Guides: Education Support and Childcare: Education and Developmental Theorists

eBooks

Birth and Beyond : Meaningful Practice for Babies and Toddlers (2018) Birth and Beyond will support professionals deeply understand the specific needs and priorities of this age group and be able to transfer this knowledge into meaningful environments, practice and programs.
How Children Learn: Educational Theories and Approaches - From Comenius, the Father of Modern Education, to Giants Such As Piaget, Vygotsky and Malaguzzi (2018) This new edition summaries the findings and ideas of thirty educational theorists and psychologists and their different approaches to education.
Theories of Childhood ; 2nd edition (2013) This is a popular guide to help early childhood professionals be aware of the theories behind good child care practices.

Websites

Child Theorists and Their Theories in Practice As Educators working with children, it's important to understand each theoretical approach and use parts of different theorists in context.
Edward de Bono Dr. Edward de Bono dedicated his life to teaching thinking as a skill. He designed thinking tools to apply in the practical world.
Maria Montessori Maria Montessori was born on the 31st August 1870 in the town of Chiaravalle, Italy. Her father, Alessandro, was an accountant in the civil service, and her mother, Renilde Stoppani, was well educated and had a passion for reading.

Chapters

Erik Erikson Erikson's work has importance for every early childhood educator because it shows how children develop the foundation for emotional and social development and mental health.
Jean Piaget Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development suggests that children move through four different stages of learning. His theory focuses not only on understanding how children acquire knowledge, but also on understanding the nature of intelligence.
John Dewey John Dewey is truly the American educator who has most influenced our thinking about education in the United States.
Lev Vygotsky Vygotsky believed that much learning takes place when children play. He believed that language and development build on each other.
Maria Montessori Maria Montessori was an Italian physician, educator, and innovator, acclaimed for her educational method that builds on the way children learn naturally.
Maria Montessori and the Montessori Method Maria Montessori was famous for developing an approach to early childhood education that still carries her name.
John Comenius Comenius believed that education begins in early childhood and should continue throughout life. He established a branch of philosophy that he called pansophism, which literally means 'all knowledge'.
Sigmund Freud and Psychoanalytic Theories Freud's theories and those that derived from them are highly relevant to the care and education of young children.

Books and DVDs in the Library

Child and Adolescent Development for Educators (2018) Covering development from early childhood through high school, Child and Adolescent Development for Educators provides future teachers with authentic, research-based strategies and guidelines for their classrooms.
Learning Theories Simplified (2015) Written for busy teachers, trainers, managers and students, this dip-in dip-out guide makes theories of learning accessible and practical.
Theories of Childhood ; 2nd edition (2013) This best-selling resource provides clear, straightforward introductions to the foundational theories of John Dewey, Maria Montessori, Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, and Lev Vygotsky.

Online Videos

Giants of Psychology Full Series This ten-part series introduces students to key theorists whose concepts are basic to an understanding of psychology. Meticulously shot contemporary footage reinforces the vocabulary and concepts necessary to understanding psychological research.

Giants of Psycology Individual Videos

B. F. Skinner: A Fresh Appraisal Like other thinkers who broke new ground, Skinner had to invent his own vocabulary to describe the phenomena he was studying. In this film, his terms are introduced in context so the student understands how they were intended to be used and the research that produced them. The film lays to rest some myths and credits Skinner with contributions not often attributed to him.
Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory Treading new ground in the field of social psychology, Albert Bandura's work has become basic to an understanding of how social forces influence individuals, small groups and large groups. From his early BoBo doll experiments through his work with phobias, to his recent work on self-efficacy, Bandura has given us a sense of how people actively shape their own lives and those of others.
Erik H. Erikson: A Life’s Work This film introduces students to the rich wisdom of Erik H. Erikson. Best known for his identification of the eight stages of the life cycle, Erikson spent a lifetime observing and studying the way in which the interplay of genetics, cultural influences and unique experiences produces individual human lives.
John Bowlby: Attachment Theory Across Generations Positive intimate relationships with spouses, relatives and friends are incredibly important to mental health in adulthood. John Bowlby's Attachment Theory shows how relational patterns set early in life affect emotional bonds later in life. This film's focus is on attachment theory as it explains many aspects of personality development from childhood through to adulthood.
John Dewey: An Introduction to His Life and Work Dewey lived in a different era of history than we do, but many of his concerns are very relevant to life today. Maintaining a democracy in the face of diverse ethnic values, educating the young to participate fully in the life of their community, and expanding individual perceptions through participation in the arts were among the issues he examined.
Maria Montessori: Her Life and Legacy Born more than 25 years before Piaget or Vygotsky, Maria Montessori understood the constructivistic nature of all learning. As she observed children building their understanding of the world, she developed materials and approaches to education that are now used, in part, in most early childhood classrooms across the world. She realized the tremendous power of intrinsic motivation and sought to capitalize upon it, especially for children between the ages of three and six.
Mary Ainsworth: Attachment and the Growth of Love Mary Ainsworth's "Strange Situation" is now basic to understandings of infant-parent interactions and, thus, later emotional development. Working in close collaboration with the British psychiatrist John Bowlby, Ainsworth gave us new understandings of the huge impact very early emotional experiences have on personality development across the life span.
Piaget’s Developmental Theory: An Overview The work of Jean Piaget has become the foundation of current developmental psychology and the basis for changes in educational practice. David Elkind, author of The Hurried Child and Miseducation, and a student of Jean Piaget, explores the roots of Piaget's work and outlines important vocabulary and concepts that structure much of the study of child development.
Vygotsky's Developmental Theory: An Introduction The work of Lev Vygotsky is increasingly cited as we reconsider the theory and practice of constructivist education. This program introduces the life, vocabulary and concepts of Lev Vygotsky. The video illustrates four basic concepts integral to his work: Children construct knowledge, learning can lead development, development cannot be separated from its social context, and language plays a central role in cognitive development.
William James: The Psychology of Possibilities William James, more than anyone else, was responsible for introducing the wide range of topics that now comprise the broad field of psychology. In his magnificent text, The Principles of Psychology, he explored and expanded what was then known about neuroscience, cognition, emotion, perception, and behavior and left a legacy of inquiry into the workings of human experience that still fuels this social science.