Various educational approaches and theories play significant roles in early childhood education. Teachers and caregivers use a range of methods to foster learning and developmental milestones.
Specific activites or lessons planned to reach learning goal and/or achieve developmental milestones.
A particular approach or model that guides a program. It includes materials, learning goals, teacher's role and curriculum.
Floating topic
Anything the child experience inside the early childhood environment.
Early Child Curriculum
Selection and Organization
The Project Approach uses questions by the teacher or student to investigate the topic and gather information from the answers of those questions.
The Reggio Emilia Approach allows teachers to consider themselves the child's partner and children are encouraged to use modes of expression to explain the topic.
A Emergent Curriculum is child-centered which are conducted with children based on their understanding and knowledge.
The Developmental Interaction Approach is based on using real-world experiences for learning over several weeks.
The Unit or Thematic Approach is using a topic that is selected and organizied with activities over a set amount of time.
Develepmental Theories and their impact on education
Implications of the Constructivist Theory for Education
Believes children are responsible for own ongoing development.
Knowledge must be through the child's thinking of the experiences.
Child-centered based.
Implications of the Behaviorist Theory for Education
Mostly teacher based.
Believes all children learn the same way.
Limited to certain concepts relating to reading and math.
Roots of Early Childhood Curriculum
Children at Risk Programs
Head Start curriculum would continue with Project Follow Through with added academic gains.
The Head Start program followed the principles of Nursery School child development.
European Programs
The Montessori method is characterized by design and sequenced learning materials.
Waldorf Education focuses on the development of the child's body ,mind, and spirit.
Nursery School
In Nursery school common activities were block building, stories, music, and dance.
In nursery school the curriculum focuses on teaching life skills such as hand washing, dressing, and eating.
Kindergarten
The progressive education act made improvements to schools and debated curriculum preparing students. Equipment and new standards were introduced.
At the kindergarten it is a wide spread belief that the holistic view of teaching is most effective. This entails hands-on learning.
Kindergarten began with a program based on play.
Programs for at risk children
Project Follow Through was introduced to allow the continuation of curriculum models from Head Start to grade 3. The condition being head start provided learning experiences resulting in academic gain.
They modeled the Behaviorist theory ideals from the Kansas Behavioral Analysis.
Curricculm came from Bank Street and Education Development Center.
The students are given more time to complete tasks and master concepts.
Head Start programs stemmed from the realization that not all children succeed in school.
Main topic
Future of Curriculm
Knowledge and understanding of the standards.
Being knowledgeable with reading and math.
Understanding curriculum.
Knowledge of each child.
Know how children learn and how they develop.
Purpose of Curriculm
Creates a fair and just society
Prepares for interaction within a democratic society.
Acquiring knowledge and skills are important because of the success of future schooling and skills needed in society.
Cultural preservation and experience from good works and disciplines of knowledge.
