Influence and Impact of great educators on Early Childhood Education

Currently, early childhood education is growing and still a learning process for educators as we implement it in our schools. As educators we have a support system from our education team, theories and history passed on from our schools, board of education, coworkers and especially from theorists who help us understand our children's development and needs. In the United States early childhood program is growing and at a very high demand because it provides both education and contribution to our future because it provides parents time opportunities .The National Association for the Education of Young (NAEYC) children provides over 6,5000 high-quality programs to serve million of children. These programs are designed to help the growth and development across all the developmental domains such as cognitive, linguistic, emotional, social and physical. NAEYC has set 10 standards for early childhood programs that can help families make the right choice when they are looking for a child care center, preschool, or kindergarten. This WebQuest will provide how programs will support the following concepts: History of Early childhood education, Theories and Programs.



Theory is described as a statement of principles and ideas that attempts to explain events and how things happen. In order to provide the best early childhood education it is important to study how children grow, develop and learn. By learning the history of early childhood education we can provide an education for all our students. In order to better access and provide individual students according to their needs. History teaches us why early childhood is important and we must have knowledge of hundreds of years ago. The information we learn helps us understand why things are the way they are and how something occurred. Also, history's famous historical figures and their influence on early childhood education has contributed what needs our children have and how we can provide them with high quality education.

The following will describe each of the theories that are acknowledged in early childhood education: 

Jean Piaget- Children go through different stages and a child cannot skip an stage. "Children are little scientists and develop their on their own."  

Lev Vygotsky -Theory based on socio-cultural theory, which focuses on importance of interpersonal relationships in social and cognitive development. His concept of zone of proximal development-children can learn more from an person that is more knowledgeable . Interactions between child and everyone is observed.

Urie Bronfenbrenner-Child develops within context of the system of relationship within the child's environment. First, Family and then other, ex. school, outside environment.

John Locke- The mind is blank tablet, In other words, environment and experience helps form the mind. He believed development comes mainly from parents and caregivers and through their personal experiences through their own community.

Programs:  The following programs are designed by NAEYC to provide the best early childhood education possible. Head start and Early Head Start programs are being put in schools in neighborhoods that are not priority. These communities are lacking socially and economically. Especially in these neighborhoods, CDC Pre-K programs are being placed. They provide furniture, age-appropriate toys, outlook of the classroom: cleanliness and setup. Teachers provide fun and nurturing environment for children to develop through interactions through play. MDO programs is another program that is designed by NAEYC. This program includes mother's day out. They adapt Montessori programs and provide enrichment for children. Providing classes that specialize in children interests.  More early childhood programs can be found in the source below.

Morrison, G.S. (2014). Fundamentals of early childhood education. (7th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ:Pearson.