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Curriculum Models That Programs Are Using

In the United States, most directors who responded to this survey identified a core, comprehensive curriculum that they use. The two most commonly mentioned are The Creative Curriculum and High/Scope. Directors also listed a wide variety of additional models and resources they use to supplement their planning. Ones that were mentioned more than once include the Project Approach, Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and what several called “emergent curriculum.”

Criteria that programs use to select a curriculum or curriculum resources include:

• clearly written
• allows teachers to design a program that is responsive to individual and group needs and characteristics
• contains a parent involvement component
• addresses outcomes and states expectations
• consistent with the needs of the community.

It is interesting to note that educators who responded to the Child Care Information Exchange request, like those who attended the sessions at the World Forum, have strong beliefs about the importance of an approach to curriculum that gives teachers a vital role in constructing curriculum that is responsive to the children they teach. They reject prescriptive curriculum approaches that tell teachers what to teach, how to teach it, and when. “It is far easier to hand out ‘what to do today’ instructions, but then we miss the very essence of education for and about the child.” (Salynn McCollum)

It is not surprising, therefore, that a vast majority of responders either have developed their own curriculum or meld a variety of approaches. People talked about the great diversity in their countries and the value of allowing teachers and districts to respond to the people and the community they serve.

“Our curriculum is distinguished from other curriculum models in the way that it is original and not borrowed from any country or schoolbut is based on strong educational philosophies �" Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, Steiner, Glenndoman, Reggio Emilia, Vygotsky. In a nutshell, our curriculum has the qualities of a strong rubber band! It can stretch to encompass all kinds of cultural and other areas and age-specific needs of children, teachers, and parents.” (Swati Popat, Podar Jumbo Kids, India)

How Programs Use Curriculum Models

All programs that use a particular curriculum �" whether adopted or developed by the programs �" offer orientation to its approach and ongoing training and support for teachers. The curriculum thus becomes the focus for ongoing professional development experiences, often planned and conducted by the director of the program. Directors may bring in a consultant to provide an orientation to the curriculum; and they attend training themselves, so they can provide ongoing support to the teachers. They use a variety of strategies to support teachers in using and planning their curriculum:

• workshops and courses at local colleges
• team planning on weekly activities and to reflect on children’s work and conversations
• monthly staff meetings to discuss specific aspects of the curriculum
• self-instructional modules
• coaching and mentoring by more experienced teachers
• observing other teachers
• study groups on curriculum-related topics chosen by the staff
• sending teachers to conferences and seminars to get new ideas
• maintaining a resource library with books, videos, manuals, articles
• technology: conference calls, company web site threaded discussion groups, Internet training.

Not all staff development experiences are directly related to learning about and planning curriculum. One director, for example, uses the Staff Development Day to take her teachers to art galleries and museums so they can understand art in more depth.
(Tamar Jacobson, Buffalo, NY)

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