Programs and Play CDEV 65
Class #9
Early Childhood Programs
Comparing Program Types
Focus Groupings Teacher’s Role
Direct Instruction Teacher By ability Presents learning
activities
High/Scope Child By age Works to expand
learning
Montessori Child Mixed ages Prepares environment
Waldorf Child Mixed ages Provides literacy-rich
experiences
Reggio Emilia Child and Family Mixed ages Follows children’s
interests
Direct Instruction
• Designed for “at-risk” preschoolers
• At-risk is a label for children who are more likely to fail in school due to factors such as: lack of family resources, living in poverty, single parent home, low level of parental education, etc.
• Academic
• Preschool children are instructed in subjects such as reading and math, as opposed to learning early literacy and math skills through play
• Children receive instruction from the teacher
• The teacher sets the curriculum and carries out the instruction based upon a predetermined schedule
• Does this sound like any type of education you’ve experienced?
• If you’re thinking this sounds like your elementary, middle, or high school experience, that’s because most formal education is a Direct Instruction style. However, here we’re talking about preschool.
HighScope
• Packaged Curriculum
• “Preschool in a Box”
• Useful for new programs and teachers
• Programs purchase the HighScope Curriculum
• Provides everything a program needs – lesson plans, activities, discussion topics, and teacher support
Waldorf
• Focus on natural materials
• Families must be on board with the philosophy
• Reading instruction begins no earlier than age 7
• No technology before high school
• No media influences (t-shirts, lunchboxes, etc.)
• Most Waldorf families don’t have TVs in their homes
Could you manage without a TV, computer, or smartphone?
Reggio Emilia
• Only available in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Otherwise it is “Reggio inspired”
• Families and the community are highly involved
• Teachers follow the children’s lead
• All aspects of the curriculum are incorporated in long-term projects
• Teachers document everything – documentation panels show children’s work
• Is sometimes referred to as “emergent curriculum” or “project-based curriculum”
Cooperative (Co-op) Preschools
• Many SF Co-ops were once part of CCSF
• Families are highly involved
• Can follow any type of curriculum, though most are play-based, social- development programs
• Parents work in the classroom as teachers
• Parents perform all school jobs
• Tuition is often considerably less than typical preschools
Head Start • Started in 1964 as part of the President’s Great Society / War on Poverty
• Federally funded / income eligible (because it is federally funded, the income guidelines are the same across all states – details on next slide)
• Five components
• Program
• Parent Involvement
• Nutrition
• Health
• Parent Education
If you’re thinking Head Start sounds a bit like Co-ops, you’re right! Head Start was modeled after Co-op Nursery Schools.
HeadStart Income Eligibility Guidelines Annual Household Income Limits (before taxes)
Household Size
Maximum Income Level
(Per Year)
1 $12,760
2 $17,240
3 $21,720
4 $26,200
5 $30,680
6 $35,160
7 $39,640
8 $44,120
Source: benefits.gov
Another way to look at program types is by how they’re organized, how they’re funded, or what curriculum is used:
O rg
a n iz
a ti o n • Large children’s
center
• Family Childcare
(FCC
• Parent Co-op
• School District
F u n d in
g • Public (PFA, Head Start,
State Preschool,
School District)
• Private – for
profit or non-
profit (tuition and
fees)
• Subsidized
C u rr
ic u lu
m • Academic
• Play-based
• Formal model
(Montessori,
Reggio-inspired,
etc.)
• Buffet (a little bit
of everything)
What about DAP and Anti-Bias Curriculum? As discussed last class, DAP and Anti-Bias Curriculum are foundational layers upon which any other curriculum style can be built.
There really is no “right” program for any one child, or any one teacher. Thankfully, there are so many choices available for families and teachers to choose from.
Play
Play
• Play provides an opportunity for children to develop skills across all domains (physical, cognitive, psychosocial, and creative).
• Adults should not interfere with children’s play, because then it is no longer child-led.
• Children should have large blocks of unstructured free play (inside and outside) each day. A minimum of 30-60 minutes is ideal.
• When children have large chunks of time for play, they are much more likely to dive deeper into the play – which provides more opportunities for all developmental domains to be supported
Benefits of Play
• Physical
• Fine and gross motor
• Cognitive
• Representational abilities
• Language
• Reasoning
• Social cognition
• Classification
• Seriation
• Number development
• Memory
• Psychosocial
• Relationships with peers
• Self-concept
• Creative
• Children can express creativity on its own, or in any of the other developmental domains
• For example, when a child “invents” a dance, he is being creative in the physical domain
Something to think about…
• Humans participate in all stages of play throughout their lives
• When you’re watching a sporting event, that’s onlooker play
• When you’re doing a crossword puzzle, that’s solitary play
• When a baby is playing “peek-a-boo” with a parent, that’s cooperative play
• Children typically do not participate in peer-to-peer cooperative play until around 3-4 years of age, though they will engage in cooperative play with older children and adults.
Playgrounds
• Children can use their full body in a playground – both fine and gross motor skills are supported
• Climbing a playground structure requires not only motor coordination, but also problem solving as the child figures out how to conquer the task
• Playgrounds provide an opportunity to interact with other children, which strengthens psychosocial development skills such as problem-solving and working with others
• Play provides an opportunity for children to try out “risky” behaviors in a safe environment (jumping off the swing when it reaches the highest point, running up a slide, hanging upside down from the monkey bars, etc.)
• In the US, many cities are “updating” playgrounds, which in my opinion, makes them less fun for children, and removes the element of safe risk that children seek out
An example of a playground that was designed to support all aspects of children’s development, and provide opportunities for risk:
This is the text of a sign posted at the Princess Diana playground in London:
This playground was opened on the 30th of June 2000, as a permanent memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales, recognising her love of children.
The design of the Diana, Princess of Wales' Memorial Playground has created an area where less able and able-bodied children can play together and seeks to provide for the physical, creative, social, and educational development of your children. Inspired by the stories of Peter Pan, the playground encourages children to explore and follow their imaginations; learning whilst they play.
The facilities provided comply with European and British legislation. However, it is now recognised that risk taking is an important element of play and physical development. Parents and carers must note that the design of this playground does allow for a degree of risk. This is intentionally provided so your child can develop an appreciation of risk in a controlled play environment rather than taking similar risks in the uncontrolled and unregulated wider world. If you wish to see further information about this or other aspects of the playground please ask the playground staff, whose role is to monitor and educate parents, carers, and children.