Feminism and the Development of Early Childhood Education in Australia

Abstract

Feminism has multiple definitions and even more manifestations, but many women working in the late nineteenth century/early twentieth century for the development of early childhood education in Australia were undeniably feminists, part of what has been called the “first wave of feminism” (Krolokke and Sorenson 2006). This chapter looks at the views and activities of some of these women who were prominent in the establishment of kindergartens in New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. Whilst active in the women’s suffrage movements, they also advocated innovative views of education which were only just being explored in Britain and the USA. Examining their views on education give an in..