CURRICULUM Appropriate vs. Inappropriate
THE NECESSARY CHARACTERISTICS OF AN APPROPRIATE CURRICULUM FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
ACTIVE vs. passive
HANDS-ON vs. hands-off
CONCRETE vs. abstract
CHILD-CENTERED vs. teacher-centered
OPEN-ENDED (DIVERGENT) vs. closed-ended (convergent)
PROCESS-ORIENTED vs. product oriented or performance-oriented
INDIVIDUALIZED vs. generic
DIFFERENTIATED vs. one-dimensional
MULTICULTURAL vs. biased or exclusionary
HOLISTIC purely academic
INTEGRATED vs. isolated skills training
SMALL GROUP whole class
PURPOSEFUL gimmicky or cute
ORIENTED TO: Play Exploration Testing Invention Discovery Creation Interaction
HAVING THE ATTRIBUTES OF: Choice Self-motivation Relevance Calm Enjoyment
Things that are NOT appropriate
1.Early Academics (academics for academics sake) e.g. Letter of the week
2. Dittos and workbooks
3. Homework
4. “Learning Time”
5. Standardized Tests
6. Concepts and skills too sophisticated Too much waiting, sitting or attending
7. Ability Groups
8. Labeling
9. Competition
10. Bribery