Erikson Institute

Erikson Institute, located in Chicago, Illinois, was founded in 1966 as an inspired response to a socially charged era. While the growing middle class was beginning to enjoy the fruits of postwar prosperity—advances in housing, health, nutrition, and education—the country was awakening to the plight of the urban and rural poor and the socially disenfranchised. With the launch of Head Start and the War on Poverty, the government recognized that quality early education was imperative for all children, especially those living in poverty and growing up amidst social disadvantage.

Erikson's founders—Maria Piers, Barbara Bowman, Lorraine Wallach, and Irving Harris—were persuaded that a comprehensive understanding of child development was fundamental to the task of helping children reach their potential. The institute was established to provide that comprehensive understanding to early childhood practitioners, educators, administrators, and community leaders. Faculty were recruited from disciplines including early childhood education, administration, cultural anthropology, clinical and developmental psychology, pediatrics, and social work. They taught a curriculum that emphasized developmental psychology, biology, and social science, in addition to more traditional disciplines. Students participated in field internships that enabled them to maximize their effectiveness with children and families in the context of diverse communities.

From the outset, Erikson has been committed to equity and justice in the care and education of young children, especially disadvantaged and minority children. The vision of the founders was clear: to create a multiethnic, interdisciplinary group of child development leaders committed to educating the whole child. These leaders would work in many divergent communities as advocates for children at risk for school failure and developmental harm.

The method Erikson's founders proposed for preparing these leaders was unique, and it remains so today: relationship-based, theory-driven, self-reflective practice. Simply put, Erikson students must develop more than a knowledge base or skill set. In addition, they must develop professional self-awareness and the ability to reflect on their practice, use their theoretical training, and implement practical solutions to short and long-term problems.