Exploring the Impact of John Locke on Early Childhood Education
For us to understand how John Locke was influential in Early Childhood Education, it is essential to know who he was. Locke was born in 1632 in England and was a philosopher whose literary works impact the modern-day generation. As a bright student, he found undergraduate studies at Oxford to be unstimulating and dull. With this knowledge in mind, it suffices to maintain that this paper will explore this scholar’s life, a period when he was influential, and his accomplishments. It will also touch on how long the achievements lasted, his influence in early childhood education, institutional affiliation, and personal life.
Foremost, John Locke was most famous and influential after writing an essay on Human Understanding in 1689. The essay spoke of the theory he had developed on ideas and his postulation on the origins of human knowledge. Actually, this notion began when he had a meeting with his friends who had met to have a discourse on the question of morality. Another work that spurred him to influential levels was in the field of political philosophy, “…Two Treatises of Government (1689). Although scholars disagree over the exact date of its composition, it is certain that it was substantially composed before Locke fled to Holland” (Rogers). It was written in response to political turmoil in England during the exclusion controversy period, although its message had much more potent and lasting influence.
Also, as a distinguished philosopher, his works had a tremendous impact on Western philosophy. He was widely accepted as the father of modern philosophical empiricism, which suggested that the human mind knows nothing at birth and that knowledge is acquired through experience. In political philosophy, he is regarded as the founder of Liberalism, which hinges on equality and liberty. Another potent contribution to philosophy entails developing an influential theory on the social contract. Doubtless, some of his accomplishments have had a lasting impact on the governments. For instance, his work rejected the “divine right of kings” and maintained that societies form governments through mutual and tacit agreement. As such, if a king runs out of the subject’s consent, he is essentially removed from power. Locke remembered his education in Oxford as disinteresting and not thought evocative when it comes to education. In his work, Thoughts Concerning Education, written in 1693, he urged for broadening the syllabuses and better student treatment.
Besides, concerning his influence on Early Childhood Education, he developed the Blank Slate theory, which was also referred to as the “Tabula Rasa” theory, which posited that when children are born, they have an empty mind. Therefore, knowledge and learning are gained through their individual experience, which would hence be converted to comprehension through reasoning. Locke’s firm belief in “nurture” above “nature” pushed him to insist on the notion of early childhood education and the need for changes to be implemented in parental care. It involved allowing children to make explorations of their immediate environment physically without enforcing restraint and employing gentle ways of disciplining them (Aleksov). He maintained further that having a respectful, loving, and gentle relationship with young ones is one of the most potent ways of inspiring the children to emulate their behaviors. Discipline can be enforced with a particular focus on making the learning process a fun and enjoyable moment, one to be done willingly and not imposed on the children.
Portrait of John Locke, 1697 National Portrait Gallery, London
It is also important to note that after completing his studies at the prestigious Westminster school, he joined Christ Church, Oxford, at the age of twenty. It was here that he studied medicine, which would later play a vital role in his life. At this point, he studied philosophy, epistemology, and education, where he developed to become one of the most decorated philosophers.
Nonetheless, Locke’s personal life was a riveting one for many reasons. His father noticed his passion for books from an early age and lost no time providing him with the very best. He was raised in Pensford, close to Bristol, and he was about ten years old when the civil war began. His father was a lawyer, and his position as a captain in the Parliamentarians’ cavalry also shaped Locke’s perspective on kings’ divine right to rule. After the First Civil War, Locke’s father secured a place in the Westminster School, a prestigious institution in London, when Locke was 14 years old. The strict Richard Busby also played a role in influencing Locke’s Tabula Rasa theory. It was a theory that was essentially against what Richard Busby was engaging in disciplining learners by using the birch. Insofar as Locke was an intelligent student, he was disinterested in schooling.
Lastly, some of the practical implications of Locke’s arguments included religious tolerance, which effectively connected with his account of civil government. In this case, He defined life, health, property, and liberty as moral concerns of the civil government or the magistrate. However, a person’s religious problems with salvation are from the outside of civil interests, which implies that everyone should be free to choose their own pathway to salvation.
In conclusion, it is evident that John Locke played a crucial role in shaping successive governments, early childhood education, and even democracy. In this case, John Locke’s effectiveness in his works has withstood the tests of time and more challenges, even in the 18th and 19th Centuries when it was attacked. It has largely shaped modern society.
Works Cited
Aleksov, Jelena. “The Journey Of Early Childhood Education Through Time.” Novak Djokovic Foundation, 2018, https://novakdjokovicfoundation.org/the-journey-of-early-childhood-education-through-time/.
Kneller, Godfrey. Portrait Of Locke. 1697, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Locke#/media/File:John_Locke.jpg. Accessed 3 Sept 2021.
Rogers, Graham A.J. “John Locke | Philosophy, Social Contract, Two Treatises of Government, & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 2021, https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Locke.
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Question 
Below you will find a list of influential people in the field of Early Childhood Education; choose one person on the list. Use your textbook, the Internet, and other sources to learn about that person. Use the topics provided in your syllabus and your assignments on Blackboard for a guide for information to include in your report. The report will be at least 3 typed pages: title, heading, and picture space do not count in page length. The information provided should contain information in addition to that which can be found in your textbook; in other words, you will do research about your chosen person and use numerous sources.
Exploring the Impact of John Locke on Early Childhood Education
Choose one person from the list of Influential People. Use your textbook, the Internet, or other sources to provide information about that person. Following are some suggested questions to answer. Do not limit yourself to only these questions; mention anything that you think is relevant or interesting. Provide a picture if possible.
· What time period was this person influential?
· What accomplishments are associated with this person?
· Where are the accomplishments last? How?
· How did this person influence the field of early care and education?
· With what organization/university is the person associated?
· What type of education/qualifications did this person have?
· What was this person’s personal life like?
· Name some practical implications that may have resulted from this person (i.e. curriculum, standard practices, etc.)