Today, we are thrilled to provide you with an in-depth look into the curriculum we use at Little Neighbors Preschool, The Creative Curriculum. We strongly believe in fostering creativity, curiosity, and a love for learning in our young learners. Join us as we delve into the exciting world of The Creative Curriculum and how it shapes the preschool experience.
Embracing the Philosophy of The Creative Curriculum
The Creative Curriculum is a comprehensive, research-based early childhood curriculum developed by Teaching Strategies. It is designed to provide a framework for educators to create engaging learning experiences for children from birth through kindergarten. The curriculum focuses on promoting the development of the whole child across various domains, including social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and language.
Play as a Pathway to Learning
The Creative Curriculum emphasizes the importance of play-based learning as a foundation for young children’s development. It recognizes that play is a natural and meaningful way for children to explore, make sense of the world around them, and develop essential skills. The curriculum integrates intentional teaching practices and learning objectives within the context of play to ensure a balance between structured instruction and child-initiated exploration.
Language and Literacy Development
Our preschool believes that one of the greatest gifts we can give our children is the ability to use their own words. Whether that be through their physical voice, sign language or an electronic device, having the ability to express themselves is essential. The curriculum places a strong emphasis on language and literacy development. It provides a rich language environment that supports vocabulary growth, oral language skills, phonemic awareness, and emergent reading and writing skills. By incorporating storytelling, shared reading experiences, and purposeful writing opportunities, The Creative Curriculum helps children develop a solid foundation for literacy.
Mathematical Exploration
Math in early childhood should be fun and should be taught through real-life experiences and play. The Creative Curriculum takes a comprehensive approach to math education, recognizing the importance of developing mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills from an early age. The curriculum provides a framework for our teachers to integrate mathematical concepts and skills into everyday experiences, ensuring that children have opportunities to explore and understand mathematics in meaningful ways.
Little Neighbors Preschool provides a wide range of manipulatives and materials that allow our children to interact with math concepts in a tangible way. Math is seamlessly integrated into our daily routines and activities. For instance, during circle time, children may engage in counting songs or calendar activities that reinforce number recognition and sequencing. Our centers are designed to immerse children in math-rich experiences. By incorporating math materials and concepts into play centers, children naturally engage with mathematical ideas while engaging in imaginative
Social-Emotional Growth
The Creative Curriculum emphasizes the importance of building responsive and nurturing relationships between teachers and children. Little Neighbors teachers create a warm and supportive environment where children feel safe, valued, and understood. By forming strong connections with our teachers, the children develop a sense of trust and security, which is essential for their social and emotional well-being.
Our teachers plan experiences and activities that respond to your child’s social and emotional interests and needs. They observe and assess each child’s social interactions, emotional expressions, and individual strengths, and use this information to tailor instruction and create meaningful learning opportunities. This individualized approach ensures that children’s social and emotional development is supported.
Parent Engagement and Collaboration
Our preschool values the crucial role of parents and guardians in supporting their child’s learning and development. Our curriculum encourages active parent engagement and establishes a collaborative partnership between home and school.
The curriculum provides suggestions and ideas for home activities and extensions that parents can do with their children. These activities bridge the connection between school and home, allowing parents to reinforce and extend their child’s learning experiences. Our teachers may provide activity suggestions, recommended books, or online resources that align with the curriculum and support continued learning outside of school.
As we conclude our exploration of The Creative Curriculum, we hope this blog post has provided you with valuable insights into our preschool’s approach to early childhood education. The Creative Curriculum allows us to create an engaging, enriching, and stimulating environment where our young learners can thrive and discover their potential. We are committed to fostering a love for learning, igniting imaginations, and preparing our students for a bright future.
Remember, imagination knows no bounds in our preschool! Thank you for joining us on this exciting journey!