The early childhood curriculum encompasses a variety of subjects and activities. Within these subjects and activities are standards that aid educators in instructing the correct materials. The idea of the standards is to develop an education foundation for students. Curriculums in early childhood education are linked to state and national standards. The significance of an early childhood curriculum is reliant on a number of factors. The quality of the staff, an appropriate environment, proper mixed-age grouping practices, consistent schedules, and parent involvement are all significant factors. One of the undertakings of a quality curriculum should be to focus on continuous educational improvement.
There is no such thing as a curriculum that suites all students. So when designing a curriculum it is important to consider the students developmental needs. The National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC) defines curriculum as an organized framework that delineates the content children are to learn, the processes through which children achieve the identified curricular goals, what teachers do to help children achieve these goals, and the context in which teaching and learning occur (Fuhriman, & Thomson, 1994). Curriculums should be fitting to each child’s interests, needs, and be culturally adaptive. Students are going to be diverse not only in culture, but also in experiences, maturation, learning styles, and parental status. Because of these many diversities it is important to use a variety of sources when thinking of curriculums. Therefore when planning a curriculum it is important to consider a wide range of diversity, needs, and interests. Curriculum is what happens in the classroom.
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...od programs and practices. (1997). Retrieved from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/earlycld/ea100.htm
Fuhriman, C, & Thomson, L. (1994). A practical guide to early childhood curriculum. Simon & Schuster Children
Introduction to the naeyc accreditation standards and criteria. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/academy/primary/standardsintro
McGlothlin, D. Ohio Department of Education, (2003). Ohio’s early learning Retrieved from http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=1389&ContentID=1629&Content=83592
Naeyc professional preparation standards. (2010, January). Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/ecada/file/2010%20NAEYC%20Ini ial%20&%20Advanced%20Standards.pdf
National coucil of teachers of mathematics. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nctm.org/standards/content.aspx?id=26848
Hedges, Helen. ""You Don't Leave Babies on Their Own": Children's Interests in Early Childhood Education." Early Education. Ed. Janet B. Mottely and Anne R. Randall. New York: Nova Science, 2009. N. pag. Print.
Definitions for curriculum are many and varied. Broad sweeping statements claim that curriculum is what is taught in various subjects and the amount of time given to each. While a more specific view is that curriculum are performance objectives for students that focus on specific skills or knowledge (Marsh, 2010). Marsh (2010, p. 93) defines curriculum as “an interrelated set of plans and experiences” that are completed at school. The curriculum used in education can have various interpretations, it may refer to the curriculum as a plan that encompasses all the learning that is planned and directed by the school. Cu...
Franklin Bobbitt in The Curriculum writes: ‘The central theory [of curriculum] is simple. Human life, however varied, consists in the performance of specific activities. Education that prepares for life is one that prepares definitely and adequately for these specific activities. People need the abilities, attitudes, habits, appreciations and forms of knowledge and these will be the objectives of the curriculum. The curriculum will then be that series of experiences which children and youth must have by way of obtaining those objectives.’ (Bobbit...
In this reflective analysis of NAEYC Standard three, Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families, I will first reflect on my growth, as an early childhood professional, during my course of study. Secondly, I will address my strengths related to the standard and discuss areas in need of further professional development. Finally, I will outline my goals for future growth and development. Early childhood educators demonstrate professional competence by understanding the role of assessment and the various methods of assessing student learning, including observation, documentation and standardized testing. These assessment strategies, along with partnerships with parents, can support students in their development and growth, by informing instruction and evaluating instructional practices.
The Child Development Center of College of San Mateo provides early care and educational programs for children between the ages of 3 to 5 years old. Children are divided into classrooms with a “master” teacher, a “regular” teacher, and two or three “associate” teachers. Klara attended Classroom, “A,” a stimulating and well-resourced classroom. Klara was observed for two hours on Monday from 9 am to 11 am and for two hours on Wednesday from 9 am to 11 am. During these two hours, classroom activities consisted of “free time,” “story time,” and an outside “play time.” A “master” teacher, a “regular” teacher, and two “associate” teachers were present during observations. Additionally, a total of eighteen children were in attendance during the observed days.
Early childhood education, although constantly evolving, was actually established and practiced as early on as the times of Ancient Greece and Rome. The foundation that early childhood education is based upon is to instill in children the skills needed to succeed later on in life, while making sure young children enjoy their time in schooling. Throughout chapter 3 in the textbook Who Am I in the Lives of Children, the reader is capable of evaluating just how greatly the methods for teaching today’s youth have evolved and changed for the better.
Additionally, a high quality early childhood program highlights on developmentally appropriate curriculum. I believe an early childhood classroom should be flexible, stimulating, clean, safe and organized. It should be a place where students can be engaged in learning through interacting with things around them.
Eliason, C. F., Jenkins, L. (2008). A practical guide to early childhood curriculum (8th edition). New
There are many different curriculums that are used in early childhood classrooms. Two curriculums that are used are High Scope and Reggio Emilia. Both of these curriculums have unique aspects that make up their curriculums. In addition, High Scope and Reggio Emilia have similarities and differences.
Morrison, George S. (2004) The Past and the Present: Prologue to the Future, Early Childhood Education (pp.83-84), New Jersey: Pearson.
Curriculum is important being it’s the underlying factor that plays a role in determining ones growth, achievement and success. The majority of curriculum con...
Since then, Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction has been a standard reference for anyone working with curriculum development. Although not a strict how-to guide, the book shows how educators can critically approach curriculum planning, studying progress and retooling when needed. Its four sections focus on setting objectives, selecting learning experiences, organizing instruction, and evaluating progress. Readers will come away with a firm understanding of how to formulate educational objectives and how to analyze and adjust their plans so that students meet the objectives. Tyler also explains that curriculum planning is a continuous, cyclical process, an instrument of education that needs to be fine-tuned.
Entering my kindergarten teaching experience in the last quarter of school year I had to quickly become familiar with kindergarten content standards and the school’s curriculum. To do this I observed my mentor teachers instructional time with the children and gained as much information as I could about the children’s educational standing by developing a professional relationship with the my mentor teacher and the children. I learned that the majority of my kindergarten children had not previously attended preschool and that this was their first year of school. I found that interacting with the children in social activities provided me with great insight to their literacy, math, science, and social studies development. In reviewing the children’s class projects, school displays, and an array of their work sample along with my mentor teachers year-long assessments I was able to recognize challenging, emerging and advanced content areas of the children’s core curriculum. These emerging and challenging content areas is what I centered my curriculum planning around. “Information about each child’s learning and development is used to evaluate teaching effectiveness. This may lead to changes in schedule, curriculum and teaching strategies, room set up, resources, and so on.” (Bredekamp and Copple, p. 249)
Early childhood education plays a key role in a child’s academic development because he or she learns soft skills, job skills, and develop positive traits. Preschool is not like kindergarten, but instead a stepping-stone that prepares young students for the years of schooling they will have later in life. As more schools began to open families wanted to be able to verify that programs would benefit and protect their children. In response, the National Association for the Education of Young Children was made to help families find the best care for their children, by providing the early childhood educators with training and ensuring the quality of children’s daily experiences. (“NAEYC”5).
A curriculum is a compilation of study materials that are used at all grade levels, classroom and homework assignments and a set of teacher guides. It could also include a list of prescribed methodology and guidelines of teaching and some material for the parents etc. It is generally determined by an external governing body. However, there are some cases where it may be developed by the schools and teachers themselves.