Evolution of the Key Concepts of 30-year Kindergarten Curriculum Reform in China

    In 1981, Chinese Ministry of Education issued the Kindergarten Education Guideline to restore the pre-primary education system which was destroyed in the Cultural Revolution(1966-1976). The key concept stated in the... [ view full abstract ]

    In 1981, Chinese Ministry of Education issued the Kindergarten Education Guideline to restore the pre-primary education system which was destroyed in the Cultural Revolution(1966-1976). The key concept stated in the Guideline was intelligence development through “subject-based lessons”. With the implementation of China's reform and opening-up policy, while learning the ideas from domestic educators (such as Chen Heqin) and foreign development psychology and early education theory, some university professors cooperated with kindergarten team to explore theme-based integrated curriculum, in which children’s comprehensive development was emphasized. These small-scale reforms were supported by the Ministry of Education and led to the issue of the Guiding Outline of Kindergarten Education in 2001, which functioned as curriculum standard. The key concept changed into enhancing children’s comprehensive development and preparing them for a life-long learning society through “active educational activities”. Since then, Chinese early educators have been exploring how to transform the school-like teaching into scaffolding children’s active learning in prepared environment.