As noted in my earlier article, education has made many improvements over the years. These improvements are due to the occurrences of several important people and events. This article will continue my timeline of the history and evolution of education.
1712-1778 Time of Jean Jacques Rousseau. This Frenchman supported finding the goodness of children. He felt that children should be treated as individuals and that teachers should focus on natural abilities.
1743-1826 Time of Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was a promoter of having free and widespread elementary education. He also supported higher education. He founded the University of Virginia in 1825.
1746-1827 Time of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi. Pestalozzi was a Swiss educator who promoted a child centered learning environment. He recognized the different learning style of the children.
1751 Time of Benjamin Franklin. Franklin founded the Academy of Philadelphia. This was a private school but began a movement to public secondary schools. He also planned the first state school system.
1776-1841 Time of Johann Friedrich Herbart. Herbart felt that a child’s education should be motivating and interesting. He thought that education should develop moral character.
1781-1852 Time of Friedrich Froebel. This German educator introduced the first kindergartens. He was also a promoter of early childhood based education such as preschools.
1785 The Northwest Ordinance. This called for the support of schools in new towns. It eventually led to land grants for public schools.
1798 Monitorial Schools are developed by Joseph Lancaster. The first school was in New York. A teacher would teach students who would then in return go out and teach classrooms of children.
1817 Time of Thomas Gallaudet. He founded the first school for the deaf.
1821 Time of Emma Willard. Willard established Troy Female Seminary. This was the first school of higher learning for women. This led to training women to be teachers.
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