John Amos Comenius was a leading educator and theologian from the Czech Republic. He travelled and worked throughout Europe, advocated critical and logical thinking over rote memorization, and advocated for funding education for the poor and for the tutoring of women.

Source: McNamara, C. (2014, May 14). In the image of God: John Comenius and the first children’s picture book. The Public Domain Review. Retrieved from http://publicdomainreview.org/essay/in-the-image-of-god-john-comenius-and-the-first-children-s-picture-book

Resource: Sarkar, Madhurima & Ray, Suvendu. (2024). Rousseau's 'Emile': Unveiling Revolutionary Pedagogical Insights For Modern Education. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CREATIVE RESEARCH THOUGHTS. 12. c355-c367.

Today, Montessori approaches can be seen in:

1. Montessori schools worldwide – both private and public institutions that fully adopt the method.

2. Early childhood classrooms – where learning centers, hands-on materials, and individualized pacing are integrated.

3. Special education programs – which use Montessori strategies to support diverse learners and encourage independence.

4. Homeschooling practices – families applying Montessori principles through prepared home environments and self-directed activities.

5. Teacher training centers – where educators study Montessori philosophy and practices to bring into their own classrooms.

Sources:

American Montessori Society. (n.d.). History of Montessori. Retrieved [Month Day, Year], from https://amshq.org/about-montessori/history-of-montessori/

Howley-Rouse, A. (2020, June 29). The Montessori approach. The Education Hub. Retrieved from https://theeducationhub.org.nz/the-montessori-approach/

Key Concepts and Their Educational Impact

• Active Construction of Knowledge:Piaget believed children actively construct their own understanding of the world through interaction with their environment. Early childhood educators should create environments where children can explore, manipulate objects, and experiment to build their knowledge. 

• Developmental Stages:Piaget's theory outlines four stages of cognitive development (sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational), each with distinct cognitive abilities. Educators use these stages to:

  • Align instruction: Tailor learning experiences to the child's current developmental level.

  • Provide appropriate materials: Offer concrete materials for younger children and hands-on activities like baking for older children to learn concepts like volume. 

    
    

Sources:

Celinska, A. (2023). An introduction to Jean Piaget. The Voice of Early Childhood. Retrieved from https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/introduction-jean-piaget/

rienewsite. (2023, April 22). Jean Piaget’s way of seeing and RIE®. Resources for Infant Educarers®. Retrieved from https://rie.org/jean-piagets-way-of-seeing-and-rie/

The Voice of Early Childhood. (n.d.). Jean Piaget. Early childhood pioneers. Retrieved August 30, 2025, from https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/early-childhood-pioneers/jean-piaget-2/

Sources:

• Yildiz, S. (2022). Early childhood education during the COVID-19 outbreak. PMC. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8980793/

• Thornhill-Miller, B. (2023). Creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration: Educational challenges posed by the future of work. PMC. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10054602/

• Atikah, C. (2024). STEAM-based learning to enhance early childhood creativity. ResearchGate. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377996372_STEAM-based_Learning_to_Enhance_Early_Childhood_Creativity

• Price, C. L. (2016). Culturally responsive strategies to support young children. NAEYC. Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/nov2016/culturally-responsive-strategies

• Blair, C. (2016). Executive function and early childhood education. PMC. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6051751/

Source: NDFAuthors. (2018, February 5). The journey of early childhood education through time. Novak Djokovic Foundation. Retrieved from https://novakdjokovicfoundation.org/the-journey-of-early-childhood-education-through-time/

John Dewey introduced the idea that teachers must act as facilitators, helping learners connect prior knowledge to new contexts. This framework forms the basis of how we think, both in education and in everyday life. Dewey didn't want passive learners; he wanted problem-solvers, collaborators, and citizens.

Dewey’s educational philosophy emphasises:

• Learning by doing: Children learn best through direct, hands-on experiences.

• Democratic education: Classrooms should mirror democratic societies, encouraging participation and collaboration.

• Reflective thinking: Children should be encouraged to reflect on their experiences to deepen understanding.

Source: Brodie, K. (2024, July 28). John Dewey: Pioneering theories on early years education. Early Years TV. Retrieved from https://www.earlyyears.tv/john-dewey-pioneering-theories-on-early-years-education

Key Takeaways:

• Children learn in different ways, so the more you know the child and which form of intelligence they demonstrate, the easier it is to stimulate and expose them to a variety of ways to learn, to make learning more enjoyable and efficient

• Offering a variety of teaching pathways in lessons is important to capture more of the intelligences, and engage children to better understand and learn

• Through environments offering a variety of stimulating, hands-on materials that children individually select, and by creating opportunities to move, be active, and fully engage in either solo or small group experiences, educators can better serve and meet the needs of more children.

Source:

CareForKids.com.au. (2020, October 13). The educational angle on Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. CareForKids. Retrieved from https://www.careforkids.com.au/child-care-provider-articles/article/728/the-educational-angle-on-gardners-theory-of-multiple-intelligences/

Source:

Sanders, C. E. (2025, June 18). Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral development. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/science/Lawrence-Kohlbergs-stages-of-moral-development

Source:

Understood Team. (n.d.). No Child Left Behind (NCLB): What you need to know. Understood. Retrieved August 30, 2025, from https://www.understood.org/en/articles/no-child-left-behind-nclb-what-you-need-to-know

Source:

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2012). The Common Core State Standards: Caution and opportunity for early childhood education. Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/resources/topics/11_commoncore1_2a_rv2.pdf

He was also an early advocate for hands-on learning in the early stages of learning. He theorized that children should learn through objects and tactile movements rather than just words.

Source: Moravian University. (n.d.). John Amos Comenius, Father of Modern Education | Moravian College. Www.moravian.edu. https://www.moravian.edu/about/college-history/john-amos-comenius

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John Locke is also well-known for his ideology that children are born as "blank slates," tabula rasa. In this sense, children would be imprinted upon during their education. John Locke stated that children were naturally curious and that they need to be busy. He believed that their innate curiosity should be cherished.

For instructors, he believed that instruction should vary (introducing the idea of differentiated instruction). He also states that individual differences should be praised rather than restricted. Those differences are what make our classes unique and purposeful.

Source: Gibbon, P. (2020). Discovering Childhood. The National Endowment for the Humanities. https://www.neh.gov/article/discovering-childhood

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His philosophy and approach to education put an importance on the needs of a child, including a student-centered classroom environment. He advocated for active learning and direct experiences with the world.

Interestingly, he also put emphasis on the importance of the relationship between school leadership and parents. He believed in a well-rounded education that exposed children to arts, languages, science, math, and history.

He preached classroom authority based on love rather than fear.

Source: Pestalozzi Society. (2021). jhpestalozzi. Jhpestalozzi.org. https://jhpestalozzi.org/

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The first version of these laws stated that children between ages 8-14 were required to attend some sort of public school in the area where the student lives. By 1918, these laws also applied to students aged 5 and above.

The purpose of compulsory attendance laws was to increase literacy rates AND to reduce the number of people that were unable to attend school based on proximity to school or financial hardships. This was also a way to assimilate the immigrant population to American culture.

In the grand scheme, compulsory attendance is still a new concept and will likely to continue to see growth and changes in coming decades.

Source: Education Blog | Barton Gilman. (2018, May 7). Bglaw.com. https://bglaw.com/the-education-reform-primer-the-origin-of-school-attendance-laws-in-the-united-states/

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The passing of this law has been instrumental in the improvement of early intervention, special education, and other related services.

IDEA can be credited with improvements to high school graduation rates, post-secondary enrollment, and employment for students that benefited from the program. IDEA applies to all students and particularly takes interest in early intervention. This early intervention often takes place in the early childhood states of development.

Source: U.S. Department of Education. (2023, January 11). A History of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/IDEA-History#1980s-90s

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The basis of Erikson's beliefs were rooted in the changes that occur in personality at different ages. Depending on the age of the individual, different personality attributes can be acquired. However, according to Erikson at the final stage, not everyone will adapt to this stage.

He also believed that the development of personality was directly dependent upon trust, autonomy, individuality, integrity, and identity. He expanded upon the 5 original stages of development (developed by Freud) to create 8 stages. The stages he added helped to describe life after early childhood and how the interactions at that age affect those that follow.

Source: Harvard University. (2019). Erik Erikson. Harvard.edu. https://psychology.fas.harvard.edu/people/erik-erikson

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At this age, a big portion of these skills revolve around identifying, managing, and controlling emotions. As the student grows competent with these skills, they will practice decision-making, developing self-esteem, creating goals, self-control, and ways to live a healthier and happier life.

The emphasis on social/emotional learning in early childhood education has become more profound over the last few years. These lessons help students become better equipped to deal with friends, disappointments, hardships, and difficulties both at school and home.

Current scholars believe that emphasis on SEL in daily classroom routines can help educators create a positive environment that allows academic and personal growth.

Source: Gregory, L. (2024, April 11). Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Activities in Early Childhood. Mybrightwheel.com. https://mybrightwheel.com/blog/social-and-emotional-learning

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He highlighted that creativity is just as important as literacy. He argues that many school systems only value math and language arts and we see the arts cast aside. The fear of being wrong and making mistakes is keeping our students from trying new things and coming up with their own ideas.

He explored the idea that modern educational systems were constructed to prepare its students for jobs. Because of this focus, education is focused on standards and routines rather than fostering student imagination.

Robinson also stated that intelligence is different among different people. Everyone has their own unique talents, interests, and ways of thinking.

Robinson believes that students are naturally creative and imaginative. Schools in the future should focus on fostering the growth of their creativity alongside their standard math and language arts.

Source: Robinson, K. (2006, February). Do schools kill creativity? Ted.com; TED Talks. https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity?language=en

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