CHAPTER 6 – CURRICULUM BASICS
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Learning Objectives Examine curriculum concepts related to planning, implementing, and evaluating interactions and experiences in early childhood settings. Identify major components to early childhood curriculum including play based learning, behavioral considerations, and various types of curriculum models. |
NAEYC STANDARDS
The following NAEYC Standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation addressed in this chapter:
Standard 1: Promoting Child Development and Learning
Standard 2: Building Family and Community Relationships
Standard 3: Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families
Standard 4: Using Developmentally Effective Approaches to Connect with Children and Families
Standard 5: Using Content Knowledge to Build Meaningful Curriculum
Standard 6: Becoming a professional
PENNSYLVANIA EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR COMPETENCIES
Child Growth and Development
Families, Schools and Community Collaboration and Partnership
Curriculum and Learning Experiences
Professionalism and Leadership
Communication
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN (NAEYC) CODE OF ETHICAL CONDUCT (MAY 2011)
The following elements of the code are touched upon in this chapter:
Section I: Ethical Responsibilities to Children
Ideals: 1.1 – 1.12
Principles: 1.1 – 1.5, 2.7
Section II: Ethical Responsibilities to Families
Ideals: 2.1 – 2.9
Principles: 2.2, 2.5, 2.6
Section III: Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues (it is broken into two specific responsibilities)
B – Responsibilities to employers
Ideals: 3B.1
Section IV: Ethical Responsibility to Community and Society (we have both an individual and a collective responsibility)
Ideal: 4.1
PREVIEW
Pause to Reflect
When you hear the word “curriculum” what comes to mind?
As we have learned in previous chapters, developing relationships, as well as understanding the developmental stages and individual interests and skills of children are crucial to effective teaching. This is accomplished through interactions and both informal and formal observations with the children in our care. This information will form the cornerstone of what is called “curriculum”, which includes both the planned and unplanned experiences that occur throughout the day.
DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING
“Development” and “learning” are two integrated concepts that we promote as teachers. As children are “learning” new concepts and skills, they are fostering their “development”. Our goal is to encourage the development of the “whole child” (physical, cognitive, social, emotional, spiritual) by providing learning experiences based on children’s interests and abilities, a concept known as “intentional teaching”.
Although children learn in an integrated manner (blending all areas of development together) these areas are often broken down for planning purposes. While we looked at this in chapter 5, Developmental Ages and Stages, to understand development, the same is true when planning curriculum.
Figure 6.1 – All areas of development affect and are affected by each otherlxix
Table 6.1 below shows the relationship between the domains of development and concepts of learning.
Table 6.1: Relationship between Development and Learninglxx
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Development |
Learning |
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Cognitive |
Science, Technology, Math |
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Language |
Language and Literacy |
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Physical |
Health, Safety, Nutrition, Self-Help Skills, Physical Education |
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Social, Emotional, Spiritual |
Social Science, Visual and Performing Arts |
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Vignette Javier and Ji are playing in the block area. They have stacked several large blocks on top of each other. Twice the blocks have fallen and each time they have modified their plan slightly to make them stay. Once stable, Ji counts the blocks and Javier turns to the teacher and proudly says, “Look at our 5 story building, you should shop here.” |
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Pause to Reflect Can you find development and learning for Javier and Ji in each of the categories listed in the table above? |
If you are interested in further exploration, the Pennsylvania Core Knowledge Competencies for Early Childhood and School Age Professionals and state and national standards describe competencies for early childhood educators. You can explore each of these:
PA Core Knowledge Competencies https://www.pakeys.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/36124_Competencies_.pdf
PA Learning Standards for Early Childhood https://www.pakeys.org/pa-early-learning-initiatives/early-learning-standards/
PA Academic Standards https://www.pdesas.org/Standard/View
PA Dept of Human Services Regulations for Childcare https://www.dhs.pa.gov/providers/Child-Care/Pages/Child-Care-Regulations.aspx
PA Chapter 49 Professional Teaching Standards http://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/022/chapter49/chap49toc.html&d=
PA Keystone STARS Standards: https://www.pakeys.org/keystone-stars/
Head Start Performance Standards https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/policy/45-cfr-chap-xiii
NAEYC Professional Preparation Standards
https://www.naeyc.org/accreditation/higher-ed/standards
CDA Competency Goals and Functional Areas https://www.southwest.tn.edu/tecta/docs/cda-goalsfunctions.pdf
Council for Exceptional Children Division for Early Childhood https://www.dec-sped.org/
PLAY: THE VEHICLE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING
Since in previous chapters we have explored the notion that children learn through “play”, let’s expand on that concept a bit as it relates to curriculum.
Figure 6.2 – Playlxxi
Children are born observers and are active participants in their own learning and understanding of the world around them from the very beginning of their existence. This means they are not just recipients of a teacher’s knowledge. Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) challenges early childhood professionals to be intentional in their interactions and environments to create optimal experiences to maximize children’s growth and development. Under this umbrella of DAP, knowledge is based upon discovery and discovery occurs through active learning and abundant opportunities for exploration. Through a “hands-on” approach and using play as a vehicle, children will develop the skills necessary for growth and development and maximize their learning.
Teachers play a pivotal role in children’s active construction of knowledge. They intentionally provide the environments, interactions, and experiences that support children in actively building concepts, skills, and overall development. The role of the teacher who works with young children in early childhood is to support children’s active construction of knowledge. In a sense, early childhood teachers serve as research supports as the children sense, discover, and construct meaning about the world around them.
Early childhood teachers are responsible for:
offering children well-stocked play spaces where they can construct concepts and ideas, preferably in the company of peers
designing daily routines that invite children to be active participants and to use emerging skills and concepts
supporting children’s learning through interactions and conversations that prompt using language and ideas in new ways
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Things to Remember About How Childrens Development Learn:
There are many Individual differences to consider:
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As we think about play, it is important to remember that there are different types of play that children engage in. Chapter 2 (Developmental & Learning Theories) introduced you to a list of 12 different types (also included in the appendix for easy reference). Quality teachers incorporate plans for each of these types of play throughout the day. They set up activities and plan experiences that will allow children to make sense of their world through each of these play modalities. While teachers keep all 12 in mind, they often combine some of them to narrow down the areas and experiences they provide and chapter 7 (Learning Environments) will look at this in more detail. A common framework used by teachers as they define areas and activities is as follows:
Socio-Dramatic Play: Acting out experiences and taking on roles they are familiar with. Often incorporates Symbolic Play where children use materials and actions to represent something else.
Creative Play: Trying out new ideas and using imagination, with a focus on the process rather than the product.
Exploratory Play: Using senses to explore and discover the properties and function of things.
Constructive Play: Using materials to build, construct, and create.
Loco-motor Play: Moving for movement’s sake, just because it is fun. lxxii
Figure 6.3 – Constructive Play Figure 6.4 – Creative Play
Figure 6.5 – Exploratory Play Figure 6.6 – Socio-dramatic Figure 6.7 – Locomotor
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Pause to Reflect Going back to Table 6.1, which concepts are being developed by which types of play? By incorporating each of these types of play, are you developing the “whole child”? Why or why not? |
As with most things, the way that children play will go through developmental stages. As teachers plan, they keep in mind the stages of play relevant to the children they are planning for. Originally described by Parten (1932), this list, explains how children’s play changes by age as they grow and develop social skills.
Unoccupied Play (Birth-3 Months): At this stage, a baby is making many movements with their arms, legs, hands, feet, etc. They are learning about and discovering how their body moves.
Solitary Play (Birth-2 Years): This is the stage when a child plays alone. They are not interested in playing with others quite yet.
Spectator/Onlooker Behavior (2 Years): During this stage, a child begins to watch other children playing but does not play with them.
Parallel Play (2+Years): When a child plays alongside or near others but does not play with them.
Associate Play (3-4 Years): When a child starts to interact with others during play, but there is not a large amount of interaction at this stage.
Cooperative Play (4+ years): When a child plays together with others and has an interest in both the activity and other children involved in playing.lxxiii
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Pause to Reflect Why might these stages be important to consider? How would you use this information in your planning? |
What Children Learn Through Play
Just like the “whole child” is often broken down into developmental domains for studying, so too is learning. Many aspects of learning occur simultaneously; it is integrated and connected. To define learning we often break it into categories. Because the connection between play and learning is so important, the way it is broken down exists in many forms, including assessments, planning resources, and the frameworks and foundations mentioned above. Figure 6.8 is a compilation of such skills, compiled by Eyrich (2016) tying development into learning.
Figure 6.8 – What Children Learn Through Playlxxiv
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PHYSICAL PERSONAL CARE (hygiene, feeding, dressing,) NUTRITION SAFETY MOTOR (MOVEMENT) SKILLS Active physical play Perceptual-motor (senses, effort, direction,) Gross (large) motor (running, throwing, …) Fine (small) motor (hands, fingers, feet, toes) |
CREATIVITY Flexibility (shifting from 1 idea to another) Fluency (producing many ideas) Sensitivity (awareness (moods, textures, senses,) Imagination / Originality Risk Taking / Elaboration (pushing boundaries) Self as a resource (awareness, confidence in ability) Experience (to build mastery to build upon) Visual and Performing Arts |
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COGNITIVE APPROACHES TO LEARNING & SELF REGULATION Maintain attention Self-comfort Curiosity and initiative Self-control of feelings and behavior Engagement and persistence SKILLS OF INQUIRY Observe, investigate, document, communicate KNOWLEDGE OF THE NATURAL/PHYSICAL WORLD Understanding properties and events CAUSE AND EFFECT Understanding the relationship between cause/effect CLASSIFICATION |
SOCIAL SKILLS LEARNED WITH ADULTS Can stay at school without parent Can respond/enjoy adults other than parents Adults will help in times of need Adults will not always solve problems SKILLS LEARNED WITH PEERS Different approaches work for different peers Cooperation and turn taking Lead and follow Sustain relationships and help peers Share materials, equipment, people, ideas Asserting rights and self-defense Negotiating skills and solving conflicts Anticipate and avoid problems Realistic expectations and value differences |
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Learning the attributes of objects by exploring Compare, match, sort, categorize Finding similarities and differences Symbol NUMBER Understanding quantity (amount, degree) Assigning a numerical symbol to quantity Counting MEASUREMENT Awareness of differences in properties (size, length, weight, capacity, volume) Seriation (order 3 or more by comparison) (small/medium/large, loud/louder/loudest) Time (sequence of events, rhythm, yesterday/ tomorrow) PATTERNING Recognize, reproduce, repeating sequences SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS Experiences an object’s position in relation to others |
SKILLS LEARNED IN A GROUP Respect Responsibility Compassion Tolerance Group identity Follow and adapt to routines and expectations How to enter and exit situations Deal with delay of gratification (patience) SKILLS LEARNED AS AN INDIVIDUAL Self-help and self-care Make choices and initiate own activities Cope with rejection, hurt feelings, disappointment Take responsibility EMOTIONAL ABILITY TO DEAL WITH FEELINGS Notice, label, and accept feelings Express feelings in appropriate ways Deal with feelings of others Resolve inner fears, conflicts |
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LANGUAGE SYMBOL / SYMBOLIC REASONING Sounds and letters are put together to represent things RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE Listening, understanding, responding EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE Speaking, communicating, conversation GRAPHIC (WRITTEN) LANGUAGE/ LITERACY Interest in print & books, phonology, prereading, reading Symbol, letter, print knowledge, prewriting, writing |
ABILITY TO EXERCISE JUDGEMENT Notice, label, and make choices Think through consequences Evaluate effectiveness of choices Learn to take another viewpoint ENJOYING ONE’S SELF AND ONE’S POWER Acquire a sense of self Develop self-confidence and self-esteem Build trust in self and others Reveal own personality Learn to take risks & learn from mistakes Become competent in several areas
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Pause to Reflect Go back to the vignette with Javier and Ji. Looking at Figure 6.8, can you find learning that took place in all 6 of the domains? How might you use this list in your planning and communicating with families about “playing to learn”? |
INTERACTIONS
Figure 6.9 – Teachers will interact with Figure 6.10 – And teachers will interact
groups of childrenlxxv with children one-on-onelxxvi
It cannot be repeated enough that human beings are social creatures that thrive on relationships. In order to maximize a child’s interests, willingness to take risks, try again when initial attempts have not gone as planned, and learn to their fullest, we must establish and maintain relationships with children that foster trust and encourage autonomy and initiative.
Interactions should be as much of what we plan for as the materials and experiences themselves. Built into every curriculum plan should be thoughts about how the teacher will:
Create a sense of safety and trust
Acknowledge children’s autonomy
Foster a growth mindset
Extend learning through open-ended statements and conversations
Reflect back on Chapter 3 – The Teacher’s Role and the importance of establishing and maintaining relationships to foster brain development. The concept of a “NeuroRelational approach” will be present in the curriculum that we plan for young children.
Quality interactions will include:
Valuing each child for who they are
Finding something special and positive about each child
Maintaining a positive attitude
Finding time each day to interact and make a connection with every child
Respecting children’s opinions and ideas
Being present for children
Reflecting back what they say and do
Listening to listen. Hear rather than respond
Creating a warm and welcoming environment
Being consistent as a means of establishing trust
Focusing on the process
Focusing on what children CAN do rather than what they can’t do YET
Including families as valuable team members (for more information refer to Chapter 8 – Relating to Families)
Understanding and respecting each child’s individual and group culture
Pause to Reflect
Do these make sense to you? Are there others? Which will be easiest for you? Most difficult? Why?
Communication goes hand in hand with interaction. Being aware of what we are saying and how we are saying it is crucial in establishing and maintaining relationships. Positive communication includes:
Nonverbal:
Get down to children’s level
Observe
Be present
Listen
Understand
Use positive facial expressions
Look interested
Smile
Verbal:
Be aware of the tone and volume of your voice
Speak slowly and clearly
Use facial expressions and body movements that match your words
Give choices and share control
Focus on the positive
Describe what you are doing as children are watching
Model appropriate language
Reflect back what children are saying
Have conversations with multiple exchanges
Consider close vs. open-ended questions and statements
The type of questions you ask will elicit different responses. Sometimes we want a direct answer while most of the time we want to generate deeper thinking to promote learning. Consider each of the questions below regarding the color blue:
“Are you wearing blue today”?
“What color are your pants”?
“Tell me all the things you see that are blue”
Each will point out that the child’s pants are blue, but in very different ways.
Figure 6.11 – The question continuumlxxvii
Considering what type of thinking we want to promote enables us to create questions and statements that spark that knowledge. Thinking is often broken down into two types:
Convergent thinking – emphasizes coming up with one correct response; “converging” on the “right” answer.
Divergent thinking – emphasized generating multiple responses, brainstorming and “thinking outside the box”; “diverging” into different ways of thinking and answering.
Both can be valuable as children develop and learn. Often starting with divergent questions and then following up with convergent questions allows for broad thinking that can then be narrowed down.
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Vignette Teacher Odom sets up a play dough table with ingredients to make dough and materials to use after it is made. He lets the children know that he will be there if anyone wants to join him. Three children hurry over and he greets each of them and says, “I’m so happy you decided to join. Let’s get started”. He shows them the recipe and encourages them to decide how to proceed. They take turns adding the ingredients and he shows patience and interest as they take the lead, asking open-ended questions along the way, “What will we do next?” “What do you think will happen?” and facilitating conversations. He points out each of their contributions along the way and focuses on the processes they are using rather than the finished product. He encourages them to interact with each other, “Wow, look at how B did that” and “Isn’t it interesting how you both added flour but you did it so differently”. Other children come to join and he encourages the original three to find ways to include them. When the dough is complete, the children use a variety of rolling pins, cookie cutters, and dull plastic knives to play with it. He continues expressing his interest, by commenting on how each child is using the materials and asks open-ended questions to foster deeper learning.
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Pause to Reflect What are some ways the teacher fostered interactions with children to enhance their trust, encourage their autonomy and initiative, and foster thinking and learning? |
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Pause to Reflect Going back to Table 6.1 on Development and Learning, can you find skills from each of the categories that the children would be enhancing? How do interactions help foster these skills? |
In Chapter 4 (Observation and Assessment) we discussed the importance of using our observational skills to get to know the individual children we are planning for. We introduced the Cycle of Reflection, which begins with observing, documenting, and interpreting so that you can plan, implement and evaluate appropriate interactions and experiences that make sense and meet the needs of the particular children we are working with. Below we will take a deeper look at the ways we use our observational data and interpretations.
PLANNING
As with most endeavors, we are more effective when we plan curriculum ahead of time. This helps us to be prepared and to adjust our ideas to be flexible as the children engage with what we have planned.
Reasons to plan:
Make sure our plans meet the needs, interests, and abilities of the children
Make sure we understand the learning and development that will occur
Make sure we have all the materials we will need
Make sure we know where in the environment to set up
Make sure we know how to set up
Make sure we know how to encourage children to participate
Make sure we have thought through behavioral issues that might arise and how to handle them
Make sure we have thought through the interactions that will take place
Make sure we know how we will encourage the children to clean up
Make sure we know how we might gather observational notes
Make sure we have thought through how we might document and share this experience with parents or others.
Pause to Reflect
Do these make sense to you? Are there others?
If we have planned thoroughly and thoughtfully, it allows us to implement our plans and to reflect on them afterward, using that information for future planning.
Often referred to as the Plan – Do (implement) – Review (evaluate) cycle, this type of approach allows us to continuously provide the most effective curriculum to the young children in our care.
Figure 6.12 – Plan Do Review Cycle
Chapter 7 (Learning Environments), will discuss early childhood daily routines in more detail. For now, let us consider that most programs are broken down into segments of the day, beginning with the arrival of the children and ending with their departure. Teachers will plan for all segments of the day, both inside and outside, which might include:
Arrival and Departure
Small group time
Large group time
Centers
Child initiated play
Nutrition (snack, lunch,…)
Self-help (washing hands, toileting, napping,…)
Transitions between all segments of the day
Others as each program dictates
One of the best planning strategies is to use a written format. Sometimes we plan one activity or experience on a single form. Other times we plan for multiple experiences on the same form. New teachers are often encouraged to plan each activity separately at first until they feel comfortable with the process.
Reasons for a written plan:
Keeps things in order
Assures everything is thought through and not forgotten
Can be referred to as needed throughout the process
Can be shared with others
Documents planning for record-keeping purposes
Can be saved to be repeated or modified without having to start from scratch
Pause to Reflect
Do these make sense to you? Are there others?
When planning it can be helpful to know that certain terms are used in a variety of ways by various programs. Because this chapter is written for a diverse group of future early childhood educators, we will use these terms interchangeably so that you are ready for the vocabulary used wherever you may work.
Some of the terms most frequently used to represent the “goings-on” you will plan for are:
Lesson
Activity
Learning Experience
Curriculum
Teaching Moment
While they may have slightly different “official” meanings, they overlap in our field and can all be found to begin with a plan based on children’s interests and needs, implemented according to the plan (with modifications as they occur), and reviewed/evaluated afterward through reflection to assess and build upon for the future.
Below are examples of generic planning forms (Bucks County Community College has a lesson plan form that you will see in many of your courses). You will see planning for a specific activity and planning for the entire day. For each, there will be a blank version and a sample version. The programs you work in will each have their own unique method and planning forms, but most will include some, if not all, of the information included here.
Blank Example Planning Form for Specific Activity
CURRICULUM / ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Title / Description:
Resources (Where did you learn about this activity):
Reason(s) for Curriculum Plan (justify by considering developmental milestones, learning domains, observations in your assigned children’s classroom, and your knowledge of child development, milestones, word picture handout & DAP that guided your decision to implement this particular activity)
Ages of Children: Number of Children:
Location:
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Segment of Daily Routine: Materials Needed (be specific: quantities, color, book and song titles, etc.) Implementation / Directions (List step-by-step as if the implementation could be replicated without you; include set up and clean up, involving children whenever possible. A step-by-step description of learning activities with specific detail.) Describe step-by-step what the children will be doing. Now describe your role. Your guidance supports a maximum learning environment. Flexibility and supporting the child’s process are vital. Questions to ask yourself: How will you introduce the activity? How will you engage the children? What will you be doing/saying? What is your role during the activity? What open-ended questions will you be using? Please include a minimum of 3 open-ended questions for your activity. Specific ways this activity will facilitate development: Physical: a) b) Cognitive: a) b) Language: a) b) Social/Emotional: a) b) Creative: a) b) Behavioral Considerations (Plan ahead…what issues might arise/what strategies might help): a) b) c) Documentation How will you collect and display the development listed above? (documentation board, classroom book, PowerPoint, Prezi, creative ideas, etc.):
Webbing Ideas (List at least 5 activities to extend the learning into other areas; try to include one appropriate use of technology):
Modifications to include ALL children (developmental delays, disabilities, cultural and linguistic diversities, etc.): a) b) c) |
Inclusion of Parents/Families:
Other Notes / Considerations:
Sample Planning Form for Specific Activity
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CURRICULUM / ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Developed by: Suzie Student Title / Description: Nature Scavenger Hung Resources (Where did you learn about this activity) Mr.Bossman, my mentor teacher implemented this activity with his class. Book Resource: Nature Fun Curriculum Guide, by I.B. Squirrly, Acorn Press, 2019 Reason(s) for Curriculum Plan (justify by considering developmental milestones, learning domains, observations in your assigned children’s classroom, and your knowledge of child development, milestones, word picture handout & DAP that guided your decision to implement this particular activity) As the season is changing, several children have commented on observations they are making in nature (leaves are falling, colors are changing, weather,…). They have been showing a lot of interest in books related to nature. They are also bringing in items they are finding on the ground in their homes or community (pinecones, sticks, leaves…) Ages of Children: 4 Number of Children: 20 (entire class) Location: outside in the yard Segment of Daily Routine: outside time Materials Needed (be specific: quantities, color, book and song titles, etc.) (NAEYC Standard 1c): list of items (pics & words) items on list pen and paper for recording responses nature chart or book for researching items bags to put items in if requested Implementation / Directions (List step-by-step as if the implementation could be replicated without you; include set up and clean up, involving children whenever possible. A step-by-step description of learning activities with specific detail.) Describe step-by-step what the children will be doing. Begin by welcoming the group and letting them know how happy we are they have joined us. Invite children to assist in finding some objects. Divide children into small groups and give each group 1 scavenger hunt list. Encourage the children to find the objects on the list. Remind children of the behavioral expectations for the activity. |
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Now describe your role. Your guidance supports a maximum learning environment. Flexibility and supporting the child’s process is vital. Questions to ask yourself: How will you introduce the activity? How will you engage the children? What will you be doing/saying? What is your role during the activity? What open-ended questions will you be using? Please include a minimum of 3 open-ended questions for your activity. Encourage children to explore colors, shapes, textures, sizes,…. Encourage children to discuss among themselves how items are the same and how they are different and why they fit into a chosen category. As children engage in the activity, write down their statements for future documentation. Use open-ended questions to stimulate discussion and reflect children’s statements and ideas to other children. For clean up encourage each group to put their collections inside for a future art activity. Specific ways this activity will facilitate development:(NAEYC Standard 5a) Physical: fine motor as they pick up objects gross motor as they bend, reach, walk,… Cognitive: classification as they sort by size, texture, color,… number as they count their items Language: listening (receptive) as they listen to each other talking (expressive) as they discuss their items with each other Social/Emotional: group skills such as taking turns, waiting, listening to others sense of accomplishment as they find items and solve problems that arise Creative: flexibility and fluency as they stretch thinking and shift from one idea to another using self as a resource as they tap into themselves to find objects and define them Behavioral Considerations (Plan ahead…what issues might arise/what strategies might help) not wanting to participate – observation is a form of participation so if they would rather do something else and just watch, that is fine. If we make it fun, enough they will want to join in. frustration about not finding items – when setting up, go through the list and make sure that all items are available and visible. If not, place items there. This should accommodate the issue, but it is also all right for children to be frustrated and work through it, so if it happens I would encourage them to breathe, tell me why they are frustrated, and then problem-solve ways to feel better. children not sharing or participating as a group – be prepared to help facilitate group interactions and the “give and take” of relationships. All children should have opportunities to lead and to follow. Documentation How will you collect and display the development listed above? (documentation board, classroom book, PowerPoint, Prezi, creative ideas, etc.) Using the pen and paper (and photos if possible), I will write down what the children said and did. I will place a clipboard with those notes on the parent board, along with the following: Today we went on a Nature Scavenger Hunt on the yard. Several children had been expressing an interest in the changes, they are noticing in nature so we built upon this interest. As they explored they developed the following skills: |
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Physical: fine motor as they pick up objects gross motor as they bend, reach, walk,… Cognitive: classification as they sort by size, texture, color,… number as they count their items Language: listening (receptive) as they listen to each other talking (expressive) as they discuss their items with each other Social/Emotional: group skills such as taking turns, waiting, listening to others sense of accomplishment as they find items and solve problems that may arise Creative: flexibility and fluency as they stretch thinking and shift from one idea to another using self as a resource as they tap into themselves to find objects and define them Here are some of the things they said and did. Be sure to ask your child about it and expand at home if you have the opportunity! We can’t wait to hear what you come up with! Webbing Ideas (List at least 5 activities to extend the learning into other areas; try to include one appropriate use of technology) (NAEYC Standard 5a) Reading books on nature Art / Painting with leaves and/or a nature collage Cognitive / Additional sorting, classifying, graphing, nature lotto, etc. Dramatic Play / Magnifying glasses, tree branches, nature collection bags (inside and/or outside) Group Time/ Related songs, stories, movement activities Snack Time / Sorting and classifying Trail Mix Modifications to include ALL children (developmental delays, disabilities, cultural and linguistic diversities, etc.) (NAEYC Standard 4b, 4d & 5c) have plastic gloves for children who may not like to sensory experiences of touching objects create the list in English as well as the other languages used in the classroom have pictures for each listed item for children who cannot yet read or who have a hearing impairment. Inclusion of Parents/Families Encourage parents to join us on the walk (help them understand how to facilitate the children’s exploration rather than finding and gathering the items themselves) Encourage parents who know a language other than English to include that language on the list Using the documentation, encourage families to extend the hunt to their homes and share what they did
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Other Notes / Considerations: Consider the weather, as an alternative, set up inside or wait Extend the activity with a nature collage activity later in the day on a large piece of contact paper that can be added to over the next few days.
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Blank Example Daily Planning Form for
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Daily Lesson Plan |
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Activity with Brief Materials & Purpose / Learning / Intentional Interactions Description Considerations Development & Conversations |
Notes / Other |
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Add additional rows as needed
Sample Daily Planning Form
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Daily Lesson Plan |
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Date: |
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Class: |
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Segment / Time |
Activity with Brief Description |
Materials & Purpose / Learning / Considerations Development |
Intentional Interactions & Conversations |
Notes / Other |
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ARRIVAL 9:00 am
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-Greet parents and children -Health check
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-Familiarity with families |
-Positive start to day -Smooth transition from home to school -Connecting with families -Sense of belonging -Basic health check |
-Get down to children’s level -Watch non-verbal language -Be present -“welcome”, “So glad to see you”, “You look…” |
-Check with teacher to see how parents should be addressed
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GREETING CIRCLE 9:10 am
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-Sing a good morning song -Discuss activities for the day
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-CD -CD Player – cue up song ahead of time & check it is working -Carpet squares for children to sit on, placed in a semi-circle as they arrive -samples or pictures of activities _be sure to know activities ahead of time |
-Listening and speaking skills -Social skills (waiting, learning about peers,…) -Spatial relations (staying on carpet) -Problem-solving (making choices) |
-Be sure each child can see -Sit at their level -Give children time to respond -Validate each child’s comments -Notice positive behavior -Encourage children to correct inaccurate words or tunes |
-Discuss behavior strategies with the teacher prior -Know activities -Know words to the song |
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CENTERS 9:20 10:15
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ART: Bingo marker painting SCIENCE: Oobleck
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ART: colored bingo markers, large coffee filters…place on the table and encourage children to create SCIENCE: mix cornstarch and water in the tub. Encourage children to wash their hands and then join in the exploration. Add spoons, small rocks, |
-Foster creativity -Sense of self -Curiosity & problem solving -Fine motor skills -Social skills -Spatial relations (on, in, …) |
-Allow children to do their own work -“tell me about”, “you are working really hard on that” -Refer children to other children -“How does that feel?” -“What are some ideas?” “How could you solve that?” “Interesting”
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Keep in mind E’s sensory issues and provide rubber gloves or place materials in a baggie if needed. |
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and food color to the mixture as desired. |
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CLEAN UP 10:15
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Transition warning and cleaning up the classroom |
Transition warning: 5 minutes until clean up time, 2 minutes until clean up time Finish up what you are doing Sing clean-up song |
-Self-help skills -Fine & gross motor -Cognitive – time, matching, spatial, -Sense of pride -Sense of collaboration & community |
“What will you clean up first” “Do you want to put away this or this” “You do one and then I will do one” “When we are done we can have snack |
-Be sure to watch clock -Speak loudly -Follow through -Discuss strategies with teacher prior
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SNACK 10:20
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-Wash hands and sit at the table -Fruit Kabobs |
-Place “skewers” (skinny straws) and fruit on the table on platters -Encourage children to make kabobs and then eat them
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-Health & Nutrition -Fine motor skills -Language skills (listen and discuss) -Cognitive (categorize, label,…)
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-Sit with children -Informally extend discussions on fruit, colors, textures,…
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-Check for allergies |
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OUTSIDE 10: 40 – 11:30
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-After snack transition outside -OBSTACLE COURSE -STORY STATION -at end transition inside |
Encourage children to participate if desired (if not, regular yard setup is available): OBSTACLE COURSE: Balls, bean bags, targets, rope balance beam, chalk-drawn path, hula hoop STORY STATION: Books spread out on blanket under tree
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Gross motor skills Fine motor skills -Eye-hand coordination -Balance -Literacy -Social with peers and adults |
-Encourage collaboration -Can you do it together” “Who would you like to do it with” -Sharing – “how will you decide who will have it first?’ -“You tried hard” -“Let’s do it together” -“Are there other ways to do it?’ -“How should we put them away?” |
-Be sure the teacher is outside at all times. -Encourage children to use the restroom before going out -Have a plan for obstacle course but be flexible based on children’s interests -Create a cozy area for stories -Clean up transition at 11:30
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CIRCLE 11:40
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-Sit on carpet squares -CLASS BOOK – 3 BEARS RAP -FAREWELL SONG |
-Encourage children to sit on the carpet -CLASS BOOK: The adult starts “once upon a time” and then each child adds a sentence. Record on phone or chart paper and then transcribe later and add to book area -3 BEARS RAP – encourage children |
-Literacy skills -Taking turns -Sequencing -Gross and fine motor -Keeping a steady beat -Counting -Transitioning |
-Make sure everyone can see -Speak clearly -Show joy in their sentences -Clarify before writing words down -Notice and appreciate patience -“you are waiting so nicely for your turn” -“it’s hard to wait isn’t it?’ |
-Ask the teacher or another team member to record the story -Know words and movements to songs -Record the teacher singing a farewell song and practice |
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to participate in songs and movements (use CD if needed) -Take 5 calming breaths -FAREWELL SONG (use CD if needed)
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-“Feel your body getting calmer with your breaths”. -“Think of your favorite thing today” (Recap) |
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DEPARTURE 12:00
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-Open door for parents -Share highlights of the day -Debrief with teacher
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-Check cubbies |
-Transition from school to home -Connecting with families -Closure |
-Smile and greet parents -Encourage children to share their favorite parts of the day. |
-Be sure to let the teacher know of any issues -Reflect on the day with the team & celebrate! |
Bucks County Community College Lesson Plan Format – this will be used in all of your Education courses:
Name of Lesson:
Behavioral Objective: (Include age group and what you expect them to learn, practice, experience, or demonstrate- see Bloom’s Taxonomy for measurable verbs to use).
PA Early Learning Standard(s) that you will teach. (Include the code and the heading that signifies the standard).
Materials: [Be specific and complete. Include things that may seem obvious, including title and author of literature used].
Motivator: [Develop a creative, attention-getter to start the lesson and help students link to prior knowledge – it might be reading a story, taking a field trip, showing a video, etc].
Procedure/Activity Sequence: [Provide step-by-step directions. Include specific questions, how you will introduce and discuss literature, and how you will transition to the activity. The number of steps you need should be appropriate for the lesson].
1. The teacher will… or The students will…
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Adaptations: [Include what adaptations could be made for students who do not have all the skills necessary for success in the activity or need more challenge. Provide remediation AND enrichment activities using this lesson’s objective].
Evaluation: How will you know that learning took place? The outcome of your lesson should correlate to your behavioral objective above. Evaluation might include a finished product, an observation you made, or perhaps you will interview the student to ensure learning has occurred.
Reflection: After you have presented, you should always reflect on your lesson. What worked? What didn’t? What will you change the next time?
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Pause to Reflect Do the example written planning forms make sense to you? What might you add or delete from the blank forms? Why? |
What to plan
There are many resource websites and books with ideas to spark your initial planning. The best way to consider what to plan comes from the children. Always take into account WHO you are planning for and WHY you are planning. The rest will follow. For now, the following is a general list to follow:
Considerations for planning:
Consider both the group and individual children; be inclusive of all
Know their interests
Know their ability levels
Focus on what they CAN do; start with where they are
Understand your resources (time, materials, location,…)
Understand the development of the ages and stages you are planning for
Plan for the “whole” child
Know your goals and objectives
Integrate curriculum and plan for all types of play
Consider the families, communities, and cultures represented
Include others in the planning process when possible (colleagues, families, children)
Plan ahead of time how to transition to the next segment of the day
Jot down quick notes to refer to later when you reflect
Don’t worry if it doesn’t go exactly as you planned, that’s expected
Enjoy yourself and the children, remember “this is the fun part”
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Pause to Reflect Do these implementation suggestions make sense to you? What might you add or delete from the suggestions? Why? |
Another consideration will be how you will implement the activities you plan. There are several different teaching methods to think about and most teachers will balance various strategies throughout the day:
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Child Directed – child introduces and directs activity Child Demonstrated – child demonstrates while the teacher observes Assist – child explores and the teacher provides minimal assistance Scaffold – child attempts and teacher provides guided support as needed Co-Construct – child and teacher or child and child work collaboratively Teacher Demonstrated – teacher demonstrates while child observes Teacher Directed – teacher introduces and directs activity
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Figure 6.13 – The continuum of child-directed to teacher-directed. lxxviii
There is also a variety of experiences to consider:
Structured – planned, organized lesson following steps
Informal – planned and introduced and then takes shape as children participate
Naturalistic – emerges organically from the children with no formal plan
Again, teachers balance these types of experiences throughout the day, based on the children they work with, the environment, and the activities themselves.
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Pause to Reflect Which teaching strategies do you feel most comfortable with? Why? Can you see times when you might use each of them? |
REVIEW/EVALUATION
The third part of the Plan-Do-Review cycle involves reflecting on what was planned and implemented. Remember the section in Chapter 3 (The Early Childhood Teaching Profession), regarding the importance of reflection in all aspects of our teaching?
Curriculum planning is one of the primary duties teachers engage in, and as such requires a great deal of reflection and review. Some of this will be done informally as you go about your day. Other times it may be helpful to more formally reflect, in order to capture strengths and areas of growth, both in yourself, the children, and the curriculum that you are planning for them. As a form of “assessment”, this feedback proves extremely valuable for teachers and programs. Below are examples of two types of forms teachers might use in their reviews. These may be used in future ECE courses.
Curriculum Implementation Evaluation / Reflection
Overall impression/comments about your activity (Be specific):
What went well?
What did not?
What type of interactions took place during the implementation of your activity? (child – child, child-adult, …)
How did individual children respond to your implementation? Did they respond the way you anticipated? (Please be specific and use examples whenever possible)
If you were to implement this activity again, how would you modify it?
Think about: Encouraging more participation from the children
Meeting the needs of the wide range of developmental levels in the room
Implementing the plan more successfully
Additional activities to enhance the same concept(s) / webbing
Daily Curriculum Reflection
I am the proudest of:
I wish the following had been done differently:
The learning experiences I provided for the children:
The interactions, conversations, and approaches I used:
The biggest thing I learned about myself is:
Learning lessons about my teaching and goals I might set for myself:
Learning lessons about ethics and professionalism are:
Other
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Pause to Reflect Do these reviews/reflections make sense to you? What might you add or delete from the blank forms? Why? |
Some programs will set up areas of the indoor and outdoor classrooms with a variety of materials for children to choose from. Others will set up stations for children to participate in. Chapter 7 The Learning Environment will look specifically at setting up environments. Some portions of the day will include individual, small, and large group experiences. All should be carefully planned with intention and meaning for the children that will be engaging in them.
INTEGRATED CURRICULUM / THEMES
It is common for many programs to integrate many aspects of learning with the use of “themes” as a way to weave learning together for children. For some learners, the connection of several learning experiences all related to a common concept can support deeper learning. The most successful themes are those that emerge out of the children’s interest (often called “emergent curriculum”). Common themes include:
My family
Friendship and caring
Community Helpers
Animals
Activities (camping, …)
Transportation
Locations (oceans, mountains, farms,…)
Pause to Reflect
What other themes can you think of?
Often when planning a theme, teachers will use the concept of a curriculum “web” to begin to plan their ideas. Like a list, but in a different format, a web allows teachers to brainstorm related ideas and then choose the ones that make the most sense to more thoroughly plan for. This process uses both a teacher’s divergent and convergent thinking skills.
A basic web diagram will look like this:
Here is a sample of a curriculum web using this format. Can you think of activities to add?
Figure 6.15 – Sample curriculum web
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Pause to Reflect What advantages can you find in creating a planning web? How might you incorporate children into helping your web ideas? |
THE BEHAVIORAL SIDE OF CURRICULUM
Rather than thinking of children’s behavior as occurring separately from everything else that goes on in the classroom, it can be helpful to recognize that it is a part of everything else. As we plan interactions and experiences that are meaningful, we take into account a variety of factors that affect behavior. Part of every plan should be an understanding of who children are and intentionally planning for them. Just as with other skills that children are learning, they are learning to control their bodies, use their words, self-regulate, wait their turn, be patient, and a host of other social and emotional skills that will help them be able to manage themselves in social situations. Learning these life skills is no different from any other concept they will learn by exploring, repeated exposure, and having it make sense to them. As will other concepts, they need teachers who develop relationships with them, focus on what they CAN do, and maintain a positive attitude.
There is no magic approach to helping children learn to manage their behavior and no secret book with all of the answers. Instead, there are a variety of factors to consider and approaches to try to guide behaviors in the ways we prefer. This will be expanded upon in subsequent Education coursework, so what follows here is an abridged version of considerations as we plan for the children in our programs.
As early childhood professionals, we have an ethical obligation to understand how behavior is affected by the following factors and to plan accordingly. Just as we started Chapter 4 (Observation and Assessment) by looking at the “why”, understanding why a child might be behaving in a certain way can assist in planning appropriately:
The “whys” of children’s behavior teachers should consider:
Development – what to expect at various ages and stages for the “whole” child
Environment – the physical space, routine, and interpersonal tone
Family & Cultural Influences – influences and variations in expectations
Temperament – individual personality styles, approaches, and ways of interpreting events
Motivation – purpose (communicating, relating, attention, control, revenge, inadequacy, fear of failure,…)
Often teachers will use a web like the one previously described to consider the “why” of a behavior. They place the behavior in the center and then web out the various factors to consider.
Figure 6.16 – Teachers should examine the “why” behind a behavior
Pause to Reflect
How might you use the information above when planning interactions and experiences for children?
Once we have an understanding of the “whys” of behavior, we can plan interactions that foster the behavior we desire. Here we have highlighted the following Interactive Strategies to consider.
Useful teacher interactions when planning for children’s behavior (in addition to the interactive considerations posed earlier):
Consistency
Clarity
Realistic limits and expectations
Calmness
Focus on the behavior, not the child
Focus on what the child can do and is doing appropriately
Positive direction (for example instead of “don’t run” say “use walking feet”)
Reflection and logic rather than immediate response and emotion
Some strategies to try include:
Ignore – can be effective if a behavior is annoying rather than dangerous.
“If you choose to continue using a whining voice I will choose not to listen. As soon as you use your talking voice, I would like to hear what you have to say”
Redirect – directing the child to a more positive way of using that behavior. “Inside we use our walking feet, when you go outside you can run” or “We don’t throw things at other people, if you would like to throw let’s find the target and beanbags”
Active Listening to understand – validating what the child is saying. “I hear you saying that you want a turn, you sound very sad” or “you worked very hard on that block structure and you are angry it got knocked over”
Give Choices – state what needs to be done and then give 2 options for how it can be done.
“It’s time to clean up now, will you clean up the paintbrushes or the paints first?” or “It’s time to come inside now, do you want to come in like a mouse or a dinosaur?”
Logical Consequences – as children behave in certain ways (both “positively” and “negatively”) consequences will logically happen.
“If you talk to your friends in that tone, they may continue not to want to play with you. If you want to play with them, what can you do differently?” or “We are having a snack now; if you choose not to eat you will probably be very hungry by lunchtime”
Problem Solving/Conflict Resolution – helping children to solve their own issues with support as needed.
“What can you do about that?” or “How might you solve that problem” or “it sounds like you both want to play with the same toy, I wonder how you will work that out?”
Short removal with reflection and return – taking a moment to leave a situation to gain composure and return more successfully.
“It seems to be hard for you to keep the sand in the sandbox right now. I’m going to ask you to leave the sandbox for a few moments and think about how you can be respectful to the others that are sharing this space with you. Where will you go to think?”)A very brief time later) “what can you do differently next time you enter the sandbox? Great, would you like to try out your solution? Come on back and show me”. “You did it!”lxxix
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Pause to Reflect How might you use the information above when planning interactions and experiences for children? What makes sense? What feels comfortable to try? |
TYPES OF PROGRAMS
Many high-quality programs using the tenants of Developmentally Appropriate Practices exist today. Most have integrated this information into an eclectic format, providing active learning, quality interactions and environments, and activities based on their observations of children’s interests and abilities. They included families as partners and extend to value the communities and cultures of which they are a part. Below is a list of program and curriculum names that encompass the above tenants. They are all similar at their core, but if you would like to research them further you may find some unique components of interest to you. They are listed alphabetically for convenience:
Culturally Appropriate Curriculum – curriculum that helps children understand how they are similar to, yet different than each other based on individual histories, families, and culture.
Emergent Curriculum – curriculum planning based on teacher observations of children’s interests. Usually, a spontaneous approach where experiences evolve and change as the process unfolds.
Faith-Based – programs that include the teaching of the religious beliefs of the sponsoring organization.
Family Child Care – a program that takes place in a home setting.
Head Start – A comprehensive program, that provides learning programs; nutrition; medical, dental, and mental health care, and parent education and vocational training.
High-Scope – named for a program High in Quality, Broad in Scope, this curriculum emphasizes active learning and higher-level thinking. It includes a Plan-Do-Review cycle where children learn to make plans, carry them out, and then evaluate those plans; important life skills.
Inclusion – programs designed to include children with a wide variety of abilities and needs.
Inclusive Curriculum – the aspect of a program that reflects sensitivity to culture, home language, gender, religion, and abilities.
Intergenerational Programs – programs designed for both young children and the elderly, where the two populations interact throughout the day in similar activities.
Laboratory Schools – early childhood programs taking place on college campuses, usually with a supervised training component for college students learning to work with young children.
Looping – the practice of keeping a group of children and their teacher together for more than one year.
Montessori – True Montessori schools are based on the works of Maria Montessori including self-correcting materials, independent learning experiences, and an emphasis on life skills. Because her name was not trademarked, many programs that have Montessori in the title do not meet all of the criteria of a true Montessori program, which can be very confusing indeed.
Mixed Age Grouping – also called “family grouping”’ placing children of different ages in the same classroom.
Outdoor Classroom – outdoor spaces created to enhance the quantity, quality, and benefit of outdoor experiences. Often brings the inside classroom outside, incorporating interest centers and materials usually found indoors.
Parent Cooperative (Co-op) – a program designed and run by a group of parents for their young children. Parents will usually hire a teacher to facilitate learning and perform all other duties themselves. More recently called “Learning Pods”.
Play based – focuses on the value of play in fostering development in young children, planning interactions and experiences focused on the many types of play.
Reggio-Emilia – this approach is a student-centered and constructive self-guided curriculum that uses self-directed, experiential learning in relationship-driven environments, often through a “project approach”.
RIE (Resources for Infant Educarers) – based on Magda Gerber’s work with babies, emphasizes the unique stage of infants and toddlers. The curriculum for this age is caring for them, with the belief that caring educates infants about themselves.lxxx
Pause to Reflect
Which of the programs just mentioned sparked your interest? Why?
IN CLOSING
As can be seen, there is much to consider when planning, implementing, and evaluating curricula for early childhood programs. At the core of quality curriculum is the notion of Developmentally Appropriate Practices, including observing and understanding the individual children in your care, developing and maintaining positive relationships and interactions, effectively communicating, valuing the role of play in learning, and understanding that children’s behavior is a part of the learning process.
In Chapter 7 (Learning Environments), we will explore how the environment sets the stage for children and families to feel engaged and supported in their early learning classroom.
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Pause to Reflect Thinking back over the chapter, what are 3 main concepts that stand out for you? Why? How will you use them? |