Chapter 2Creating Curriculum

Overview• Curriculum is child-centered/child-initiated• Provides for all child’s development• Encourages learning by doing• Is inclusive• Invites creativity• Facilitates physical activity and play• Involves families

Multilevel Process• Goals• Objectives

Process of Curriculum Development

• Ongoing• Both planned and unplanned• Based on child developmental theories• Child-centered, child-directed• Provides for effective use of personnel,

time, space, equipment, and materials• Inclusive, integrated, emergent

Curriculum Models and Programs

Head Start

Montessori

BankStreet

High/Scope

ReggioEmilia

Montessori• “Absorbent minds”• Hands-on activities• Self-correcting materials• Didactic materials• Focus on daily living tasks• Sensorial and conceptual

materials

Head Start• Publicly funded• Aimed at low-income, at-risk children and families• Comprehensive services• Low child-staff ratio• Ten percent of enrollment available for children with

special needs• Performance standards• Involvement of families• Early Head Start to promote infant and toddler

development

Bank Street• Founded by Lucy Sprague Mitchell• Child-centered learning• Emphasizes the interaction between the

child and the environment and interaction between the cognitive and affective (developmental interaction)

• Synonymous with “open education”

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

Reggio Emilia• Founded by Loris Malaguzzi• Image of a strong child central to

philosophy• Environment is a “third teacher”• Relationships central in learning• The hundred languages of children

Multicultural/Anti-Bias Considerations

• Changing demographics• Discover your own cultural uniqueness• Explore your feelings about people who

differ from you culturally, racially, or because of special needs

Anti-Bias Curriculum• Louise Derman-Sparks• More children are bicultural and bilingual• Culture is learned• Establish an anti-bias curriculum

– Combat prejudices, stereotypes– The development of each child to full potential– Explicit and implicit communication

Special Needs Considerations

• Public Law 94–142– Least restrictive environment

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)– Individualized family services plan (IFSP) for children from birth

through age three• Eligibility• Assessment• Development• Implementation and monitoring• Support the transition

– Individualized education plan (IEP) for children older than three

Managing the Environment with Appropriate Guidance

• Appropriate verbal guidance and guidance techniques– Set clear, consistent, and appropriate goals– Address behavior, not child– Focus on developing responsibility and independence

• Self-regulation– Positive techniques versus negative techniques– A problem-solving approach

Indoor Environment• Should welcome everyone in• Should be an aesthetic experience• Organizing learning centers• Adaptations for children with special needs

Call for Action• Obesity issues

– Increasing numbers– Possible causes– Responsibility

Outdoor Environment• Should welcome everyone out• Parallels what the class does indoors• Maintains safety as the first priority• Plans for children’s emerging

developmental interests and skills• Sets reasonable and appropriate rules that

are consistently enforced

Criteria for Selecting Equipment, Materials, and

Supplies• Developmentally appropriate• Safety• Durability• Age appropriate

Technology and Curriculum• Choose software carefully • Connect with families• Balance between computer time and other

types of learning experiences

Curriculum Development

Projects

WebsLessonplans

Child

Themes and units

Themes and Units• A theme is a broad concept or topic• A unit is a section of the curriculum• Basic concepts for developing thematic

curriculum– Merge play with child-directed and teacher-

initiated experiences– Should be developmentally appropriate– Support a positive self-esteem– Activities should be adaptable

Projects• A project is an in-depth investigation

– Choose a topic– Investigate the topic

• Co-learning– Review and reflect about what you have

learned

Curriculum Webs• Graphic representation• Integrate various learning activities• Develop the scope and content of the

theme

Lesson Plans• Involves making series of choices

– Specific planning time– Planning form – “Things to remember” form

• Activity plan– Step-by-step procedures– Writing measurable objectives

• Key words

Transitions• Move children from one activity to another• Help children adjust to arriving and

separating from parents• Examples of transition activities

Observation • Objective• Data collection tools

– Anecdotal record– Checklist– Reflective log or diary– Case study– Portfolio assessment

• Guidelines

Assessment and Evaluation• Assessment

– Refers to the data-collection process– Methods should be developmentally

appropriate– Should be done for specific purposes– Aid in decision-making process

• Evaluation– A continuous process