The way we raise and educate our children today is unrecognisable compared to how it was approached in the 19th century. Over the last 150 years these changes were revolutionised by a handful of influential Early Childhood Pioneers. Foundation Degree (FdA) Early Years students have recently completed their research project on how these Theorists have influenced how we work with children today.
Friedrich Fröbel, the German educator and the founder of Kindergarten, had a major influence and left a huge legacy. For inspiration, the students visited the University of Roehampton to look at archives of Fröbel’s ‘gifts’: the first educational play materials for young children, originally designed by Fröbel for the first kindergarten at Bad Blankenburg. The students also viewed the original Treasure Basket made by English educationalist, Elinor Goldschmied. This was discovered in the Spring of 2018 and has been offered on long term loan to the Fröbel Trust by the Goldschmied family; the Treasure Basket is currently on display in the Foyle Special Collections room at the University of Roehampton.
The students based their project on the ideas, philosophies and writings of some of the key pioneers and influencers of early years education including Dr Rudolph Steiner, Maria Montessori and the McMillan sisters, Rachel and Margaret. They organised independent visits to significant nursery schools including Chelsea Open Air Nursery School which was set up in 1928 by pioneers, Dr Susan Isaacs and Natalie Davies. The name ‘Open Air’ dates from that period and was part of a countrywide educational movement that first recognised educationally, that outdoors is as valuable a learning environment as indoors.
The project culminated in an exhibition of the students’ work profiling how these inspirational pioneers have influenced current practice. Visitors to the exhibition included Level 2 and 3 learners on Early Years courses at Kingston College as well as external partners and practitioners who chatted to the students, some of whom were in period costume, about the importance the project has had on their learning.
For further course information visit: Foundation Degree (FdA) Early Years. Students studying the Foundation Degree (FdA) Early Years at Kingston College are already part of the Early Years workforce, practicing in a range of settings including primary schools, day nurseries and pre-schools.
