Practice · Standards · Theory
Educational Theory Library
Most platforms teach what to do. Edfable also teaches why it works. Every theory here is connected to real simulations — click any card to see it in practice.
Why this matters
Instead of only saying “aligned to NAEYC Standard 1,” Edfable can say: supports NAEYC Standard 1, based on Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development, promotes CLASS Emotional Support. What it aligns to, why it works, and how to apply it — three layers, one platform.
Child Development
How children grow, think, and become themselves — the foundation under everything else.
Lev Vygotsky
Sociocultural Theory
Learning happens through social interaction — children grow into what we do with them.
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Jean Piaget
Cognitive Development
Young children think concretely and build understanding through hands-on experience.
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Erik Erikson
Psychosocial Development
Preschoolers are building Initiative vs. Guilt — encouragement grows confidence.
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Urie Bronfenbrenner
Ecological Systems
A child's behavior is shaped by family, school, culture, and community — you are one of their worlds.
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Howard Gardner
Multiple Intelligences
Children are smart in different ways — a classroom should offer more than one door into every idea.
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Universal Design for Learning (CAST)
Universal Design for Learning
Plan for learner variability from the start — multiple ways to engage, understand, and show learning — instead of retrofitting help.
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Learning Through Play
Why hands-on exploration, prepared environments, and child-led projects teach more than worksheets.
Maria Montessori
The Prepared Environment
Children teach themselves when the environment is ordered, beautiful, and sized for independence.
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Reggio Emilia
The Hundred Languages
Children express understanding in a hundred ways — and documentation makes their thinking visible.
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John Dewey
Learning by Doing
Real knowledge grows from meaningful, shared experience — education is life, not preparation for it.
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HighScope
Active Participatory Learning
Children learn best from experiences they plan, carry out, and reflect on themselves — plan-do-review.
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Waldorf (Rudolf Steiner)
Rhythm & Imagination
Predictable daily rhythm, natural materials, and unhurried imaginative play give young children security and depth.
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Behavior & Guidance
The science behind calm, positive guidance — and why punishment teaches less than modeling.
Albert Bandura
Social Learning
Children imitate calm, respectful adults — you are the lesson they watch all day.
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Skinner → Positive Behavior Support
Positive Behavior Support
Noticing the behavior you want teaches more than punishing the behavior you don't.
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B.F. Skinner
Behaviorism & Reinforcement
Behavior grows in the direction of what gets attention — thoughtful positive reinforcement beats punishment.
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Social-Emotional Learning
Safety, belonging, and feelings come first — a child who feels secure is a child who can learn.
Bowlby & Ainsworth
Attachment Theory
A child who feels safe with you has a secure base to explore and learn from.
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CASEL & Daniel Goleman
Emotional Intelligence & SEL
Naming, understanding, and managing feelings is a teachable skill — and it predicts life outcomes.
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Maslow & Rogers
Needs Come First
Hungry, tired, or scared children can't learn — meet the need, then teach.
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The Reflective Educator
How teachers themselves learn: act, notice, reflect, adjust — the loop every Edfable sim rehearses.
Authored with our Ed.D co-founder. The library grows with every new simulation.