History of Early Childhood Education

History of Early Childhood Education, The education of the young mind is an important step in readying the child for future learning experiences. The evolution of early childhood education has transformed how adults and parents view the importance of offering stimulating and exciting opportunities to the very young.  Early childhood education offers toddlers learning experiences that benefit them throughout their educational career.

History of Early Childhood Education, According to Pre-K Now, the concept of early childhood education started with a European mother in the early 1800’s that educated children outside of their homes. The idea came to America during the Industrial Revolution with “infant schools” set up in churches, factories, and private homes to care for the young while parents were working. The state of Wisconsin created constitutional amendments to include committees dedicated to free education of children aged four to twenty in 1848 and then later, in 1873, started the first four year old kindergarten program.

As time progressed, other states began to follow Wisconsin’s lead in the area of early childhood education with preschools, day care centers, and nursery programs starting across the country.  In 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) was established dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children and focusing on the quality of education and developmental services offered to children from birth to the age of eight.

Head Start, founded in 1965 as a program through the United States Department of Health and Human Services, was originally founded to ready low-income children over the summer months for upcoming kindergarten. Over the years, Head Start has become a respected preschool aged program found in many communities working with children of all backgrounds and abilities.

Early Education Teaching Theories

The concept of educating young children within the family has been happening for many, many years, but the evolution of early childhood education within an outside setting has many different theories and facets. The studies conducted by Jean Piaget along with the work he did with children, paved the way for educators to create different styles of teaching to use within programs. Many of these theories of teaching are used in preschools around the country. They include:

The Montessori Method: Maria Montessori was the first woman in Italy to receive a medical degree with areas of study in psychiatry, education and anthropology. Her belief was that every child was born with potential and that children should be allowed to be free to explore and play within their environment. In the early 1900’s, Montessori visited the United States to share her unique style of teaching. The main focus is to always be attentive to the child and follow the child in the direction they chose to go when learning. The Montessori Method is practiced within many preschools around the country.

Reggio Emilia Approach: Begun in Italy after World War II in the city of Reggio Emilia, this preschool teaching style is based on children’s symbolic language and the context of project-oriented curriculum. With the Reggio Emilia approach, community is a large part of the educational process and with opportunities for educational experiences for teachers to maintain their abilities and to enhance and dedicate themselves as educators to the development of the young child. The environment of the educational setting is also considered to be an important aspect of the child’s development and often considered as the “third teacher.” Along with Piaget’s constructivist thought, the Reggio Emilia Approach, the community as well as teachers believe the child to be interested in learning and experimenting through inner motivation, promoting educated and productive future adults.

Play-Based Learning: The concept of play-based learning is exactly what it sounds like, playing to learn. Many educators have helped pave the way to understanding the wonders of allowing children to learn through their play. Bev Bos, both an educator and writer, has been sharing her ideas and concepts through books and lectures for over 40 years. Her suggestions of teaching with a hand’s off style encourages teachers to let children lead themselves through problem solving and discovery with minimal intervention, and to learn through play.

Direct Instruction: Siegried Engelmann and Wesley Becker coined this teaching concept in the 1960’s.  The goal is for children to be directed through their development with teachers leading activities directed toward specific learning. Often drilling methods are used as well as rote learning. Other characteristics of direct instruction are fast-paced learning activities, active involvement between teachers and children, and positive reinforcement offered often and mistakes corrected immediately.

Early childhood education is an important step in educating children and offering stimulating opportunities for exploring and learning.

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Important Early childhood education

Important Early childhood education, We may learn more in the first five years than we will during the rest of life, so the education we receive in those formative years is critical to our long-term success.

That was the message educators, public officials and business leaders promoted at an Early Childhood Business Community Forum Friday at Misericordia University.

“Early childhood is an integral, important part of the long-term education of a child,” state Rep. Phyllis Mundy said at the event. “The long-term education of a child doesn’t begin in kindergarten; it doesn’t begin in 1st grade. It begins at birth, when the parent is holding that little baby.”

The program was the third in a series of four events hosted by the United Way focusing on early childhood education in conjunction with the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s annual Week of the Young Child, which begins Sunday and runs through April 28.

Misericordia President Michael A. MacDowell said the topic of Friday’s conference was the effect of the economy on the child, but as an economics professor he liked to think of it the other way round.

“The young child has a tremendous impact on the economy,” MacDowell said. “Especially if you treat them well. The investment is relatively small at the outset and the return is relatively high.”

Statistically, the college-educated earn more and thereby pay more in taxes than their high school-educated peers, who in turn earn more than high school dropouts, and the education a child receives early in life increases his or her likelihood of graduating from college, MacDowell said.

William Grant, owner of preschool chain Hildebrandt Learning Centers, said educators need to inform two important groups about the importance of early childhood education; families, who need to recognize quality early childhood education when they see it, and political and business leaders who can provide funding.

“Early childhood funding is put on the back burner by most politicians at this point due to the fact that young children don’t vote and don’t give money to politicians,” he said.

Statistically, each dollar invested in early childhood education saves up to $16 in remediation and corrections costs later in life, said Lauren Allen, vice president of PNC Bank’s PNC Foundation.

Carl Noto, executive director of Ecumenical Enterprises, Inc., talked about the success his company had in starting a day care at the Meadows Nursing Center. Little Meadows, a Hildebrandt Learning Center, was begun in response to problems with retaining employees who did not have access to affordable or reliable day care for their children. The operation has been so successful the center now welcomes non-employee children as well.

“We know that it cuts down on the absenteeism, it improves our employee morale and it helps improve our bottom line,” Noto said.

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