Creative Curriculum
The Creative Curriculum was designed to meet the basic needs of the children. In the classroom, any teacher implementing the Creative Curriculum sets an environment in which children feel safe, emotionally secure, and have a sense of community. This type of curriculum includes activities and teaching approaches that are challenging, yet within the children’s developmental level. It also suggests giving choices and a role in determining how the children learn. The creative curriculum supports children on acquiring social competence and the necessary skills to be effective learners.
The creative curriculum discusses characteristics and experiences that make each child unique, including temperament, life experiences, dual language learning and disabilities. It offers strategies for building positive relationships, helping children develop self-regulation, and responding to challenging behaviors. It shows teachers how to guide children’s learning during daily routines and everyday experiences. It also explains the role of assessment in learning about each child, following children’s progress and planning.
This curriculum explores the benefits of working with families as partners in the care of their children. The curriculum touches on how family partnerships are built by exchanging information on a daily basis, engaging families in all aspects of a program, communicating in respectful ways, and working through differences in ways that sustain the partnership and the benefit of the children.
The Creative Curriculum helps teachers to be intentional about the experiences that they offer while still having the flexibility to respond to the changing interest and abilities of the children (Family Learning Center).
The Creative Curriculum for Preschool is based on five fundamental principles which guide practice and help teachers to understand the reasons for intentionally setting up and operating preschool programs in particular ways. These are the five principles:
- Positive interactions and relationships with adults provide a critical foundation for successful learning.
- Social–emotional competence is a significant factor in school success.
- Constructive, purposeful play supports essential learning.
- The physical environment affects the type and quality of learning interactions.
- Teacher–family partnerships promote development and learning (Teaching Strategies).
High Scope Curriculum
The High Scope Curriculum is based on 58 developmental indicators which are organized in five curriculum areas:
- Approaches to Learning
- Language, Literacy and Communication
- Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development, Health and Well-Being
- Arts and Sciences (Math, Science and Technology, Social Studies and Art).
The 58 developmental indicators are the foundation for teacher’s planning, for designing the environment, and for selecting the materials. A common thing to these key developmental indicators is the plan-do-review routine as this is a sequence for learning and for how goals are met.
Montessori Method
The Montessori method has had a significant impact in the field of child development and education. Maria Montessori began her work with impoverished and developmentally delayed children. Later, she started to create methods that could be used when working with children.
The Montessori Curriculum Model focuses on five areas with interest centers:
- Practical Life Skills
- Sensory Awareness
- Language Arts
- Mathematics and Geometry, and
- Culture
Bank Street Curriculum
The Bank Street Curriculum Model blends the field of education and psychology following John Dewey’s theory in the creation of curriculum for young children. For this curriculum model, children’s development and interactions are key as this is an active, hands-on, and child-centered curriculum.
Interactions in all formats are the basis for learning, which is seen when the child interacts with:
- Peers
- Adults
- Materials
- Society/Community
- Ideas
The adult role on this curriculum model is key as the teacher serves as a guide and a facilitator for learning by creating a stable and organized classroom environment with a wide variety of materials that provide children with options for learning.
Theme Based Curriculum Model
A Theme Based Approach is commonly used in early childhood education classrooms, and this curriculum model provide an opportunity for children to learn based on topics (themes) that are meaningful to their life experiences.
Themes provide a way to integrate curriculum and unify topics in ways that are relevant to children. When a Theme-Based Approach is used with early primary-level students, this method often is referred to as unit teaching.
A few common themes that could be used in working with young children are:
Infants and Toddlers
- The Five Senses
- Farm Animals
- Feelings
- Family
- Sharing
Preschool
- Dinosaurs
- Harvest
- Seasons
- Family
- Feelings
Reggio Emilia Curriculum
The Reggio Emilia Curriculum Model is a unique and innovative where teachers guiding belief is that children are capable and competent. Through this curriculum model children are able to create complex and meaningful work individually or collaborating with peers and teachers.children are capable and competent. Through this curriculum model children are able to create complex and meaningful work individually or collaborating with peers and teachers.
Reggio Emilia schools focus learning experiences by:
- Allowing children to experience the world with all their senses
- Providing them with opportunities and tools to explore the world
The Core values of Reggio Emilia are:
- Children rights and capabilities
- Collaboration among all members of the school community
- ‘Relationships among children, teachers, families, experiences and materials.
The Reggio Emilia Curriculum Model is inclusive of children with special rights (children with special needs). These children have a priority of enrollment in Reggio Emilia centers.
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References
The Creative Curriculum. Family Learning Center. http://www.flcedwards.org/creative-curriculum.html. Retrieved on 09/13/2018.
The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, Teaching Strategies. https://teachingstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/The-Creative-Curriculum%C2%AE-for-Preschool_Special-Needs_2017.pdf
. Retrieved on 9/12/18.
