Curriculum is also different from, but closely linked to, learning theories and pedagogies. Behaviourist theories of child development led to highly didactic models of direct instruction in which teachers typically present discrete facts to the entire class of children in whole groups.
Maturationist theories of child development, where children are allowed to develop at their own pace, advanced pedagogy and curricula that enable children to direct their own learning. Constructivist theories of child development advanced pedagogy wherein children are active partners with their socio-cultural environment, including teachers and peers.
Curriculum is intended to encourage learning processes e. In this sense, curriculum is sometimes confused with standards or expectations of what children should know and do. Curriculum, then, must be clearly understood for what it is and for what it uniquely contributes to early care and education. Curriculum is the content of what is taught and what is learned. There are three central problems to understanding the effectiveness of curricula in early childhood programs.
First, there is a persistent lack of clarity about the distinctions between curriculum and pedagogy. Second, there is no clear evidence of the comparative effectiveness of specific curricula; past efforts to compare curricular models have not identified one as clearly superior to others. Amidst the current quest to achieve better outcomes for young children, there is growing momentum to shift from a focus on all the domains of development to those that promote a greater emphasis on literacy, language, and numeracy.
Early educators report feeling pressure to stress academic curricular areas from kindergarten teachers who, in turn, report pressure from primary teachers to concentrate on a more limited range of subject areas. While data have not yet deemed any particular curricular model to be more effective than others, scholars and major national organizations in the field have recommended indicators of effectiveness that entwine curriculum and pedagogy including the following: 3,5, With increasing numbers of children in early care and education programs, coupled with the increasing focus on school readiness, effective curriculum is crucial.
Moreover, as the press for accountability increases, children must be exposed to the content for which they and their teachers will be held accountable. Given the diversity of young children in early care and education programs, it is unlikely that the field will or should come to consensus on the superiority of a single curricular model.
Effective curricula rely on a balance between a clearly defined structure that impacts all children and flexibility that allows for individualization for children, families, and classrooms. Curriculum research must, therefore, discern the conditions under which certain curricula work best for certain children.
Specifically, next generation research must examine which approaches produce educationally meaningful effects in which domains of development, for which children, under what social conditions, and with what kinds of professional preparation for teachers.
Beyond, but embracing the research agenda, it is also crucial that curricula be understood as conceptually distinct from pedagogy despite their inextricable linkages in practice. Kagan SL, Kauerz K. Updated: December Educators consider what children are expected to know, understand, and be able to do when they leave the setting. This includes across the domains of physical, social, emotional, linguistic, and cognitive development and across the subject or content areas, including language, literacy, mathematics, social studies, science, art, music, physical education, and health.
Educators are thoroughly familiar with state early learning standards or other mandates. They add to these other goals missing from the existing standards. Educators and administrators establish and regularly update goals with input from all stakeholders, including families. Goals are clearly defined for, communicated to, and understood by all stakeholders, including families.
Whether or not educators participated in the development of the curriculum, they familiarize themselves with it and consider its comprehensiveness in addressing all important goals. When the program uses published curriculum products, the selected products are developmentally, culturally, and linguistically responsive for the children served and provide flexibility for educators to make adaptations to meet the specific interests and learning needs of the children they are teaching.
If educators develop the curriculum themselves, they make certain it targets identified learning goals and applicable early learning standards.
They actively engage families and communities to inform its development. Educators use up-to-date resources from experts to ensure that curriculum content is accurate and comprehensive. Educators are familiar with the understandings and skills in each domain physical, social, emotional, linguistic, and cognitive that are key for the children in their group.
They know how development and learning in one domain impacts the other domains and crosses subject areas. They recognize that making sure the curriculum is culturally and linguistically relevant for each child is essential for supporting all development and learning across all domains and subject areas.
They carefully shape and adapt the experiences to be responsive to each child and to enable each child to reach the goals outlined in the curriculum.
In determining the sequence and pace of learning experiences, educators consider the learning progressions that children typically follow, including the typical sequences in which skills and concepts develop.
Children learn a lot during these initial years of their lives, for which it is necessary for a shaped curriculum to be present.
It is not the work of one teacher to develop it from the scratch, neither to teach children following their own method as a lot of diverse things need to be taught.
It may not necessarily be rigid only because its a single proven curriculum. A good curriculum should tap the talents of a child rather than merely providing a guideline. The individual educators can then contribute their observations, apply their methods and modifications that they have shaped through experience, in order to finally implement the curriculum in educating the child.
A curriculum should therefore be scientific and provide effectiveness. It is not enough to believe that it is effective, but should be proven so.
When researchers and educators come together to form a scientific curriculum, it incorporates all the important factors needed to develop a child.
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