education

Standards Curriculum standards are statements about what children should know and be able to do that are organized in a cohesive, systematic manner according to areas of growth and development or academic subject categories. Standards are developed by states, programs (such as Head Start), or organizations that represent different dimensions of curriculum, such as the […]

  Comprehensive and Limited-Scope Curriculum A curriculum can also be comprehensive or limited in scope. A comprehensive curriculum addresses all areas of learning, while a limited-scope curriculum focuses on a single area, such as literacy, math, or the arts (National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center [NCCIC], 2011). The Creative Curriculum for Preschool (Heroman

Curriculum Model A curriculum model, on the other hand, is more prescriptive. Formally, it’s defined as “an ideal representation of the theoretical premises, administrative policies, and pedagogical components of a program aimed at obtaining a particular educational outcome” (Spodek & Brown, 1993, p. 91). It describes everything about what and how the teacher will teach,

Curriculum Approach A curriculum approach is a broad framework designed from a specific perspective or orientation about how children learn (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2008). An approach includes key ideas and principles but allows or encourages “reflection, practice, and further careful reflection in a program that is continuously renewed and readjusted” (Gandini, 1993, p. 4). Thus,

What Is the Difference between a Curriculum Approach and a Curriculum Model? In the curriculum literature, the terms approach and model are sometimes used interchangeably (Frede & Ackerman, 2007), but they can also be interpreted differently. For purposes of clarity in this book, these two terms will differentiate the level of detail and specificity within

Stop and Reflect When you think about your own experiences in school, can you recall how you learned to interpret a particular teacher’s body languageperhaps the slight nod of approval or the “look” that let you know you needed to think twice about what you were about to do? What are some other examples of

The Hidden Curriculum The hidden curriculum refers to things children and teachers learn or are expected to know in school that are not directly taughtoften related to social rules, interactions, and behaviors that represent the “culture” of a school, classroom, or home care setting (Giroux & Purpel, 1983; Jackson, 1968; Myles, Trautman, & Schelvan, 2004).

The Role of the Teacher As the “coordinator in chief,” the early childhood educator has substantial responsibilities, including setting up and maintaining the environment, arranging equipment and materials, planning, implementing, and managing activities, and then assessing, communicating, and documenting how learning takes place. The degree of flexibility that the teacher has in terms of how

What Does Curriculum Include? In practice, curriculum is much more than a structured framework (National Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC], 2003). Especially in early childhood education, curriculum is understood to include (Figure 1.1): The physical classroom space, or environment All the materials the teachers use to instruct students All the materials that

What Is Curriculum? In the broadest sense, curriculum is a structured framework for teaching. As a student, you already have personal experience with curriculum, and you probably know that as an early childhood teacher, you will have to work within a curriculum as you teach your students. But, what does a curriculum include? What kinds