Kindergarten Education: Theory, Research, and Practice Vol. 2, No. 2 - pp. 67-77 WEARING MANY HATS OR HOW KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS ADORN THEIR HEADS CANDACE KAYE This article examines early childhood theoretical “hats” that are possible choices for a kindergarten teacher to wear in the United States. The “hats” represent ma- jor theoretical perspectives for early development and education. It is suggested that, through an examination of how these “hats” are translated into classroom practice, a vital and enriched kindergarten experience can become more of a real- ity. The discussion concludes with examples of how each theoretical hat can be- come visible in the practice of quality kindergarten teaching. A s kindergarten teachers, we are the theoretical hats that we can never hatless in the classroom. We choose to wear as kindergarten even describe ourselves to others as teachers, as we engage in curriculum “wearing many hats.” The ideal of planning and in teaching. These hats this many-hatted condition is to represent (a) what we know and un- wear the hats one at a time. Howev- derstand about the development of er, the reality is that we are often children and (b) how we put this wearing the green eyeshade of the understanding and knowledge into accountant for all the paperwork, daily practice. I will describe some while at the same time adorning our- of the hats that I consider important selves with the scholarly mortar- and conclude the discussion by sug- board for our curricular, theory - to - gesting opportunities for making practice planning. In addition, we each hat visible in the practice of balance both of these foundational child-centered kindergarten teach- head dresses with a jester’s cap for ing. playfulness, a nurse’s hat for physi- To set the stage, I would like to cal emergencies, and a safari helmet introduce a suitcase containing hats for the great unknown adventures worn by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, that are part of our daily journey in- John Dewey, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygot- to all the uncharted territories found sy, and Howard Gardner. This selec- in the classroom. tion process represents what Paolo This article will not discuss those Freire (1970) could be referring to hats. Rather, it focuses on some of when he spoke of education as “the CANDANCE KAYE is a lecturer, Graduate Programs in Early Childhood Education, College of Edu- cation, California State University, Long Beach, CA. Candace Kaye practice of freedom” (p. 69). He speaks of a liberating practice of ed- ucation as the opportunity for au- thentic reflection, constant inquiry, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and reaffirmation within “the pro- The theoretical chapeau of Rous- cess of becoming” (p. 72). As kin- seau is the first hat in the suitcase to dergarten teachers, we daily decide be examined. In his book Emile on what theories to wear in our (1762), Rousseau pioneered the or- classrooms to adorn our thinking as ganized study of children by explor- we facilitate the learning of our stu- ing their need for an active involve- dents. Perhaps we would find a let- ment with the environment. Rous- ter from Freire (1996) in the suitcase seau advanced the idea that children such as the following that describes are inquiring human beings who are this process: able to develop and to learn through their interaction with the environ- Dear Teacher of Young Children, ment. As a result, he spoke of child- hood as a uniquely important time Never does an event, a fact, a deed, for development, describing both the a gesture of...love, a poem, a paint- characteristics of different ages and ing, a song, a book, have only one appropriate education of each. reason behind it. In fact, a deed, a gesture, a poem, a painting, a song, In his discussion of childhood, a book are always wrapped in thick Rousseau also pointed out what wrappers. They have been touched children were not: They were not by manifold ‘whys.’ Only some of the tabula rasa or “blank slate” chil- these are close enough to the event dren described by John Locke at or the creation to be visible to the about the same time in England, able ‘whys.’ And so I have always been only to receive messages from the more interested in understanding environment as passive beings. Ad- the process n and by which things ditionally, they were not the minia- come about than in the product in itself. (p. 16) ture adults of Renaissance thought, nor “things” to be abandoned, if not Your friend, of use economically, as they had Paolo Freire formerly been considered. (We shall see Rousseau’s view reflected in the It is my hope that the reading of theoretical work of John Dewey and this article will lead to a further un- Jean Piaget, who are also represent- derstanding of the “whys” underly- ed in our suitcase.) ing the teaching-learning process and a growing awareness of how our John Dewey theoretical “heady” adornments en- Dewey’s hat is important. It has rich practice in kindergarten class- two feathers in its brim - the begin- rooms. Let us now examine each hat nings of progressive education and in more detail. the child study movement in the 68 Wearing Many Hats United States. Dewey examined the We can also nod our head in work of Friedrich Froebel who had agreement when wearing our Dewey hat as we read about his understand- ing of play, a needed center of kin- advanced the ideas of Rousseau’s dergarten curriculum planning. He early education in the development (Dewey, 1900) stated: of the first kindergarten in Germany in 1837. According to Wortham It [play] brings the child in contact (1992), “Froebel embraced the active with a great variety of material: nature of learning and saw play as wood, tin, leather, yarn, etc.; it sup- the educational method whereby the plies a motive for using these mate- child’s inner power could be re- rials in real ways instead of going leased” (p. 8). through exercises having no mean- Dewey believed in the same need ing except a remote symbolic one; it for firsthand experiences for young calls into play alertness of the senses children as Froebel had introduced and acuteness of observation; it de- with his kindergarten concept. mands clear-cut imagery of the ends However, as a progressive educator, to be accomplished, and requires in- Dewey, along with G. Stanley Hall genuity and invention in planning; and others, demonstrated the need it makes necessary concentrated at- to study how better to develop ap- tention and personal responsibility propriate child-centered curriculum in execution, while the results are in within a community-building envi- such tangible form that the child ronment, rather than in teacher- may be led to judge his own work initiated lessons with prescribed imi- and improve his standards. (p. 149) tation activities for the child as Froe- bel’s curriculum had advocated. In In this desire to continue explor- rejecting imitation as a prescription ing his democratic processes for for curriculum, Dewey (1900) stated: young children, Dewey established the Laboratory School at the Univer- From the psychological stand- sity of Chicago in 1896. Discussing point it may safely be said that Dewey’s purpose in establishing this when a teacher has to rely upon a school, Wortham (1992) noted: series of dictated directions, it is just because the child has no im- Dewey’s goal was to develop a age of his own of what is to be school that could become a coopera- done or why it is to be done. In- tive community while developing stead, therefore, of gaining power individual capacities at the same of control by conforming to direc- time. Life and its occupations tions, he is really losing it — should provide the basis for educa- made dependent upon an exter- tion, with the main test of success nal source. (p. 151) being the ability of individuals to 69 Candace Kaye meet new social situations through guage usage as an intentional prac- thoughtful action. (p. 16) tice to influence behavior. Piaget and Vygotsky can be Dewey’s ideas are still actively viewed as complementing each oth- being pursued by those working in er, thus making it easier to wear both the Laboratory School, such as Vivi- hats at the same time. In relation to an Paley, author of books such as this notion, Glassman (1994) stated You Can’t Say You Can’t Play (1992). that within both theories: Paley explores the social and moral dilemmas of the kindergarten class- There are two lines of devel- room and in this particular work de- opment - natural and social - fines the needed role of the teacher that interact continuously in to uproot the first weeds of exclusion the development of children’s in the classroom society. In finding thinking. Both are important. her solutions to the dilemmas, Pa- Both need to be considered to ley’s thinking continually returns to understand cognitive change. Dewey’s concern for the importance Children are able to mentally of developing democratic group transform their experiences processes in early education. Such a through internal reflection. concern is expressed when Dewey These major transformative (1916) wrote: “A democracy is more changes, in thinking, can be than a form of government; it is pri- identified by qualitative marily a mode of social living, of changes. conjoint communicated experience” The course of these changes is (p. 101). influenced by the social mi- lieu. Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky It is possible for us to wear the The Separate Hats of Piaget and Vygot- hats of Piaget and Vygotsky at the sky same time, while also enjoying their As we have just seen there is a individual uniqueness, one at a time.