PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM: CHOOSING WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOUR PROGRAM Crista Scott University of Washington

WELCOME!

OBJECTIVES Key Components Aligning Curriculum Implementation

WHERE WE STAND What comes to mind when we think about curriculum?

QUESTIONS Let’s make a list of questions we have and add to it as we go.

OVERVIEW

WHAT IS CURRICULUM? In a small group, generate a definition of curriculum.

WHAT IS CURRICULUM? Thoughtfully planned, challenging, engaging, developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically responsive, comprehensive, and likely to promote positive outcomes for all young children. -NAEYC, 2003

WHAT IS CURRICULUM? “A curriculum is more than a collection of activities. It provides the framework for developing a coherent set of learning experiences that enables children to reach the identified goals.” - Copple & Bredekamp, 2009

WHAT IS CURRICULUM? “In developmentally appropriate practice, the curriculum helps young children achieve goals that are developmentally and educationally significant.” -NAEYC, 2009

WHAT IS CURRICULUM? “Curriculum for young children is highly complex (and) composed of many elements. The primary purpose of a curriculum is to guide learning activities and provide consistency of expectations, content, methods, and outcomes.” - DEC

WHAT IS CURRICULUM? From Head Start: Curriculum is a written plan that is based on sound child development principles, is consistent with program performance standards, and includes: Goals for children’s development and learning. Experiences through which children will achieve the goals; Roles for staff and parents to help children to achieve these goals Materials needed to support the implementation of a curriculum.

APPROACHES Comprehensive curriculum Subject/Domain specific curriculum Emergent curriculum Theme based Montessori Reggio Emilia Direct Instruction

COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM Focuses on all domains of learning Goals/Experiences Plans Connected to standards Assessment Diverse and Inclusive Examples: High Scope, Creative Curriculum

SUBJECT/DOMAIN SPECIFIC CURRICULUM Use of multiple, domain specific curricula Examples: Building Blocks Math, Ladders to Literacy

EMERGENT CURRICULUM Based on interests of children and adults Built around teacher-child interactions Focuses on the process of learning

THEME BASED CURRICULUM Learning organized around themes. Integrated approach Requires planning and alignment to standards. Examples: OWL

MONTESSORI Child-centered Teachers as guides Children learn at their own pace Specifically designed environment and materials

REGGIO EMILIA Dynamic and emergent Based in reflection, experimentation, practice Project based approach Documentation

DIRECT INSTRUCTION Fast paced Teacher directed Explicit opportunities for student participation

WHY? Ready to learn Serving all children Outcomes and accountability Quality of childcare

WHY? Children learn more in programs where there is a well planned and implemented curriculum. -National Research Council, 2000

HOW Skilled teachers familiarize themselves with state standards and curriculum to create learning experiences Play, small group, large group, interest centers, routines Learning integrated with and across domains Depth and focus Child interest

TEACHER’S ROLE Highly structured with detailed scripts Guiding principles

CHOOSING A PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM

NO CURRICULUM IS PERFECT

WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU? What are your classroom or program values? What does your child or program data tell you? What are the families and community telling you?

WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU? What are the strengths and weaknesses of your program? What resources does your program have? What is required by your principal or district?

CURRICULUM CONSUMER REPORT

system/teaching/practice/curricula/research.html

CURRICULA REVIEWED

COMPONENTS Identified 13 components of an effective comprehensive curriculum What are they?

COMPONENETS OF AN EFFECTIVE CURRICULUM Grounded in child development principles Evidence-based Effects on child outcomes Comprehensive across learning domains Depth for each learning domain Specific learning goals Well-designed learning activities Responsive teaching Supports for individualized instruction Culturally & linguistically responsive Ongoing assessment Professional development opportunities Family Involvement materials

GROUNDED IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES Does the curriculum clearly align with the Head Start Child Development principles? Do learning activities progress from simple to more complex?

EVIDENCE-BASED Researched with rigorous design Measures of fidelity of implementation Studied in more than one sample

EFFECTS ON CHILD OUTCOMES Curriculum is associated with child learning? Size of impacts

COMPREHENSIVE ACROSS DOMAINS Cover majority of domains Learning domains clearly articulated in activities Majority of activities integrate content across domains

DEPTH FOR EACH LEARNING DOMAIN Coverage of domain elements Organized scope and sequence for each learning domain.

SPECIFIC LEARNING GOALS Specific, measureable, developmentally appropriate goals for each activity Alignment between goals and content of activities Alignment between goals and scope and sequence

WELL-DESIGNED LEARNING ACTIVITIES Activities easy to follow Supports for implementation Prompts to use multiple strategies and interactive materials Purpose of activity clear and meaningful

RESPONSIVE TEACHING Child focused and teacher-directed strategies Differentiation for learning preferences How to engage in high-quality teacher- child interactions Instructional examples

SUPPORTS FOR INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION Activity specific support for children at different levels Guidelines for adaptation for physical and social emotional development differences Guidelines for adaptation of materials and/or environment

CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY RESPONSIVE Materials for use in classroom and with families in languages other than English Materials present diversity in culture, ethnicity, gender, etc.

CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY RESPONSIVE Guidance on assisting dual language learners Guidance on adapting learning activities to meet cultural and linguistic needs.

FAMILY INVOLVEMENT MATERIALS Materials for distribution that review what children are learning Strategies for families to extend learning Guidance to link learning goals to home

FAMILY INVOLVEMENT MATERIALS Suggestions for incorporating families in the classroom Suggestions for establishing and maintaining positive relationships with families Materials for families support learning across domains

PRIORITIZE COMPONENTS No curriculum is perfect What is important for your program?

CHOOSING A CURRICULUM

system/teaching/practice/curricula/research.html

CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT

To determine how well an early childhood curriculum aligns with the standards of your program, district or state

CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT Coverage and balance Depth and difficulty

COVERAGE AND BALANCE Coverage is how well the curriculum addresses learning domains Ask: Does the curriculum cover all or most domains?

COVERAGE AND BALANCE Balance is a relatively even representation of all domains Ask: Does the curriculum provide balanced coverage within and across each of the domains?

DEPTH AND DIFFICULTY Depth is the degree to which the curriculum provides a sequence of developmentally important skills that lay the foundation for later development and learning.

DEPTH AND DIFFICULTY Ask: Does this curriculum provide a sequence of items? Is it a useful sequence? Does it provide enough items?

DEPTH AND DIFFICULTY Difficulty is the degree to which the curriculum identifies skills and expectations that are intellectually challenging for children at developmental appropriate levels. Ask: Does this curriculum provide appropriate challenge or complexity?

ALIGNMENT TOOL

system/teaching/practice/curricula/research.html

WASHINGTON EARLY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES Provide a tool about children’s development Promote whole-child approach Affirm that learning and development are interrelated and build on previous learning

WASHINGTON EARLY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES Embrace diversity of child and family Provide suggestions for where to get more information

WASHINGTON EARLY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES The guidelines are NOT An exhaustive guide to child development A developmental checklist An assessment tool

WASHINGTON EARLY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES The guidelines are NOT A curriculum An instrument to collect statewide performance information A permanent and unchanging document

ALIGNMENT

KEY WORDS AlignmentStickersChoose 4

AFTER SELECTION Curricula are constantly changing New research available all the time

IMPLEMENTATION

IMPLEMENTING THE CURRICULUM Fidelity of implementation Professional development support Ongoing assessment of child learning

FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION Implementing a program, curriculum, or intervention exactly as intended.

FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION The most effective programs have well trained staff who are knowledgeable about the goals of the curriculum. Children tend to make more gains when teachers implement the teaching strategies or curriculum as intended.

What does it look like in your classroom?

FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION Are staff familiar with the curriculum’s scope and sequence? Are staff familiar with the lesson plan goals and activities? Are all recommended materials available?

FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION Do staff implement the curriculum lessons with regularity? Do staff focus on the specific goals identified in the lesson plans? Do staff follow all the steps or activities suggested in the lesson plans?

FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION Do staff use all the recommended materials? Do staff use the recommended teaching strategies?

FIDELITY CHECKLISTS

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT

Individualized consultation and regular feedback were most effective in improving preschool teachers’ use of instructional strategies.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT Does the program have the resources for providing teachers with individualized consultation and coaching? Does the program have procedures for providing teachers with feedback on a regular basis?

What are your experiences with PD support related to your curriculum?

ONGOING ASSESSMENT

The most effective programs include an ongoing assessment component for teachers to assess whether or not children were learning and to make adjustments if expectations are not being met.

ONGOING ASSESSMENT Does the program have an assessment system for documenting children’s learning over time? Does the program have procedures for reviewing children’s learning on a regular basis? Do staff document children’s behaviors during activities?

ONGOING ASSESSMENT Do staff make appropriate adaptations and modifications for children with special needs? Do staff use appropriate strategies to support language development for children who are dual language learners?

ONGOING ASSESSMENT Is this the right curriculum for our program? Are children making progress? If not, what do we need to change? – New curriculum – More enhancements? – Individualize?

WRITE ONE IDEA Fidelity of implementation Professional development support Ongoing assessment of child learning

ENHANCING A CURRICULUM To meet the needs of teachers, children and families in your program. You are NOT altering the content or scope and sequence of a curriculum.

ENHANCING A CURRICULULM Supplement with books that reflect the diversity of the children and families in your program Supplement to respond to the needs of children learning more than one language Use specific teaching strategies to support learners with special needs.

ENHANCING A CURRICULUM Mathematics Curriculum Consumer Report Literacy and Language Preschool Curriculum Consumer Report Social Emotional Preschool Curriculum Consumer Report

TURN AND TALK - MODIFICATIONS Supports/Modifications Think of a child who is struggling to participate in an activity or routine. What simple strategies do you use to support that child? Plan Who was involved? What materials did you need? How did you make the modification available? How did you decide if it was working?

ACTIVITY: INCREASING AWARENESS OF CHILD PARTICIPATION Work individually or in a team Identify a child Fill out the form

PLANNING Identify three action items related to today’s presentation that you can implement in your program.

THANK YOU