chapter 2 Flashcards
Absorbent mind
Maria Montessori’s image of the child as actively learning from sensory experiences.
Bank street approach
Originating with Lucy Spregue Mitchell at Bank Street College, a curriculum framework based on individual children’s development, emphasizing that learning begins in children’s experiences in the immediate environment (here and now).
Child-centered curriculum
John Dewey’s idea that curriculum should reflect the concepts and topics that the child is interested in and capable of learning.
Competent child
The image of children as active players in their own development and learning.
Constructivism
Learning theory derived from the work of Jean Piaget which assumes that children actively build their knowledge from the first hand experiences in stimulating environments.
Froebel’s occupations and gifts
Invented by Froebel for kindergarteners, occupations were planned experiences designed to train children’s eye-hand coordination and mental activity, and gifts were concrete materials, many of which influenced later toy development.
Integrated curriculum
Learning plan that addresses goals across multiple areas of the curriculum at the same time.
Lanham Act
Federal legislation to provide emergency child care and other services for families employed in the war effort during World War II.
Progressive education movement
Major effort to reform schooling in the early 20th century to make it more democratic and responsive to children’s needs. This movement was highly influential on early childhood education and later ideas about developmentally appropriate practice.
