Early Childhood and Elementary Curricula

Early Childhood and Elementary Curricula By Sandy Gillenwater and Stephanie Teri

“Experiences children have in Elementary school provide the foundation upon which their education through adulthood is built.” -Ernest L. Boyer President of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of teaching http://www.voki.com/php/viewmessage/?chsm=bfb6d62dc97b523b1b5c711f4b3baaa7&mId=444199

History • 19th century educators had little knowledge of the nature and extend of individual differences or of the stages of human development. • Education was primarily for middle and upper class boys. Lower class boys and girls were taught basic literacy skills so they could read the bible and recite religious catechisms. • Horance Mann (1796-1859) championed the common school movement which lead to the free-public, locally controlled elementary schools of today. • Ernest Boyer’s book The Basic School Community for Learning, highlighted individual differences, flexibility and continuity in learning as significant curriculum criterion.

Early Childhood Programs • Head Start, started in 1965, serves 3-5 year olds from low income families. Head Start focuses on education, socioemotional development, physical and mental health and nutrition. Research shows that participating children show immediate gains in cognitive test scores, socioemotional test scores, and health status. • FollowThrough used to sustain and augment cognitive gains achieved by low income students through Head Start or other programs. Produced knowledge about programs that best facilitate the growth and development of children

Let’s Get Moving

Altruism

Portfolio

Play

Data

Kindergarten

Reading

Community

Goals for Childhood Education are to… • Help learners develop a sense of trust, autonomy, and initiative. • Introduce structure and organization without curbing self-expression and creativity. • Develop social skills. • Promote physical and health education. • Develop fundamental skills of communication and computation. • Establish a desire to learn. • Develop interests in many subjects. • Develop feelings of self-worth and security. • Provide opportunities to experience achievement. • Develop an appreciation for the worth and differences of others. • Develop the processes of conceptualizing, problem solving, self-direction and creating. • Develop concern for the environment. • Examine and develop moral values.

“The Early Years are transcendentally the most important, and if this nation wishes ultimately to achieve excellence we will give greater priority and attention to the early years and start affirming elementary teachers instead of college professors as the centerpiece for learning.” -Ernest L. Boyer President of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of teaching http://www.voki.com/php/viewmessage/?chsm=8eb7159f862d30185e5afed5c0aa75d2&mId=444225

Early Childhood and Elementary Curricula