Which theorist believes in basing early childhood educational goals and objectives upon scientific theory of children's cognitive, social, and moral development?

• A. Erik Erikson
• B. Jean Piaget
• C. Maria Montessori
• D. Constance Kamii

Answer: (D)

Basing goals on a theory of how children think and develop across multiple domains guides effective early childhood education. Constance Kamii champions using a scientific understanding of children's cognitive, social, and moral development to shape what we expect children to learn. She builds on Piaget’s constructivist ideas, treating children as active meaning-makers who reason about the world through concrete experiences and social interaction. With this view, classroom goals are designed to match what children can understand at their current stage, while providing meaningful social collaboration and problem-solving opportunities that push them to higher levels of thinking. In short, curriculum objectives are grounded in a coherent theory of development that links thinking, collaborating with others, and moral growth, and then shaped through guided, hands-on experiences.