WRITTEN RESPONSE

ASIGNMENT CHD-215
4/14/15

Among the different kinds of educational programs/approaches in the education

industry, some of the well-known are Montessori, Waldorf, Head Start and Reggio
Emilia. There is no right or wrong program, each approach has its own unique
characteristics and principles that it follows.
Maria Montessori started this program who was born in 1870 in Italy to a wealthy
family. Even as a child Montessori was known for her superb intellect. She attended an
all-boys technical school in pursuit of medicine. She demonstrated unusual strength as a
student and became the first female doctor to graduate from University of Rome.
Montessoris first childrens house/school was Casa de Bambini that opened in 1907 in
Rome. She introduced concepts and terms like the absorbent mind children soak up their
surroundings and experiences. She further chronicled the different activities and levels of
competence in the children of various ages. Montessori continued to promote her method
and was both criticized and applauded at the same time. The Montessori program gained
popularity after Maria Montessoris death in 1952 and till today is one of the fastest
growing educational programs worldwide.
The Waldorf schools follow the philosophy that was developed by Rudolf
Steiner, which explains that knowledge and awareness of humanity with a belief that

there is a spiritual world that can be accessed. Steiner firmly believed during the
early years childrens energies needed focus on their physical bodies and
imagination. The first Waldorf School opened in Germany in 1919 and the first one
to open in North America was in New York in 1928.Waldorf school classrooms are
designed to be a place of harmony, beauty and gentle guidance, more so in lower
classes. Some of the key principles the program follows are; view of child
development, programs & teachers role and the Waldorf curriculum.
The Head Start promotes the school readiness of young children from lowincome families through agencies in their local community. Head Start and Early
Head Start programs support the mental, social, and emotional development of
children from birth to age 5. In addition to education services, programs provide
children and their families with health, nutrition, social, and other services. Head
Start encourages the role of parents as their child's first and most important teachers.
Programs build relationships with families that support positive parent-child
relationships, family well-being, and connections to peers and community. Head
Start began as a program for preschoolers.
The Reggio Emilia program offers a unique approach to nurturing an educating
young children. Everything Reggio teachers do is the guiding belief that children are
capable and component. The Reggio Emilia program originated in a town in northern
Italy by the name of Reggio Emilia and thats how it got the name. The Reggio
approach takes children aesthetic development as seriously as their development in

other domains (physical, social/emotional, language and cognitive). Many schools in

the U.S. have adopted the Reggio philosophy.