MISSING PIECES: A REVIEW OF HISTORY CHAPTERS IN INTRODUCTORY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION TEXTBOOKS

The results of a survey of history chapters in thirteen recent introductory early childhood education textbooks are presented in this paper. The chapters were reviewed on four dimensions: The rationale for the study of history, the dominant story of the history, the facts of the history, and the image of the history. Textbooks are described as important sources of knowledge for beginning students. While the facts of the history in textbooks are mostly accurate, the dominant story is derived mainly from the contributions of “giant thinkers” in psychology, education, and philosophy. The article concludes by recommending increased attention to the missing pieces of ECE history. Three examples are given: the role of caring knowledge, international perspectives, and the relation of preschool to school history.