ECE-140 Early

Childhood Curriculum
Planning

Sarah Kirschbaum
Reggio Emilia
 HISTORY OF REGGIO EMILIA
• Founded in 1946 after World War II in Reggio Emilia, Italy
• Emergent, Constructivism, Piaget

• Founded by Loris Malaguzzi

• Born- February 23, 1920, and died- January 30, 1994
• Opened his first preschool in 1946
• Opened the school when he heard of preschool teachers wanting a place for children that would not
tolerate injustice or inequality
• He finished his qualifications in 1950 to become an educational psychologist and founded Psycho-
Pedagogical Medical Centre
 VOCABULARY &
CHARACTERISTICS OF
REGGIO EMILIA
THIS PHILOSOPHY IS GUIDED BY EIGHT CORE TENETS
• The Environment As The Third Teacher
• 100 Languages Of Children
• Long Term Projects
• Teacher-researcher
• Image Of The Child
• Negotiated Learning
• Documentation
• Social Relations
SEVEN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE REGGIO EMILIA
PHILOSOPHY
• Child-centered
• Learning from the Environment
• Documentation
• Inquiry
• Observation
• Collaboration
• Community

Art is the medium by which the educators in Reggio Emilia encourage the children to communicate. It is
the medium by which teachers “listen” to the children. Part of being a Reggio teacher is to be not only
comfortable with but welcoming of unexpected directions and distractions that benefit the group or
individual. A Reggio inspired art studio is about listening, patience, and caring about children and what they
have to offer. It’s not about reinventing the wheel or telling anyone what to do.
 STRUCTURE & UNIQUENESS OF
REGGIO EMILIA
• LANGUAGE AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT Children may choose to discuss their art and add print
to it (on their own or by dictating to a teacher)

• COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT Children compare, predict, plan, and problem solve

• PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT Children use small motor skills to paint, write, glue, use clay, and make collages.
• SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT – the children relax, focus, feel successful and can allow
them to express their feelings
• Instead of leading the learning process, teachers and parents working with the Reggio Emilia approach act as
collaborators in the learning process of the children. The Reggio Emilia approach encourages them to offer their
knowledge and help. But most of all, teachers and parents listen, observe, document, and encourage children in whatever
it is they are interested in doing.. A classroom setup also allows for mobility and communication between peers. Group
and peer communication is also a primordial aspect of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. Children
are often involved in small and large group projects. Collaborative learning encourages children to “talk, critique,
compare, negotiate, hypothesize and problem-solve.
Children must have some
control over the direction of
their learning;
Children must be able to
learn through experiences of
touching, moving, listening,
and observing;
Children have a relationship
with other children and with
material items in the world
that children must be allowed
to explore;
Children must have endless
ways and opportunities to
express themselves.
Montessori
Maria Montessori
 HISTORY OF MONTESSORI
Founded in Rome on January 6, 1907
• She opened the first Montessori school—the Casa dei Bambini, or Children's House

Founded by Maria Montessori

• Born August 31, 1870, Chiaravalle, Italy and died May 6, 1952, Noordwijk, Netherlands

• She graduated from medical school in 1896, Maria was among Italy’s first female physicians

• In 1906 she judged an international competition on the subjects of scientific pedagogy and experimental
psychology, she was invited to create a childcare center in San Lorenzo, a poor, inner-city district of Rome. She
would be working with some of the area’s most disadvantaged, and previously unschooled, children.
• In the years following, and for the rest of her life, Maria dedicated herself to advancing her child-centered
approach to education. She lectured widely, wrote articles and books, and developed a program to prepare teachers
in the Montessori Method. Through her efforts and the work of her followers, Montessori education was adopted
worldwide.
 VOCABULARY &
CHARACTERISTICS OF
MONTESSORI
Absorbent Mind : Kids at this age can absorb information from their surrounding environment naturally and without much
effort.
Classification: Help children explore sorting, categorizing, and other types of mathematical and scientific classification.
Concrete to Abstract: build a foundation for your child’s understanding by starting with concrete concepts and then
progressing to more abstract ideas.
Control of Errors: which helps children understand their successes and mistakes without adult assistance, builds their self-
confidence and motivation.
Coordination of Movement: Helping children learn how to move through the world and perform basic tasks
Cosmic Education: helps students comprehend the world around them and how the past has shaped it.
Freedom with Responsibility: gives children the freedom to explore various ideas and activities in the classroom,
Grace and Courtesy: Children will learn social skills and manners, including saying please and thank you, learning how to
be polite, and more.
Mixed Ages: combines a range of ages in one classroom.
Planes of Development: Age six and under: Discovery and learning through the absorbent mind
•Ages six to 12: Exploring reasoning and the abstract
•Ages 12 to 18: Building a concept of the social self and developing values and beliefs
•Ages 18 to 24: Developing a concept of one’s self and place in the world.
Practical Life: teach children how to take care of their home, classroom, and immediate surroundings.
Prepared Environment: teachers prepare the learning environment with purpose and order, strategically shaping
the classroom to best suit kids’ learning needs.
Primary Classroom: children will develop fundamental skills they can build upon throughout their education.
Sensorial Exercises: Children explore the world by seeing, smelling, touching, hearing, and tasting, and build
foundations for concrete learning.
Simple to Complex: start with an idea at its most simplistic level and build upon it once children understand the
basics.
The Three-Period Lesson:
•Naming Period: teachers explain what something is and what it is called
•Recognition period: teachers ask children to share what they just learned
•Recall period: Teachers ask students to recall what they learned from memory
Work: work as purposeful activity
 STRUCTURE & UNIQUENESS OF
MONTESSORI
The Key Principles Of The Theory
Independence, Observation, Following the Child, Correcting the Child, Prepared Environment and Absorbent Mind.

Features of the Prepared Environment

•Structure and order
•Clearly defined curriculum areas
•Materials are displayed in progression order
•Left to right orientation
•Freedom of movement and choice
•Emphasis on independence
•Freedom within limits
•Natural Not Synthetic
•No Focal Point
•Accessible Learning Materials
Montessori is a method of
education that is based on self-
directed activity, hands-on
learning and collaborative play.
In Montessori classrooms
children make creative choices
in their learning, while the
classroom and the highly trained
teacher offer age-appropriate
activities to guide the process.
High/Scope

David Weikert
 History of High/Scope
Founded in 1962 in Ypsilanti, Michigan
• The landmark Perry Preschool Project began, a project created to provide early childhood
education to young children from poor families

Founded by David Weikert and Colleagues

• David Weikart was born August 26, 1931 and died December 9, 2003.

• The Perry Project was conducted from 1962–1967, but led to a longitudinal documentary as we
continue to follow the Perry Preschool participants throughout their lives in this landmark study
that forever changed the trajectory of early education.
• The Perry Project began as a research study seeking the answer to whether access to high-quality
education could have a positive impact on preschool children and the communities where they live.
 VOCABULARY &
CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH/SCOPE
THE 5 INGREDIENTS OF ACTIVE LEARNING
•Materials - Children's home, culture, and language are reflected in a variety of age appropriate, open-ended
materials for them to explore.

•Manipulation - Children make discoveries when they are encouraged to handle, examine, combine, and
transform materials and ideas.

•Choice - Children choose materials and play partners, change and build on their play ideas, and plan activities
according to their interests and needs.

•Child language and thought - Children communicate verbally and nonverbally — thinking about their actions,
expressing their thoughts about what they understand, and modifying their thinking — as they learn and explore .

•Adult scaffolding - Children gain knowledge and develop creative problem-solving skills with the help of well-
prepared adults who support a child’s current level of thinking and challenge them to advance to the next stage,
also known as “scaffolding.”
GOALS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
•To become independent, responsible, and confident problem solvers and decision makers — ready for
school and ready for life
•To gain knowledge and skills in important academic, social, emotional, and physical domains through
active involvement with people, materials, events, and ideas
•To learn to plan many of their own activities, carry them out, and talk with others about what they have
done and what they have learned
•To develop strong executive function and self-regulation skills that will last through adulthood
Children make their own discoveries and build their own initiatives by creating plans, following through on
their intentions, and reflecting on their learning.

SHARED CONTROL Children construct their own knowledge of the world with the support of intentional
teachers who shape and encourage their individual learning experiences. Teachers build on children’s
learning by planning activities based on what they observe in the classroom, providing materials and
opportunities that both support and challenge young children.

PLAN-DO-REVIEW PROCESS is a trademark of the HighScope approach and the strategic backbone for
children and adults moving successfully through life.
 STRUCTURE & UNIQUENESS OF
HIGH/SCOPE
The space and materials in a High/Scope setting are carefully chosen and arranged to promote active
learning. Although we do not endorse specific types or brands of toys and equipment, High/Scope
does provide general guidelines for selecting materials that are meaningful and interesting to
children. The learning environment in High/Scope programs has the following characteristics:
• Is welcoming to children
• Provides enough materials for all the children
• Allows children to find, use, and return materials independently
• Encourages different types of play and learning
• Allows the children to see and easily move through all the areas of the classroom or center
• Is flexible so children can extend their play by bringing materials from one area to another
• Provides materials that reflect the diversity of children’s family lives
HIGH/SCOPE'S EDUCATIONAL
APPROACH emphasizes “active
participatory learning.” Active learning
means students have direct, hands-on
experiences with people, objects, events,
and ideas. Children’s interests and choices
are at the heart of High/Scope programs.
They construct their own knowledge
through interactions with the world and the
people around them. Children take the first
step in the learning process by making
choices and following through on their
plans and decisions
 CREATIVE
CURRICULUM mdi

Diane Trister Dodge

 History of Curative Curriculum
Founded in 1988

Founded by Diane Trister Dodge

• Diane Trister Dodge was born July 21, 1942
• Creative Curriculum is based on Vygotsky’s Theories that social interaction is key to child’s
learning.
• Creative curriculum works hand in hand with the Teaching Strategies GOLD observational
assessment tool.
• The creative curriculum focuses on project-based; this is designed to foster social, emotional,
physical, cognitive, and language development in children— There are 38 different objectives for
development and learning, with opportunities for teachers to individualize instruction based on
each child’s specific learning needs.
 VOCABULARY &
CHARACTERISTICS OF CREATIVE
CURRICULUM
THERE ARE FIVE BASIC COMPONENTS THAT COMPRISE THE CURRICULUM.
FROM THESE FIVE CATEGORIES, FOCUS AND PLANNING CAN BE AIMED SO THAT
LEARNING IS BEST ACHIEVED.

Knowing children — Describes the social/emotional, physical, cognitive and language development of children
Creating a responsive environment — Offers a model for setting up the physical environment for routines and experiences in ways that
address the developing abilities and interests of children

What children are learning — Shows how the responsive relationship you form with each child, the interactions you have every day, and the
materials and experiences you offer become the building blocks for successful learning

Caring and teaching — Describes the varied and interrelated roles of teachers who work with children
Building partnerships with families — Explores the benefits of working with families as partners in the care of their children
THE FOUR STAGES –
The Creative Curriculum includes developmentally appropriate goals and objectives for
children within four main categories of interest: social/emotional, physical, cognitive and
language.
• The social/emotional stage helps promote independence, self-confidence and self-control. Within this stage,
children learn how to make friends, how to have group interactions and how to follow rules.
• The physical stage is intended to increase children’s large and small motor skills.
• The cognitive stage is associated with thinking skills. Children learn how to solve problems, ask questions
and think critically.
• The language stage deals with communication. Children learn how to communicate with others, listen and
participate in conversations, and recognize various forms of print. In this stage, children begin to recognize
letters and words and begin writing for a purpose.
 STRUCTURE & UNIQUENESS OF
CREATIVE CURRICULUM
Creative Curriculum looks at education not just as a means for good grades and high scores on college
entrance exams, but as a means to develop social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills, too. Thus, the
philosophy of the creative curriculum is to focus on every aspect of a human, not just every aspect of a
good education.

YOU WILL KNOW YOUR CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT IS WELL ORGANIZED IF CHILDREN

ARE ABLE TO ACT IN THESE WAYS.
• Make choices and select activities on their own.
• Use materials appropriately and creatively once they enter an interest area.
• Stay involved with an activity for a sustained period of time.
• Experience success when they play.
• Help care for materials.
A physical space divided into interest areas is an ideal setting for preschool children who want to explore,

make things, experiment, and pursue their own interests. Separate interest areas with varied materials

offer children a range of clear choices. Sometimes children want to work quietly, either alone or with other

children. There are 11 interest areas: Blocks, Dramatic Play,

Art, Library, Games and Toys, Discovery, Sand and Water, Music and Movement, Cooking, Computers,

and Outdoors. Interest areas, which subdivide the classroom into spaces that accommodate a few children

at a time, address preschool children’s preference to be in a small-group setting.

The creative curriculum is
one of the best teaching
strategies for early learning
because it focuses on the
development of the whole
child. It strives to be
innovative, responsive,
supportive, comprehensive,
and developmentally
appropriate.
History of Waldorf

Rudolf Steiner
 HISTORY OF WALDORF

• Founded in 1919 at the Waldorf Astoria Cigarette factory in Stuttgart,

Germany

• Founded by Rudolf Steiner

• Born – February 25, 1861, and Died – March 30, 1925
• He was an Austrian philosopher, architect, esotericist, and teacher who taught his ideas that he hoped would
start a new culture
• He gained initial recognition at the end of the nineteenth century as a literary critic and published
philosophical works, including The Philosophy of Freedom.
• In 1919 he visited the Waldorf Astoria Cigarette factory in Stuttgart, Germany, to talk to the workers about
social renewal after the war. After the visit, the factory owner asked Steiner to create and run a school for its
employee's children.
 VOCABULARY &
CHARACTERISTICS OF WALDORF
PHILOSOPHY
• The central aim is to stimulate healthy development of the child’s own imagination
• Education should focus on creating a free, creative, independent, and happy human beings and should educate the
“whole child” – including the mind, the hear, and the will
• Teachers nurture imagination in learning as it is essential for the development of creative and systematic thinking
• Goal is to develop a sense of wonder in young children

SOCIAL
• Teachers are trained to embody poise, calmness, and enthusiasm and serve as a model

Environment
• Warm, loving, homelike environment which is protective and secure
• Does not involve technology
• Includes natural materials
• Sensory-based, everything a child sees, hears, and touched has an effect
• Rhythmic schedule in which the same thing happens at the same time on a daily basis to gain a sense of security and
confidence in the world
 STRUCTURE & UNIQUENESS OF
WALDORF
CURRICULUM
• Based on the importance of movement, play, and fantasy
• Children are free to create stories and dramas
• Children learn subjects such as literacy, math, and science through artistic activities, storytelling, drama, puppetry, creative
play, singing, painting, cooking, festival and seasonal celebrations
• Teacher refrains as much as possible from verbal instruction – rather models
• The development of social skills and ethical values are key elements of Waldorf Education, woven throughout the
curriculum and every grade level.
• Waldorf Education aims to inspire life-long learning in all students — to enable them to fully develop their unique
capacities.

STRUCTURE
• They learn through open-ended, imaginative play, practical skills, and healthy movement in nature.
• The daily classroom rhythm includes a balance of active and quiet time that allows each child to thrive, with transitions
supported by a short verse or song.
• We have created a schedule that is filled with opportunities to care for the physical, social, and emotional health of our
students.
• We spend time outside each day in our outdoor classrooms and enjoy the healing benefits of spending time in nature
• Arts and practical skills continue to enhance
The heart of the Waldorf
method is that education is
an art-it must speak to the
child's experience. To
educate the whole child, his
heart and his will must be
reached, as well as the mind.
 Bibliography
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• The Reggio Emilia Approach – the role of the atelier and the Atelierista. Putnam Indian Field School. (2018, July 30).
Retrieved September 26, 2021, from https://pifs.net/reggio-emilia-approach-role-atelier-atelierista/.

• Rudolf Steiner & the history of Waldorf Education - Association of Waldorf Schools of North America. Home -
Association of Waldorf Schools of North America. (n.d.). Retrieved September 8, 2021, from
https://www.waldorfeducation.org/waldorf-education/rudolf-steiner-the-history-of-waldorf-education.
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https://ucp.dor.wa.gov/.

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childhood-education/.

• 3 Unique Characteristics of Waldorf Education | UVWS. (2020). Upper Valley Waldorf School.
https://www.uvws.org/waldorf-education (Links to an external site.)

• 20 Montessori Dictionary Words To Know | Living Montessori. (2021, September 12). Living Montessori
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