American History Since 1865: Early Childhood Education Evolution

This essay delves into the history and significance of early childhood education in America, tracing its origins from European influences to the industrial revolution and the establishment of early programs in the USA. It highlights key milestones such as the introduction of kindergarten programs in Wisconsin, the formation of the National Association for Education of Young Children, and the creation of the Head Start program in 1965. The essay emphasizes the importance of early childhood education in fostering cognitive and social development, supporting families, and contributing to the economy. It also underscores the crucial role of early childhood educators in preparing children for future learning. The essay concludes by reinforcing the benefits of early childhood education, highlighting its impact on children's learning processes, financial security of families, and the state's economy, drawing on various academic sources to support its claims.

Running head: RESEARCH PAPER 1
American History since1865
Student details:
7/29/2019

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The teaching to youthful brain is the good initiative to prepare children for the learning
experience in future. The development of early childhood education has changed the views of
parents and youngster to see the significance of providing the inspiring as well as thrilling
opportunities to the youngsters. The early childhood education is very important because it
provides the learning experience to children. The early childhood education is considered as the
area of educational theory. In the following parts, meaning and significance of early childhood
education, and its history in America is discussed as well as critically examined.
The early childhood education is a broader expression, which is used to define the
educational programs to serve kids during the pre-school, before they are old enough to come in
playgroup (McCoy, et. al, 2016). It can contain all the knowledge and activities that are framed
to assist in cognitive as well as social growth of preschooler prior to join the elementary school.
The early childhood education can be dissimilar from one state to another state. An early
childhood education can also vary from one school to another school in the similar state.
Additionally, the preschool education program can be framed particularly for either 3 to 4
years old children, or the five years old children. These preschool education programs can be
offered in day-care, children-care or nursery school setting, and more traditional pre-school or
pre-kindergarten class. Also, these programs can vary in term of support and funds. They can be
privately operate or ran by the confined school-system, or ran by the centrally funded programs
such as Head Start (Black, et. al, 2017).
In 1800, the idea of early childhood education began with mothers in Europe, who taught
the children out of the home. During the industrial revolution, this concept of early childhood

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education approached to USA with “toddler school” set up in church, industrial units, as well as
local home. This concept came to for providing children care when the parents were doing work
or job. State of Wisconsin made amendments in constitution to involve the committees dedicated
to free education of kids of the age of 4 to 20 in 1848, and in year 1873, started first 4 year old
children kindergarten program.
With passing of time, some different states also followed a lead of Wisconsin within a
area of early childhood education by day care, and preschool. The nursery programs are also
addressed in these states. Further, National Association for Education of Young Children was
developed in year 1926. The main purpose of its establishment was the welfare young children.
It puts focus on the education’s quality as well as developmental services accessible to the kids
since their birth to age of eight (Noble, et. al, 2015).
Furthermore, Head Start program was created in USA in year 1965. It is first early
childhood education initiative. This program is funded as academic initiative. It is funded by the
Department of Health and Human Service. This program is helpful for the children who belong
with the lower-socioeconomic background or who come in the specific at-risks category with
free access to the early childhood programs (Magnuson & Duncan, 2016).
Moreover, in America, various early childhood education programs are operated in
support of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Act. It is reported by the national institute that
in the school year 2012-2013, about 1.4 million American were enrolled in the state funded pre-
school programs for early education research. As a final point, the early childhood education
program can be operated by private profit making corporations, or according to the private
school curriculum, or by the church (Singer, 2017).

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Other important factor is that the early childhood educator has important part in early
childhood education. The early childhood educators are helpful for the new learners to become
winning learners, readers. The pre-school teacher helps the children in getting the knowledge of
books and in developing the language capabilities (Varenne, 2018). These pre-school teachers
can use various approaches to teach different skills when they raise the natural curiosity of the
children for learning. In this way, the pre-school teacher plays key role in a life of preschooler.
In conclusion, the early childhood education can be beneficial for the children during the
academic career. The early childhood education helps the children in developing learning
process and capabilities. The approach of early childhood education adopted by USA also
ensures financial security of families and economy of state.

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References
Black, M. M., Walker, S. P., Fernald, L. C., Andersen, C. T., DiGirolamo, A. M., Lu, C. &
Devercelli, A. E. (2017). Early childhood development coming of age: science through
the life course. The Lancet, 389(10064), 77-90.
Magnuson, K., & Duncan, G. J. (2016). Can early childhood interventions decrease inequality of
economic opportunity?. RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social
Sciences, 2(2), 123-141.
McCoy, D. C., Peet, E. D., Ezzati, M., Danaei, G., Black, M. M., Sudfeld, C. R., & Fink, G.
(2016). Early childhood developmental status in low-and middle-income countries:
national, regional, and global prevalence estimates using predictive modeling. PLoS
Medicine, 13(6), e1002034.
Noble, K. G., Houston, S. M., Brito, N. H., Bartsch, H., Kan, E., Kuperman, J. M. & Schork, N.
J. (2015). Family income, parental education and brain structure in children and
adolescents. Nature neuroscience, 18(5), 773.
Singer, E. (2017). Child-care and the psychology of development. New York: Routledge
Varenne, H. (2018). Successful failure: The school America builds. New York: Routledge

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