Gesell Institute
Program Philosophy
The program is developmentally based, utilizing several principles set forth by Arnold Gesell:
- All children proceed through the same sequence of development, but all vary in rates of development.
- There is an inner timetable which determines the child’s rate of development. Trying to teach activities ahead of that timetable will at best result in only minor, temporary growth.
- A favorable environment helps to insure the realization of a child’s potential.
- Each child is unique in temperament and growth style. The culture should try to adjust to each child’s uniqueness.
Other theories upon which the program draws include those of Erik Erikson, Lev Vygotsky, and Jean Piaget. These theories provide us with a set of developmental expectations which allow us to plan appropriate activities and develop behavioral guidelines for children