Stop and Reflect
Do you think gardening activities are beneficial as part of an early childhood curriculum? Why or why not? What do you think young children might learn from participating in such a garden?
2.2 “Classic” Curricula (Pre-1960s)
This section describes, for the purposes of this book, “classic” curricula, those that were well established prior to the research efforts of the 1960s and the initiation of Head Start programs. These are the Montessori, Waldorf, Project Approach, Bank Street, and Reggio Emilia curricula. The next section describes “modern” curricula, developed from the 1960s onward. They are presented in chronological order, and Figure 2.4 displays each of the curricula discussed in following sections on a time line. As you read the next two sections, consider how the ideas grounding earlier models or approaches may have influenced those that came later.
Montessori Method
While Maria Montessori is a major historical influence on early childhood education, the methods that today bear her name go beyond the work she accomplished in her lifetime; they represent her ideas in action.
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