Constance Davey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Constance Davey
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Davey in 1924
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| Born |
Constance Muriel Davey
4 December 1882 |
| Died | 4 December 1963 (aged 81) |
| Education | University of Adelaide |
| Occupation | Psychologist |
Constance Muriel Davey OBE (4 December 1882 – 4 December 1963) was an important Australian psychologist. She worked for the Department of Education in South Australia. She is famous for starting the state's first special education classes for children who needed extra help with learning.
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About Constance Davey
Constance Davey was born in 1882 in Nuriootpa, South Australia. Her parents were Emily Mary and Stephen Henry Davey.
Early Life and Education
She started teaching in 1908 at a private school in Port Adelaide. In 1909, she taught at St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School. Constance also studied at the University of Adelaide. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy in 1915. Later, she completed her Master of Arts degree in 1918.
In 1921, Constance won a special award called the Catherine Helen Spence Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship allowed her to study for her doctorate degree in London. She went to the University of London to research how children learn and if they needed special support. She earned her doctorate in 1924. After that, she visited the United States and Canada. She wanted to see how schools taught children who learned differently or had behavior challenges.
Making a Difference in Education
In November 1924, Constance Davey became the first psychologist in the South Australian Department of Education. Her job was to help identify and organize classes for students who were struggling in school. She tested many children to understand their learning needs.
In 1925, she created South Australia's very first "opportunity class." These classes were special groups for children who needed different ways of learning. She also started a course in 1931 to train teachers. This course taught teachers how to work with children who had special learning needs.
Teaching and Later Work
From 1927 to 1950, Constance also taught psychology at the University of Adelaide. In 1938, she helped set up a new university course. This course trained people to become social workers. Social workers help people and families solve problems.
Constance left the Department of Education in 1942. By then, about 700 children were attending the special opportunity classes she had started.
Constance Davey was also involved in community work. She was a member of the Women's Non-Party Political Association for 30 years. She even served as the president of this group from 1943 to 1947. This association worked to improve things for women.
In 1950, she became a fellow of the British Psychological Society. This is a special honor for psychologists. In 1955, she was given another important award. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
In 1956, Constance published a book called Children and Their Law-makers. This book looked at the history of laws in South Australia that affected children. She had started working on this book in 1945. Constance Davey passed away on her 81st birthday in 1963.
