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| Preschool Curriculum Models |
CURRICULUM Definition - The content and composition of the preprimary program, including all daily activities, transitions, and routines which impact on the child's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development.
Curriculum Models
The term curriculum model refers to an educational system that combines theory with practice. A curriculum model has a theory and knowledge base that reflects a philosophical orientation and is supported, in varying degrees, by child development research and educational evaluation. The practical application of a curriculum model includes guidelines on how to set up the physical environment, structure the activities, interact with children and their families, and support staff members in their initial training and ongoing implementation of the program. Curriculum models should be central to any discussion of early childhood programs. Curriculum models are essential in determining program content and in training and supervising staff to implement high-quality programs. In order to provide a preschool program of the highest quality, it is necessary to adopt a research-based curriculum model. The following are curriculum models validated by research.
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Curriculum Models
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Principles
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Creative Curriculum is used by Head Start, child care, preschool, prekindergarten and kindergarten programs.
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A. Focuses on ten interest areas or activities in the program environment: blocks,
house corner, table toys, art, sand and water, library corner, music and
movement, cooking, computers, and the outdoors.
B. Helps teachers understand how to work with children at different developmental
levels to promote learning.
C. Guides teachers in adapting the environment to make it more challenging.
D. Includes a parent component.
E. Training manuals and audiovisual resources are available.
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Early Recognition Intervention Network (ERIN) is used in both special preschool programs serving children with moderate to severe special needs and in regular early childhood (preschool, Head Start, day care) and primary (K-1) classrooms.
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A. Includes a system of making materials and organizing the learning environment
to facilitate participation (social-emotional-affective), body awareness and
control, visual-perception, and language skills.
B. The areas indicated above are organized into self-help, developmental
concept, and academic readiness content areas.
C. The curriculum approach focuses on general classroom modifications of the
physical space and daily time units, learning materials and their organization
into learning sequences, the grouping of children, and teacher
cuing/monitoring.
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High/Scope preschool approach is used in both public and private half- and full-day preschools, nursery schools, Head Start programs, child care centers, home-based child care programs, and programs for children with special needs.
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A. Based on the fundamental premise that children are active learners who learn
best from activities that they plan, carry out, and reflect on.
B. Fifty-eight key experiences in child development for the preschool years are
identified.
C. These key experiences are grouped into ten categories: creative
representation, language and literacy, initiative and social relations, movement,
music, classification, seriation, number, space, and time.
D. A central element of the day is the "plan-do-review sequence" in which children
make a plan, carry it out, and then reflect on the results.
E. The daily routine also includes times for small and large group experiences and
time for outside play.
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Montessori - The philosophy and curriculum of the Montessori method is based on the work and
writings of the Italian physician Maria Montessori. Her method appears to be the first curriculum model for children of preschool age that was widely disseminated
and replicated.
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A. Based on the idea that children teach themselves through their own
experiences.
B. Provides a carefully prepared and ordered environment.
C. Included in this environment are didactic and sequenced materials geared
toward promoting children's education in four areas: development of the
senses, conceptual or academic development, competence in practical life
activities, and character development.
D. Materials proceed from the simple to the complex and from the concrete to the
abstract.
E. Sixty-three percent of class time is spent in independent activity.
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The Project Approach is based on recent research about how children learn and the value of integrating the curriculum.
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A. A project is an in-depth investigation of a specific topic with the main goals of
finding out more about the topic rather than to seek answers to questions
proposed by the teacher.
B. Either the children or teacher can generate the topic.
C. The questions to be addressed and investigated during the project are
generated and developed by the children.
D. Project work should not constitute the whole curriculum but should address the
more informal parts of the curriculum.
E. The project approach is similar to themes and units but themes usually consist
of preplanned lessons and activities on particular topics selected by the teacher
rather than the child.
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Reggio Emilia - This approach emphasizes the involvement of children, staff, and parents in the learning experience.
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A. Emergent Curriculum: An emergent curriculum is one that builds upon the
interests of children. Teachers work together to formulate hypotheses about
the possible directions of a project, the materials needed, and possible parent
and/or community support and involvement.
B. Representational Development: Similar to the idea of teaching through the use
of multiple intelligences, the Reggio Emilia approach calls for the integration of
the graphic arts as tools for cognitive, linguistic, and social development.
C. Collaboration: Collaborative group work, both large and small, is considered
valuable and necessary to advance cognitive development. Children are
encouraged to dialogue, critique, compare, negotiate, hypothesize, and
problem solve through group work.
D. Teachers as Researchers: Working as a member of a teaching team, the role
of the teacher is that of a learner alongside the children. The teacher is a
facilitator and resource.
E. Documentation: Similar to the use of a portfolio, documentation of children's
work in progress is viewed as an important tool in the learning process for
children, teachers, and parents.
F. Environment: Within the Reggio Emilia schools, great attention is given to the
look and feel of the classroom. The environment is considered an important
and essential component of the learning process.
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Theme-Based Model
The recent brain research emphasizes the importance of forming patterns and helping children understand the connections to learning. Jane Healy, child development expert, indicates, "I am increasingly convinced that patterns are the key to intelligence. Patterning information means really organizing and associating new information with previously developed mental hooks." A theme-based model encourages children to form those patterns.
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A. A theme is an idea or topic that a teacher and children can explore in many
different ways.
B. The theme is often based on the learners' culture, environment or shared
experiences.
C. Themes should arise from the kinds of events that take place in the classroom
on a daily basis.
D. Children should be involved in the planning stages.
E. Teachers can integrate literacy, social studies, math, music and art.
F. Themes work best when the teacher considers the total needs of the children
and uses the themes to invite new learning.
G. Themes should be custom-designed to fit the teacher and the children.
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Curriculum Resources
Michigan School Readiness Manual
High Scope
Creative Curriculum
CCSSO
NAEYC
Rebus
(Pearson Early Learning)
Teaching Strategies
Learning Streams
Early Start
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