1. 9/81 Early Childhood Programs & Environments

2. 9/82 Diverse Populations & the Changing Role of the Teacher Five curricular foundations in early childhood education –Understanding children and their development –Providing opportunities to learn through play –Guiding social and emotional development –Working with parents, families, and the community –Understanding and effectively accommodating diversity

3. 9/83 Diverse Populations in Early Childhood Programs –Cultural/ethnic differences –Differences in family environments –Differences in learning needs

4. 9/84 Learners Who Are At-risk in Early Childhood Programs –Children of divorced families –Children of teenage parents –Homeless children –Children who have disabilities –Children who speak English as a Second Language –Children from low-income and under-represented groups –Children of school-leavers

5. 9/85 Diversity of Early Childhood Programs Public & Private School Programs –Kindergarten –Pre-kindergarten –Bilingual –Special needs –Extended care

6. 9/86 Types of Programs Publicly funded programs: –Head Start & State Pre-Kindergarten At-risk minority and low-income children Educational, nutritional, and social needs Nonpublic school programs (public & private funds): –Preschool –Nursery School Child care –Center-based child care –Family child care –“Kith ‘n Kin”

7. 9/87 Diverse Curricula for Early Childhood Programs Should curriculum be different for different populations? Multicultural curriculum Curriculum for children from diverse environments Curriculum for children with special needs

8. 9/88 Primary Dimensions of Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) –Age Appropriateness –Individual Appropriateness Includes variations in cultural appropriateness according to social contexts in life of child

9. 9/89 Guidelines for the Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum –It provides for all aspects of the child’s development (physical, social, emotional, and cognitive). –The curriculum for young children is intellectually interesting and meaningful to them. –New knowledge is built upon already existing understandings and abilities.

10. 9/810 Guidelines for the Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum –Much of the time, traditional subject matter areas are integrated, rather than taught separately, to help children make more meaningful connections and develop richer concepts. –Although learning concepts and skills are important, the early childhood curriculum should also emphasize the development of social skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, and an interest in lifelong learning.

11. 9/811 Guidelines for the Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum –An age-appropriate curriculum for early childhood education has intellectual integrity: It challenges children to use the concepts and tools of the different disciplines. –While supporting the child’s home culture and language, a quality curriculum also strengthens the ability to participate in the shared culture.

12. 9/812 Guidelines for the Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum –Goals for the curriculum are reasonable and attainable for most children. –Technology is integrated into the classroom curriculum. (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997)

13. 9/813 Environments Physical Social-Emotional climates Virtual

14. 9/814 The Power of Teaching “I have come to a frightening conclusion. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de- escalated, a child humanized or de-humanized” (Ginott, 1972, p.13)

15. 9/815 What are the Changing Roles of Educators in Developing Early Childhood Curriculum? –Assessor –Facilitator –Team leader/member involving colleagues, families, and the community –“Environmental Engineer” –Opportunist Capitalizing on “teachable moments” –Others?

16. 9/816 What are the Changing Functions of Administrators in Developing Early Childhood Curriculum? Select Design Coordinate Delegate Others?

17. 9/817 Questions –What curricular approaches best match your philosophy of education? –What kinds of information can educators obtain from children and families to aid in designing curricular programs? –What can administrators do to ensure quality early childhood curriculum and environments?