How Is Early Childhood Curriculum Developed?

How Is Early Childhood Curriculum Developed?

A young girl is coloring while receiving instruction from her teacher.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 reflects the vision and philosophy of the program. From a practical perspective, it may have to address mandates or requirements that the program must meet, teacher qualifications and professional development needs, and available financial and other resources. In addition, a curriculum must be clearly understood by all who use it, be sensitive to individual and community needs, and provide opportunities for parent involvement (Frede, 2007; Posner, 2004; Trister-Dodge, 2004).

Other practical considerations include purchasing materials, ensuring accountability, and setting up an environment that will support the curriculum. The type of curriculum a program or school chooses provides different levels of flexibility in how these decisions are made.

In some cases, a curriculum choice drives all the other decisions so that it will be implemented with fidelity. For example, the decision to use the Montessori curriculum means that many things will have to be done in a certain way; for example, classrooms will have to be set up into clearly defined and named areas. Moreover, classroom equipment and materials will have to be purchased according to a list of materials specifically designed, manufactured, and approved by the Association Montessori Internationale for Montessori classrooms. Teachers will meet qualifications recommended by the North American Montessori Teacher Association (Kahn, 2010). Once a Montessori program is set up, it is readily recognizable as a Montessori space and can’t easily be transformed to serve a different kind of curriculum.

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