Creative Activities and Curriculum for Young Children By Mary Mayesky Slides Prepared by Jennifer Johnson ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Chapter 5 Children, Teachers, and Creative Activities ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Consider the Child’s Developmental Level Physical Social Emotional Intellectual Individual Differences ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) NAEYC position statement (2009) Teach young children Meet children where they are Help each child reach challenging and achievable goals Recognize that challenge will vary for each child Intentionality in all early childhood practices ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice Classroom characteristics Teachers in charge Children have choices Hands-on learning experiences Balance between child-choice and teacher-directed experiences Organized with child’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive needs in mind Maximum interaction among children ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice Calls for: Child to choose from variety of activities Child expected to be physically and mentally active Child to work individually or in small, informal groups Child to be provided concrete learning activities with relevant materials to lifestyle and experience ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice The Reggio Emilia Approach Activities stem from interests and ideas of the children Arts are integrated into the school curriculum Documentation is in the child’s own words accompanied by artwork or photographs Teachers must be reflective in their practices ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice Emergent curriculum Built on the strengths of the child Arises from play of the children and play of the teachers The goal is to respond to every child’s interests Open-ended and self-directed Focuses on the process of learning ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Differentiated Instruction Providing different types of learning experiences and environments to suit individual needs What “works” for each child Lessons/activities connect for each child ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Differentiated Instruction Five steps to differentiated instruction: Know the children Determine the learning goal Identify proof or evidence they understand what is being taught Plan the learning experience Reassess and adjust according to new needs and changes ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Differentiated Instruction Characteristics Child-centered, child-choices Similarities and differences accepted Teacher is coordinator, not provider of information Children and teachers work together Variety of group sizes and independent work Flexibility in schedule, topics, assessment, instructional strategies Assessment guides instruction ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Differentiated Instruction Differentiated instruction and process learning Process learning: Learning in terms of its process rather than its products Focus is on experiences that promote thinking and problem solving Children learn by doing and reflect on the process Children are able to transfer information learned ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Differentiated Instruction Explaining process learning to parents/caregivers Process learning emphasizes information discovered by the learner Key to acquiring knowledge all through life ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Differentiated Instruction and Multiple Intelligences Correlated with differentiated learning Part of DAP Strategy for meeting individual needs Developed by Howard Gardner Eight intelligences ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Differentiated Instruction and Multiple Intelligences Word smart (Linguistic intelligence) Logic smart (Logical/mathematical intelligence) Picture smart (Visual/spatial intelligence) Music smart (Musical intelligence) ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Differentiated Instruction and Multiple Intelligences Body smart (Bodily/kinesthetic intelligence) Person smart (Interpersonal intelligence) Self-smart (Intrapersonal intelligence) Nature smart (Naturalistic intelligence) ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Bloom’s Taxonomy Classification system Categorizing questions Designing instruction Correlated with differentiated learning and DAP ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Bloom’s Taxonomy: Levels Knowledge: Recall of data Comprehension: Problem in own words Application: Use knowledge in new way Analysis: Distinguish between facts and inferences Synthesis: Put parts together for whole Evaluation: Judgments about value of ideas, things ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Differentiated Instruction & Children with Special Needs Correlates with differentiated instruction Meet each child at developmental level Tailor the environment to the child’s strengths and weaknesses Interact in ways that help child problem solve Encourage child’s gradual use of most senses Increase challenges in manageable steps Adapt schedule, materials, tasks, and assessment to meet individual needs ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Differentiated Instruction & Children with Special Needs Adapting instruction for older children with special needs Adapt number of items and time allotted Increase personal assistance Adapt instruction delivery, skill level, problem type, student response, active learning, goals or outcomes Provide different instruction and materials to meet student goals ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Attention Span, Activity Patterns, and Children’s Physical Needs The younger the child, the shorter the attention span Activity pattern A good activity pattern begins with familiar, reviews, then moves on ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Attention Span, Activity Patterns, and Children’s Physical Needs Transition from group times Provide time to transition between activities and quiet play Transitions to free-choice times Make sure there is ample time for the children to play Transitions to group times: Back together Build interest with advanced publicity ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Consider the Teacher/Caregiver: Attitude Tolerate small mistakes Avoid telling the child the best way to do something Be concerned about what children are doing, not the final product Encourage an open, “what if?” approach ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Consider the Teacher/Caregiver: Attitude Speaking with children Get their attention Use simple statements Act as if your words need to be heeded Give children time to respond Tell children what they can do Give only as much help as needed Use encouragement ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Consider the Teacher/Caregiver: Attitude Speaking with Children (continued) Use specific statements, pleasant requests, substitute suggestions Give choices when possible Show disapproval of action not of child Work with the child Keep promises Encourage children to use language ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Consider the Teacher/Caregiver: Attitude Resist the temptation to always have quiet and order Get involved ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Strategies for Success: General Planning Guidelines Preparation Try the activity before presenting it to the children Make sure all necessary equipment is available Think through the activity Modify the activity to meet the developmental needs of the children Briefly explain the activity so that the children know how to begin and proceed After the children have started circulate among them ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Strategies for Success: General Planning Guidelines Presentation of creative activities Identify goals, possible learning List materials Determine set o Decide how to stimulate the children Anticipate questions Evaluate Consider follow-up and clean-up ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Strategies for Success: General Planning Guidelines Completing a creative activity Question Think Feel Decide ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Strategies for Success: The National Level Legislation and education No Child Left Behind Content standards Early childhood learning standards Standards for teachers — INTASC standards ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.