The Achievement Gap When expectations in standards are tied to state testing processes, children who consistently do not achieve the desired outcomes fall into the so-called achievement gap. States report test scores on a continuum, with descriptors such as below basic, basic, or proficient (National Report Card). State and federal monies for many supplemental programs […]
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Sampling of Infant/Toddler and 3- to 5-Year-Old Early Learning Standards for Language Development Standard Detail (Subcriteria) Infants: 6 to 18 months Understanding language: The child will comprehend the message of another’s communication In the beginning of this period, I recognize the names of familiar objects and people. By the end of this period, I show
Expectations for Children Demographic statistics can certainly provide a general image of American children, especially if you look beyond national reporting to your state or local level (see www.KidsCount.org). Teachers know, however, that certain policies and conditions also affect the ways in which children are described and how they, in turn, experience curriculum. In early
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Competency vs. Dependency American teachers’ beliefs and curricula were traditionally built around the idea that young children depend on adults to know what is best for them (Hill, Stremmel, & Fu, 2005). Certainly the younger the child, the more adults need to be directly involved in his or her physical care for the sake of
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Children as Property Prisma / SuperStock Until 1938, American children routinely worked in factories, fields, and domestic service. This photo from 1911 shows three young girls who worked as oyster shuckers for the Maggioni Canning Company in Port Royal, South Carolina. Before the late nineteenth century, white American children were largely considered the property of
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How should curriculum be implemented? Other curricula are flexible or cross-compatible with one another to varying degrees, using similar equipment and learning materialssuch as items for art, dramatic play, blocks, or music activitiesbut perhaps organizing and using them in different ways. Sometimes there are particular elements of the curriculum that require special attention, such as
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How Is Early Childhood Curriculum Developed? Jupiterimages / Thinkstock Early childhood curricula can vary widely in philosophy and approach. Early childhood educators can benefit from having a framework within which to compare them. The curriculum a program or school chooses or develops is defined in many ways, both theoretical and practical. From a theoretical perspective, curriculum
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What is my role as a teacher? As you explore the information and materials about the curriculum you will be using in your classroom, you may wonder how a curriculum is created in the first place and what makes one curriculum different from another. For example, if the director of your preschool says that it
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What are children like and how do they learn? The Curriculum Landscape: Major Models and Approaches Moneky Business / Thinkstock Learning Objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to: Describe the key elements considered in curriculum development and major research efforts that have affected curriculum. Describe the key features of classic curricula developed
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Economics The study of economics is not only about business, but also about human behavior within existing structures of production, distribution, trade, and consumption of goods and services. As a science, it functions to predict and explain the consequences of choices made by consumers and producers. Economics is a quantified field of research depending on