36 DOUBLE TAP TO ZOOM WITH PHONE OR TABLET | Giants in the Nursery Comenius We must wait for opportunities to train our youth in all things and not anticipate them. We must begin in good time but not before it, as that would be no help to nature but would corrupt it. (Comenius 1986, 92) NAEYC Many aspects of children’s learning and development follow well- documented sequences, with later abilities, skills, and knowledge building on those already acquired. Comenius Education will be easy if the pupil is not overburdened by too many subjects . . . [and] if the intellect be forced to nothing to which its natural bent does not incline it, in accordance with its age and the right method. (Keatinge 1910, 127) Commentary John Amos Comenius was truly a genius. He not only understood child development as well as all the sciences, languages, and arts of his times, but also devised methods of teaching these subjects at all age levels. His The Great Didactic also set the four levels of schooling that are the standard in most developed countries. It is truly astounding to read his exposition of the principles of DAP written more than four centuries ago. While to my knowledge Piaget never read nor referred to Comenius, I was fascinated to read that they both shared the same vision of education: to teach individuals to think for themselves and not to accept the first ideas that come to them. I hope that Comenius will eventually receive the recognition he so clearly deserves. References Anastasas, Florence H. 1973. And They Called Him Amos: The Story of John Amos Comenius: A Woodcut in Words. Jericho, NY: Expostion Press of Florida. Bergson, Henri. 1911. Creative Evolution. Translated by Arthur Mitchell. New York: Macmillan. Comenius, Johann Amos. 1858. The School of Infancy. An Essay on the Education of Youth, During Their First Six Years. London: W. Mallalieu. ———. 1986. Pampaedia, or, Universal Education. Translated by A. M. O. Dobbie. Dover, UK: Buckland. COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL