTICES

D R . DONALD PLATZ

Associate Professor, Early Childhood

University of Wisconsin-Stout

School of Education

JENNIFER ARELLANO

Graduate Assistant, Early Childhood

University of Wisconsin-Stout

The following article reflects on past theories and practices that

still influence early childhood development and education today.

The critical thoughts on how young children should be raised

and educated by individuals such as John Locke, Jean Jacques

Rousseau, Johann Pestalozzi, Williatn Froebel, John Dewey and

Maria Montessori and others are shared and discussed. Specific

attention is given to their theories and practices relating to the

following: the nature of children, how children come to learn,

school curriculum, and instructional materials. The article concludes with an epilogue of influences which summarizes major

influences of the past that still have relevance to programs for

young children today. Some influences cited include: significance of proper care for the unborn, importance of exploration

and play, involvement in self-directed activity, the family role in

the education of the child, direct instruction should be second to

real life experiences, and instructional materials should be

designed with purpose.

Introduction

the essence of their contributions contin-

The origins of many early childhood

educafion 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,

ue 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

54

Time Tested... / 5 5

young take place in the home environment, theories and practices today.

their fundamental beliefs had applications

for formal schooling of the young. Come- Nature of Children

nius developed a curriculum for the home

Prior to the time of Comenius,

consisting of three areas: things young chil- Rousseau, Pestalozzi, Froebel, and others,

dren should know, things they should be little thought was given to the development

able to do, and things they should be able and education of children, especially the

to say.

very young. With the exception of harsh

In years to follow Pestalozzi, Froebel, discipline, a majority of common children

Dewey, and Montessori began to design were ignored until such time as they could

educational programs in Europe which work and contribute to the well being of

later had a major influence on early child- the family. Infants were usually left to do

hood curriculum in the United States. whatever with care being provided to them

Much of the pedagogy promoted by by older siblings. By the age of four or

Pestalozzi, Froebel, Dewey, and Montes- five, they were left more to themselves and

sori focused on formal schooling in were assigned small chores around the

institutional settings away from the home house. At the age of about twelve, children

environment. Many of the early theories were assigned jobs in the fields. Little parwere put in to practice and modified by ent-child interactions or education took

such educators as Margarethe Shurz who place in most homes which was the norm

was credited with establishing the first during this time period. In the years to

kindergarten program in the United States; come, the thoughts on the nature of young

Elizabeth Peabody who spread the philos- children would be reevaluated and in the

ophy of Froebel and was instrumental in case of some families, change.

the American kindergarten movement

Johann Comenius was a Czech educaacross the country; and Patty Smith Hill tor who was one of the first individuals to

who also strongly promoted kindergarten advocate and stress the importance of preeducation (Snyder, 1972).

birth care and early education for the

What follows is an overview of the the- young. He felt it was extremely important

ories and practices from the past that are that mothers begin to set the stage for their

present in early childhood education today. infants during pregnancy. Comenius recSpecific attention in this article will be ommended that mothers think healthy and

given to the following areas: thoughts on have happy thoughts while they were pregthe nature of children, thoughts on how nant (Beatty, 1995) and that mothers should

children come to learn, curriculum devel- raise their children in a healthy home enviopment, and instructional materials used in ronment and educate their children in a

the learning process. The article concludes naturalistic manner. The home was the

with an epilogue listing of the significant most essential environment for the learncontributions of the past that, in many ing of the young.

respects, still influence early childhood

Comenius viewed the human mind as

56 / Education Vol. 132 No. 1

having an infinite capacity for knowledge.

It was believed by Comenius that the

capacity of the mind was so unlimited that

it resembled an abyss (Keatinge, 1967).

Knowledge, he goes on to stress, is naturally implanted in us (Keating, 1967).

Comenius strongly believed children

learned through nature and knowledge was

attained through real life experiences.

A number of Comenius's beliefs were

also shared by John Locke, an English

philosopher who promoted the idea that

the new bom child had an empty slate in

terms of their nature and potential to learn.

The training and experiences children

encountered after they were bom would

help shape their nature and leaming. He

also believed that the early experiences of

children had very important, lasting consequences on their future being. Another

key contribution regarding the nature of

children from Locke was the notion that all

children are fundamentally individuals and

as such should be reared based on their

individuality.

With regard to childhood discipline,

Locke argued against the strong use of punishment and suggested that disciplined

should be provided through good example rather than by hardly remembered rules.

Locke (Gay, 1964) suggested that, "beating a child has no educational function of

any sort: it does not get at the roots of misbehavior: it fosters disgust with leaming

rather than pleasure in it."

Jean Jacques Rousseau, a Genevois

philosopher, believed that nature requires

children to be children first and children

will not mature appropriately if forced into

adulthood too early (Boyd, 1965). He

stressed this point to counter the idea that

children were nothing less than miniature

adults. Rousseau believed children should

be children and not be expected to know

how to behave or converse as adults. He

also felt that social skills were acquired

through education and maturity.

Rousseau envisioned part of education

as being leamed in the natural environment. Children grew and leamed in stages;

Infancy (birth to two years), 'The age of

Nature' (two to 12), Pre-adolescence (1215), Puberty (15-20), and Adulthood

(20-25). The first stage of leaming began

in the home. Rousseau was an advocate

for a least restrictive environment for

infants to leam using their bodies. During

the second stage of leaming, he believed

children should explore naturally take in

knowledge. According to Rousseau, every

natural experience an infant or child

encounters is a leaming experience.

John Dewey was an American philosopher and educational reformer. Children,

according to Dewey, mature and grow

through their life experiences (Dewey,

1900). He believed it was important to

expose children to as many experiences

possible to increase their leaming. Like

Locke, Dewey felt it was critical to model

behaviors for children to understand what

is acceptable in society. It was not only the

parents and teachers responsibility but the

whole society's responsibihty to aid in the

development of the young.

Dewey believed that as children grew

so did their leaming (Dewey, 1916). He

viewed education as a lifelong process in

which children grew and leamed along the

way. Dewey felt it was important to view

Time Tested... /57

young children as acdve learners. Like a

number of his predecessors, he advocated

play in educadon, realizing its emotional

and psychological benefits for children.

Play was not just for amusement and fun.

Play provided children with a number of

natural learning experiences that were relevant to children and enhanced their

development (Dewey, 1916).

them how to solve, or remedy, obstacles or

misinformation.

In his work. Some Thoughts Concerning Education Lock supports Comenius's

notion that play is a cridcal method of

learning for young children. Children need

a natural environment that allows them to

learn from their exploration and play.

Locke further extended the nodon from

Comenius that learning for young children

How Children Come to Learn

should be developed with the efficient use

Naturalisdc learning was a dominant of their five senses. Locke idendfied two

theme among many early educators. They sources of experiences arrived at by the

felt children learned best when they were use of the senses, sensadon and reflecdon.

allowed to observe and interact with nature Sensation would develop simple ideas in

and life. The experiences they encountered children and reflecdon would allow them

were very important to their educadon and to be introspective, make connections and

provided lasting impressions. In many extend their thinking. The educadon of the

ways, the present day early childhood cur- senses, some suggest, might be called a

riculum emphasis on sensory development, Lockean theme in early childhood (Clevexploradon and play are benefits from these eriey & Phillips, 1986).

past historical educators. In his early writRousseau believed that the knowledge

ings Comenius suggested, for example, children lacked at birth was received

that education should follow nature and through educadon. Educadon, according to

learning is best achieved when senses are Rousseau came from nature, man, or things

involved. He recommends that mothers (Boyd, 1962). He referred to childhood as

take responsibility for this naturalistic edu- a dme when children are noble savages. He

cadon approach for children in their early believed children to be dependent; depenyears. Comenius also suggested that learn- dent on nature and dependent on adults

ing for older children could best be (Boyd, 1962). Educadon, natural and strucachieved by allowing them to grow, learn tured, help children develop into producdve

and play together in a friendly manner.

members of society.

Comenius felt that children should

Pestalozzi was greatly influenced by

make connecdons between what they are the work of Rousseau. He believed that

learning and their real life encounters learning and educadon should be aligned

(Keadnge, 1967). According to Comenius, with the natural development of children.

connecdng knowledge to real life allows Pestalozzi promoted the idea that everychildren to comprehend what is being one was capable of learning and that all

taught so that it is relevant to them in their children had the right to an education.

lives. He felt children's experiences taught Pestalozzi also supported Locke's belief

58 / Education Vol. 132 No. 1

that children were individuals and the best

way for children to learn was through selfdiscovery (Silber, 1960). He further

believed that children were capable of pacing themselves and were capable of setting

their own goals.

As with Pestalozzi, Friedrich Froebel

believed that play was critical to advance

learning in young children. He used play

as a teaching strategy and created appropriate games and songs to enhance

children's interactions with one another.

In addition to advancing learning of the

mind, Froebel maintained that play along

with games and songs, were critical in

developing attitudes of cooperation and

self-control in children (Beatty, 1995).

John Dewey felt it was important for

children to learn by doing (Dewey, 1916).

He felt that allowing children to explore

their questions helps them make real life

connections and continually question and

increase learning by investigating these

questions. Dewey thought education should

come from natural curiosity with direction

and guidance coming from the teacher

(Dewey, 1900). He viewed children as

eager learners and felt that it was important for children to learn through activities

in which they enjoyed. Learning needs to

be relevant to the children. Dewey stressed

the importance of using situations that children can relate to when teaching. He felt

that when children could understand why

learning was important, they could understand how to apply learning into their lives.

Maria Montessori felt that early learning and education for children began at

birth and that children passed through a

number of sensitive periods (Standing,

1957) during their early years. It is during

these sensitive periods that children have

the greatest capacity to learn and develop.

Montessori promoted the idea that the first

years of life were the most critical in terms

of learning and education. The very young

child begins to take in an enormous amount

of information about their relationship with

others, language, movements, and the

physical world around them.

School Curriculum

Early childhood curriculum in the

beginning was based on themes centering

around nature and essential skills for life.

Early efforts in developing a curriculum

for young children were designed for home

use by mothers and later for organized

schooling.

With regard to early schooling, Comenius was very concerned about the

potentially harmful effects of excessive

early education (Beatty, 1995). He was

particularly concerned regarding education for children below the age of six in

school settings. Early experiences for

young children should be in the home. In

1650 Comenius's School of Infancy was

first published which identified a full curriculum to be used by mothers to educate

their children. The curriculum was divided into three areas with a focus on: things

children should know, things children

should be able to do and things they should

be able to say. Counting, learning colors,

simple attributes (thick, thin), cutting, splitting, simple hymns, geography and other

activities were part of Comenius's early

curriculum for the young child.

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