The Theories and Research Behind Creative Curriculum

It is my strong belief that each child is entitled to a safe, secure, stimulating and caring learning environment. I always believed that each child is a unique individual with much curiosity and many academic, social and emotional needs. Children need our support in order to mature emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. As a teacher, one should aim to help students in fulfilling their dreams to become successful and educated individuals. We must provide them with a safe learning environment for their learning to succeed.

There are a whole lot of programs or curriculums out there that try to talk about the environmental and academic needs of children. In this paper, I will try my best to discuss the five components of the Creative Curriculum framework, as well as the philosophies, theories, and research behind its foundation.

What is a Creative Curriculum? In few simple words it is to promote a student's social, emotional and intellectual development. Though the course work varies with each school, this strategy often uses unconventional means that lean toward project-based learning environments. (www.ehow.com)

Going back to our text, it is mentioned that in 1920s, the emphasis was on physical and intellectual development, and the early education programs were based on the works and studies of Froebel, Montessori, and McMillan. But as education improved in late 1940s, the attention was to focus on physical, social, and emotional growth (Eliason, et al., 2008 p.5). So the creative curriculum has been based on the theories and researches that inform decision making in the early childhood field. We can find these theories in the works of Piaget, Maslow, Erikson, Vygotsky, Smilansky, and Gardner. (Colker)

In this p...

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...es upon which to concentrate. The broad education will, therefore, transmit to one not the accumulated knowledge of the race but also the accumulated experience of social living.” (www.purposeofeducation.com).

Works Cited

Bredekamp, S., & Copple, C. (1997). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in early childhood programs. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Colker, L., Dodge, D., Heroman, C., (2002). Creative Curriculum for preschool 4the edition, Washington. Teaching Strategies INC.

Eliason, C. F., Jenkins, L. (2008). A practical guide to early childhood curriculum (8th edition). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2001). Principles and standards for school mathematics. Reston, VA:Author.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5959100_definition-creative-curriculum.html