Early Education Curriculum Chapter 3

Routines

The events that fit into the daily schedule, such as arrival, free explore, meals and snacks, toilet time, rest/nap, transitions, activity times, outdoor time, and departure.

Goals

The general overall aims or overview of an early childhood program of what children are expected to learn from the program. What they can do developmentally.

What is a Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum?

The goals are developmentally and educationally significant The learning experiences show what teachers know about young children in general, about particular young children in the class, and how children acquire skills, concepts, and abilities. Their developmental sequence. The curriculum builds on the prior experiences the teacher has had with young children

inclusive curriculum

Underscores the importance of individual differences, special needs, and cultural and linguistic diversity among young children. Allows children to learn at their own pace and style.

Montessori

"Absorbent minds" Environment important Hands-on activities Involvement of family Attitude of cooperation rather than competition Self-correcting materials Didactic materials Focus on daily living tasks Sensorial and conceptual materials

Anti-Bias Curriculum

- Derman Sparks A comprehensive curriculum that offers helpful guidelines, activities, and materials that create an early education environment rich in possibilities for valuing differences and similarities.

Basic concepts for developing thematic curriculum

- Follows philosophy and goals of program -Merge play with child-directed and teacher-initiated experiences - Should be developmentally appropriate - Shows support for diversity - Support a positive self-esteem - Activities should be adaptable to large/small groups, individuals, indoor/outdoor, etc.

Appropriate Questions to ask while lesson planning:

- What do the children already know and how can I build off of that? - Is the theme/activity age appropriate and follows their development? - Are the selections too general or too broad? - Are there too many or too few activities? - Are there multicultural and anti-bias activities included? - Is the lesson plan flexible? - Is there a wide selection of books, songs, finger plays and so on? - Are the units of instruction open ended, allowing for exploration and learning opportunities to occur?

The Curriculum Planning Cycle Steps

1. Plan For Assessment: Figure out what your goals and objectives are, develop a way to assess each child, and find ways to organize your observations. 2. Collect Facts: Observe and assess each child with the idea of your goals and objectives in mind, and document what is observed. 3. Analyze Facts: What did you learn about each child and the class as a whole in terms of your objectives and goals? Organize your findings into categories for each objective. Organize your findings into portfolios for each child. 4. Plan for Each Child 5. Plan For Group 6. Develop a Program Improvement Plan, and repeat reports as needed.

Emergent Curriculum

A curriculum that emerges out of the interests and experiences of the children.

Integrated Curriculum

A form of curriculum in which concepts and skills from various disciplines are combined and related. Young children are encouraged to transfer knowledge from one subject to another while using all aspects of their development.

Curriculum

A multi-leveled process that encompasses what happens in an early childhood classroom each day, reflecting the philosophy, goals, and objectives of the early childhood program.

Unit

A section of the curriculum based on the theme that the activities are planned about.

Theme

A theme is a broad topic that enables the development of a lesson plan and activities that fit within a curriculum.

A curriculum web

A visual illustration or process that integrates various learning activities and curriculum areas

Anti-bias

An attitude that actively challenges prejudice, stereotyping, and unfair treatment of an individual or group of individuals.

Project

An in depth investigation of a topic worth learning more about.

Curriculum Planning Cycle

An ongoing process that links with with child assessment. The teacher learns about where children are developmentally and skill wise in terms of objectives and goals, and then plans ways to make progress for individual children and groups of children and the whole class. Then they continually repeat throughout the year.

Schedule

The basic timelines, curricula, and activities of the day.

Why are schedules and routines important in an early childhood classroom?

Building schedules and routines that are familiar to the child helps bring them a sense of security and a willingness to go with the daily practices of self-chosen activities, meals and snacks, diapering, washing, outdoor time, naps, etc.

The Three Phases of Projects

Choose a topic: Can observe children to see interests or ask class Investigate the topic: Gaining new information through real world, first hand experiences. The whole class or group works together. Review and reflect about what you have learned.

High Scope

Created under the leadership of David Weikert Began as an intervention program for low-income, at-risk children High/Scope Perry Preschool Study Active learning Plan-do-review sequence Emphasizes key experiences now known as key developmental indicators (KDIs)

What are things educators should understand about culture?

Culture is learned and something that members of a group share in common Teachers need to understand and appreciate differences between cultures and even between families. Expanding learning experiences to include others helps young children develop values, respect, and a cultural sense of belonging

Intentional Curriculum

Curriculum that incorporates explicit learning outcomes, strategic learning design and meaningful assessment.

Reggio Emilia

Founded by Loris Malaguzzi Image of a strong child central to philosophy Teachers are skilled observers Pedigogista, atelierista, The hundred languages of children Principles are congruent with the principles of developmentally appropriate practice Environment is a "third teacher" Relationships central in learning

Bank Street

Founded by Lucy Sprague Mitchell Lab school for college Child-centered learning Emphasizes the interaction between the child and the environment and interaction between the cognitive and affective domains (developmental interaction) Creation of meaning is the central task of childhood Distinct learning centers Opportunities for children to experience democratic living Flexibility in the schedule Synonymous with "open education"

What is important when writing learning outcomes for an activity?

Must write the precise quality of change in knowledge, behaviour, attitude, or value that can be expected from the learner upon completion of the learning experiences.

What does NAEYC stand for?

National Association for the Education of Young Children

Head Start

Publicly funded Comprehensive services Aimed at low-income, at-risk children and families Low child-staff ratio Written curriculum plan known as performance standards Ten percent of enrollment available for children with special needs Involvement of families Early Head Start to promote infant and toddler development

Philosophy

The attitudes and beliefs of the program

Objectives

The specific purposes or teaching techniques of the goals They are meaningful descriptions of what is expected to be learned Designed to meet the intellectual, cultural, social, physical, emotional, and creative development of each and every child.

Lesson Plan

a detailed outline for instruction that includes objective, procedures, materials, and assessment.