Theories of Early Childhood
Education and Management
Chapter 3
Theory

An organized set of statements that
describes or explains and event or
occurence
Theories and Theorists-Jean
Piaget
Cognitive stages of development
 Sensorimotor 0-2yrs and Preoperational
stages 3-6yrs
 Children learn through exploration and trial
and error.
 Children “develop” and should be exposed
to information as they are ready

Erik Erikson
Based on Freud’s concepts
 Eight stages of development
 Trust vs. mistrust-0-1; autonomy vs. shame
or doubt 2-3; initiative vs. guilt

Gesell

Physical development affects learning
Lev Vygotsky
Language and cognition affect development
 Scaffolding
 Private speech
 Zone of proximal development

Classifications of theories




Maturationist-focus on development that follows a
predictable timetable (Piaget)
Behaviorist-focus of development that is
influenced by outside forces (Skinner)
Interactionist-Inside and outside forces interact to
cause change (Vygotsky)
Ecological-development regarding the individual
and the relationship with the environment
(Bromfenbrenner)
Developmentally Appropriate
Practices

DAP

Developed by NAEYC

3 questions

Is the activity:



Appropriate for the age of the child?
Appropriate for the individual child?
Culturally relevant for the children you are teaching?
Howard Gardner’s Multiple
Intelligences
Interactionist
 At least eight different characteristics that
children learn

Director-Three important factors
in management
Early Childhhod Center Director
Early Childhood Education
Philosophy
Theory
Best Practices
Working families
Community
Business Managment
Skills
Management
Planning
 Organizing
 Staffing
 Leading
 Monitoring and controlling quality
(Hearron, &Hildebrand, 2003)

Early Childhood Education
Facilities should demonstrate

Shared
Quality
 Responsibility
 Satisfaction
 Leadership
