Top 12 Pioneers in Education

You don't need to venture into the Old West orand the head of the Chicago University’s
shutte into space to be a pioneer.  These Top 12teacher college, that Dewey exerted his greatest
pioneers in education have explored much rougherinfluence in education and promoted many
terrain to shape modern learning.educational reforms through his experimental
schools.  It was his view that children should be
encouraged to develop “free personalities”
and that they should be taught how to think and
Horace Mann (1796-1859) Pioneer of Americanto make judgments rather than to simply have
Public School EducationHorace Mann grew up in atheir heads filled with knowledge.  He also
time when education was not easily obtained forbelieved that schools were places where children
those that lived in the poor rural areas ofshould learn to live cooperatively. A member of
America.  Though his own early education wasthe first teacher’s union, he was concerned
limited, he attended Browns University, studiedfor teacher’s rights and their academic
law, and later enjoyed a highly successful politicalfreedom.
career.  It was during his time serving as aMaria Montessori (1870-1952) Pioneer of
representative and senator in the legislature ofIndividualized Education
Massachusetts and lastly Secretary of theMontessori methods remain the popular choice for
Massachusetts Board of Education that he usedmany parents who seek an alternative education
his influence to advance change in the Americanfor their children, especially for the early childhood
educational system.  We can thank Horace Mannthrough the primary years. Before she took an
for teacher training colleges, free libraries, andinterest in education, Montessori was the first
free public education to all children throughwoman in Italy to obtain the training to become a
taxation.doctor.  She was assigned the post of medical
Freidrich Froebel (1782-1852) Pioneer of Earlycare to the patients of a mental institution and it
Childhood Educationwas there that she encountered
Freidrich Froebel was a German educator whose“backward” children igniting her passion for
philosophy of education influenced such people aseducation.  Beginning with a daycare facility in one
Horace Mann and Maria Montessori.  Based on theof the poorest neighborhoods in Rome,
belief that a young child possessed innate qualitiesMontessori put her theories into practice. Her
that would unfold gradually within a natural setting,methods were influenced by her previous training
he established kindergartens where freein medicine, education, and anthropology.   The
expression, creativity, social interaction, motorresults were extraordinary and soon drew much
activity and learning by doing were the focus. attention from many parts of the world, including
Many of these same tenets can be found in ourAmerica.  The rest, as they say, is history.
contemporary early childhood programs.John Holt (1923-1985) Pioneer and Advocate for
Charlotte Mason (1842-1923) Pioneer of HomeHome Education
EducationTalk about going full circle.  Whereas Horace
A citizen of Britain, Charlotte Mason’s dreamMann fought for the free public education of all
was that all children, no matter what social class,children, Holt raised awareness of the need for
should have the opportunity to obtain a liberal artsreform in America’s public schools.  As an
education.   She was dedicated to improving theeducator, he became convinced that the present
way in which children were educated.  Seeing thesystem stifled the learning of most children mainly
importance of educating parents in areas ofbecause of fear.  Disillusioned by the inability to
discipline and the training of children, she began thebring reform and improvement to public schools,
Parents’ Education Union.  It was her beliefHolt left teaching and devoted his time to the
that children learn best through “livingpromotion of his ideas.   He believed that
books” rather than dry textbooks andchildren learn best when allowed to follow their
through real experiences.  Her methods includedown interests rather than having learning imposed
an emphasis on the enjoyment of the arts andupon them. His exposure to proponents of home
the study of great artists and musicians.  Manyeducation lead him to later conclude that the best
of her educational practices were well suited toplace to set up a natural environment for learning
home education and her methods have becomewas within a child’s home.  His books had a
the foundation of many homeschooling families.profound impact on the growth of the home
Jean Piaget (1896-1980) Pioneer of How Childrenschooling sector.
LearnMarie Clay (1926-2007) Pioneer of Balanced
Anyone who has taken a child psychology classLiteracy Model and Reading Recovery
will have studied the developmental and learningBorn in Wellington, New Zealand, Marie Clay
theories of Jean Piaget, the Swedish psychologist.became an international leader in the study of
Fascinated with how children reasoned, he beganchildren’s acquisition of literacy.  Her methods
researching and writing books on the subject ofof teaching reading and written language have
child psychology.  When he later married andswept through the United States and other English
fathered three children, he was supplied withspeaking nations since their inception three
enough data to write three more books!  Hisdecades ago.  The reading recovery component
research and subsequent theories have becomewas developed as a means of lifting the low
the basis and foundation of our understanding ofachieving first grader to a place alongside the
normal child development.average learner.  The structure of the program
Margaret Bancroft (1854-1912) Pioneer of Specialcalls for close observation of the student by the
Educationteacher to design lessons that constantly build on
Bancroft’s intelligence, imagination, andwhat a child already knows and taking them to
dedication to her students set her apart as anthe next level.  Children are surrounded by a
extraordinary educator.  At the age of 25, shelanguage rich environment and encouraged to
embarked on a courageous and lonely endeavorchoose reading books that align with their personal
by opening the first private boarding school ininterests.
Haddonfield, New Jersey, for children withJerome Bruner (1915-)  Pioneer of Discovery
developmental delays.  She believed that disabledLearning Theory
children needed special schools, adapted material,To combat the behaviorist approach to education,
and well trained teachers rather than to be sentBruner developed cognitive psychology and
to institutions.  Bancroft’s studentspromoted a constructivist approach.  His
responded to her love and patience anddiscovery learning theory is based on the
individually-tailored instruction.  Under her influence,assumption that children learn and remember
the medical profession began to awaken to theirbetter what they discover for themselves and
responsibility to help correct defects and disabilitiesthat they are better able to remember new
in children.  Admirers of her skill came to traininformation if they connect it to something that
and later became leaders in the field of specialthey already know. His research and subsequent
education.theories on child development closely aligns with
Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) Pioneer ofthe work of Jean Piaget.
Education for African-AmericansHoward Gardner (1943-)  Pioneer of Multiple
Born into slavery and later freed, WashingtonIntelligences Theory
knew first hand the difference an education canGardner’s theory of multiple intelligences has
make in a person’s life.  As a young man,redefined educators’ views of how students
Washington was appointed to head the Tuskegeelearn and should be assessed. Historically,
Institute now called Tuskegee University, whichintelligence has been measured through the ability
was originally a teacher’s training college forto problem solve and to demonstrate cognitive
African-Americans.  He was leader of the collegeability through various controlled verbal and
from its infancy to the time of his death.  Heperformance type tasks.   Gardner’s theory
became a dominant and influential figure amongbroadens the field of how individuals display their
politicians and the general public and did much tointelligence by including linguistic,
pave the way for later civil rights andlogical-mathematical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic,
desegregation of public education.  It was hisspecial, interpersonal, and intrapersonal
belief that education was the African-Americanintelligences.  Through his influence there has
community’s best chance for social equalitybeen a greater emphasis placed on performance
and a better future.testing and educators have become more
John Dewey (1859-1952) Pioneer of Progressiveconscious of the need for diversification of
Educationinstructional strategies to match the learning
It was while he was a professor of philosophystyles and strengths of students.