- Created 9/03
- Reviewed 5/24
Curriculum Philosophy
LCC Head Start/EHS/ECEAP believe that, from prenatal, all children should be given the opportunity to develop, explore, experiment and build skills. Staff will build caring relationships and have positive interactions in a rich inclusive and anti-bias learning environment. Each child is an individual who will learns and develops in a unique and individual way and curriculum will be adjusted to meet the needs of each child. Our classroom staff will implement researched-based curriculums that are developmentally appropriate, practicing skills and school readiness goals in the context of a caring, inclusive community of learners in which all children can development. Teachers will plan using the curriculum and adjust activities to meet the needs of the children they are serving. Teachers start with the Creative Curriculum and layer with other curriculums to increase the effectiveness of teaching specific skills.
Inclusion describes the practice of including children with disabilities in our classrooms with typically developing children of similar ages, with specialized instruction and support when needed. Federal law says that children with disabilities have a protected right to be educated in the least restrictive environment. This will give all children opportunities to learn, play, explore, create, and develop friendships with all children regardless of ability.
We strive to build a community in which our children at an early age can grow to accept the diversity among human beings so that they will not perceive differences as barriers to friendship. The research-based curriculum chosen will increase each child’s opportunity to build a strong foundation of belonging and community for a successful future.
We build our classrooms based on these key factors:
- Staff will create a classroom that is built on safety and staying healthy. They will teach children ways to stay safe and healthy through the use of curriculum, modeling, role-play and practice daily.
- Staff will respect, value, and accept children and treat them with dignity at all times.
- Staff will make it a priority to know each child well.
- Staff will create an intellectually engaging, responsive environment to promote each child’s development and learning.
- Staff will make plans to enable children to attain key curriculum and individual goals across various disciplines, such as social/emotional, fine and gross motor, health, language, cognitive, literacy, and mathematics.
- Staff will foster children’s collaboration with peers.
- Staff will develop, refine, and use a wide repertoire of teaching strategies to enhance children’s learning and development.
- Staff will facilitate the development of responsibility and self-regulation in children.
Prenatal Care
The primary purpose of prenatal care is to help ensure a healthy pregnancy and ultimately a healthy baby. We offer expectant families support and information through quality interactions and researchbased curriculum to assist them in achieving healthy birth outcomes and in forming an early attachment with their unborn baby which is the beginning of school readiness.
Curriculum Characteristics and School Readiness Alignment
LCC Head Start/EHS/ECEAP has chosen curriculums that are research-based and will promote personal safety, healthy living and school readiness in the areas of language, cognitive, literacy, math, physical and social emotional development; and aligns with Teacher Strategies Gold Assessment (TS Gold) and the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP). These curriculums build upon the
- Trusting, respectful, and nurturing relationships between children and adults are essential. These caring bonds build the foundation for a classroom or home visit environment where children can take risks, learn from their mistakes, and be joyful in their learning.
- The teacher or home visitor’s role is as a facilitator and guide. Staff will support children in their interests, curiosity, problem-solving and development. We use a variety of teaching strategies, including modeling, providing appropriate learning materials, encouraging children’s independence, and planning teacher-led or parent-led activities.
- A play-based, hands-on, active learning environment is most appropriate for young learners. We believe that this approach, which includes the whole child, prepares the children well for future success, both in school and in their lives.
- Our curriculum lessons emerge from children’s interests, teachers’ observations, parental input and events in the lives of the children and their families.
- In their exploratory play, children manipulate materials, hypothesize, test theories, repeat activities and draw conclusions.
- In their social play, children learn how to be a member of a larger community.
- In classrooms, children will make significant choices about use of materials and activities throughout the day. They are given opportunities to participate in individual, small group and large group experiences.
- Teachers/CFDS intentionally plan for the classroom or home environment and experiences and provide materials to inspire learning, discovery, creativity and problem-solving using observations, assessment and parent input.
- Research-based curriculum, theory and experience in the field of education informs our practice.
- Curriculum planning is guided by the typical development of an age group, as well as the individual development of the child using observation, documentation and ongoing assessment to guide individualization.
- Our curriculum reflects, values and extends the richness of the diversity of the children, families and staff in a classroom. A respect for individual differences underlies all that we do.
- Staff will create a partnership with the family to meet each child’s unique characteristics, strengths, patterns of development and learning, temperament, learning styles, culture and other information. Staff will share information with parents based on observations, ongoing developmental assessment, and other pertinent information to best meet the needs of each child and modify the curriculum to meet all needs.
Parent Input:
- Parents will receive information and be invited to give input and ideas about the curriculums at Parent Orientation/Home Visits and Parent/Teacher Conferences.
- Parents are invited to participate in the School Readiness Committees.
Procedure Steps for Choosing a Curriculum:
- School Readiness committee reviews the curriculum according to the criteria in the
Head Start Performance Standards and the WA State Early Learning Curriculum Consumer
Report:
- Is it based on scientifically valid research and has standardized training procedures and curriculum materials to support implementation?
- Is it comprehensive and can be linked to the Teaching Strategies Gold Assessment?
- Is it focused on improving the learning environment, teaching practices, and family involvement and child outcomes across all areas of development?
- Is it aligned with Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF) and WA Early Learning Guidelines?
- Is culturally relevant for the population we serve?
- Does it meet performance standard requirements for the curriculum?
- Recommendations are taken to CAST and/or Leadership and a decision is made whether to adopt the curriculum or not.
Curriculum Implementation
- All programs will implement the curriculum with fidelity and Area Managers and Child Development Specialist will monitor this.
- Education staff will be trained in the foundational curriculum and required supplementary curriculum in the first year of hired and annually thereafter.
- Teacher and staff will implement personal safety and health curriculums on a daily basis.
- Education staff will be trained on optional supplementary curriculum as needed.
- Teachers participating in community partnerships that require a curriculum will participate in the trainings and meetings to be able to implement the supplementary curriculum to fidelity.
- Curriculum will be planned for and documented on the lesson plan in Teaching Strategies Gold for the center-based models.
Curriculum Monitoring
- Center-based Area Managers will monitor curriculum implementation with:
- Lesson Plan Checklist
- Classroom Observation Checklist
- Creative Curriculum Fidelity Tool
- Home-Based Area Manager will monitor curriculum implementation with:
- Site File Reviews
- PAT Fidelity Checklist
- Home Visiting Rating Scales (HOVRS)
- School Readiness Specialist will review and monitor completed:
- Lesson Plan Checklists
- Classroom Observation Checklist
- Site File Reviews (Home-based)
- PAT Fidelity Checklist
- HOVRS
- Creative Curriculum Fidelity Tool
- Coaches will guide teachers in using curriculum to fidelity with the following tools:
- Creative Curriculum Fidelity Tool
- Goal Setting Process and form
Program Curriculums
EHS Home-Based
- Foundational Curriculum:
- Parents as Teachers
- Required Supplementary Curriculum:
- Conscious Discipline Basics
- I Love You Rituals
- Baby Doll Circle Time
- Managing Emotional Mayhem
- High Five Mathematize
- Learning Trajectories Website (see link below)
- Cavity Free Kids
- Big Five with the Planned Language Approach on ECKLC (see link below)
- ASQ Activities
EHS Center-Based
- Foundational Curriculum:
- Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers and Twos
- Partnering with Teen Parents (PAT)
- Required Layered Curriculum:
- Conscious Discipline Basics
- Baby Doll Circle Time
- I Love Your Rituals
- Managing Emotional Mayhem
- High Five Mathematize
- Learning Trajectories Website (see link below)
- Cavity Free Kids
- Big Five with the Planned Language Approach on ECKLC (see link below)
Head Start/ECEAP 3-5 Year Olds
- Foundational Curriculum:
- Creative Curriculum for Preschool
- Required Layered Curriculum:
- LCC Head Start/EHS/ECEAP Program-Wide Expectations: Safe, Kind, Responsible
- Second Step: Child Protection Unit
- Conscious Discipline
- School Family
- Feeling Buddies Curriculum
- High Five Mathematize
- Learning Trajectories Website
- Cavity Free Kids
- Transportation Curriculum (Safety Sam)
- Learning Without Tears
- Big Five with the Planned Language Approach on ECKLC
- Optional Layered Curriculum
- Making A Difference Math
- Making A Difference Literacy
- Letter Links
- Zoo Phonics
- Food Groupies
- Second Step
Parent Curriculum Required for All Models:
- Conscious Discipline Parent Education Curriculum
Required Framework Use for All Models:
- Pyramid Model
- Early Learning Outcomes Framework
- WA Early Learning Guidelines
- Conscious Discipline
- I am Moving, I am Learning (Choosy)
Websites
- Math – https://www.learningtrajectories.org/
- Planned Language Approach – https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/culture-language/article/planned-language-approach
- Reading Rockets – https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-topics/early-literacy-development
- Nutrition – https://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/childrens-health/child-care-food-program/Nutrition/preschool-lesson-plans.html
- I am Moving, I am Learning – https://choosykids.com/pages/imil
- Cavity Free Kids – https://cavityfreekids.org/