These schools carried a basic curriculum of reading, writing, religion, and some math to strengthen Christian beliefs. In their secondary schools, the elite were taught Latin grammar and higher skills in literature. They used a dual track for educating the common people and the elite. Created an environment that allowed the innate natural goodness of children to shine forth and flourish. Devised five stages of growth which was linked to the subject matter.
Environment contributes to the child's learning and experiences.
A pragmatist, who believed in experimenting with many methods and found which worked best. Found that children learn best when they have some control in the work. Learn by doing. She developed a sensory, muscular, and intellectual developmental plan using didactic material in a structured environment. Saw three areas from which children develop, motor skills, aesthetic appreciation, and intellectual.