The Creative Curriculum- Teaching Strategies

Our agency utilizes the Creative Curriculum for all children, (Creative Curriculum for Infant/Toddlers, Creative Curriculum for Pre-k). The Creative Curriculum is based on five fundamental principles. They guide practice and help us understand the reasons for intentionally setting up and operating preschool programs in particular ways.

These are the principles:

• Positive interactions and relationship with adults provide a critical foundation for successful learning

• Social-emotional competence is a significant factor in school success.

• Constructive, purposeful play supports essential learning.

• The physical environment affects the type and quality of learning interactions.

• Teacher- family partnerships promote development and learning.

Child development is divided into four areas: social-emotional, physical, language and cognitive. The four areas are closely related and often overlap. Development in one area affects and is influenced by development in all other areas. This reality required teachers to pay attention to every area as they guide children’s learning.

A critical aspect of knowing the children you teach is finding out what makes each child unique. No matter how much children resemble each other in the general patters of development, every child brings particular interests, different experiences, and learning style to your classroom. You therefore need a variety of strategies to help all children develop and learn.

Your understanding of individual differences will help you respond to children in ways that make every child feel comfortable and ready to learn. Perhaps the most obvious difference among children is gender. Children also have different temperaments, interest, learning styles and life experiences. They are strongly influenced by their cultural backgrounds. Some are also learning English as a second Language and some have special needs.

The Creative Curriculum is an award-winning curriculum for infant/toddler and preschool success. The Creative curriculum is fully aligned with the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework and state early learning standards. Using exploration and discovery as a way of learning, The Creative Curriculum for Infant/Toddlers and Preschool enables children to develop confidence, creativity, and lifelong critical thinking skills.