Education is the process of preparing children for their future
as adults in our society
History has shown that as society has changed, so has the look of
education
Head Start
Began in 1965 as a part day summer experience for low income children. The
intent was to socialize and nourish children in order to increase success
rates in schools.
In the 1980’s, funding was cut significantly and state school systems
began drawing funds to begin preschool programs
Recent Developments
As pressures have increased to show accountability in schools and to prepare children for the world of technology, the focus has shifted from the importance of social learning skills as we have known them to the importance of cognitive skills.
Kindergartens have been adopted into public schools; have become full day programs and look much like the first grade classrooms from the 1970’s and 80’s.
Mothers have joined the work force, requiring full time child care programs. Preschool programs are expanding, becoming public run and often combined with child care services.
Developmentally Appropriate
Practice
The National Association for the Education of Young Children
developed this phrase (originally 1987, then revised in 1997)based on research of child
development and learning, including knowledge from
practitioners
“Developmentally appropriate practice provides children with
opportunities to learn and practice newly acquired skills. It
offers challenges just beyond the level of their present
mastery”- (Creative Curriculum 2002).
Conflicting Information
NAEYC/CREATIVE CURRICULUM
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
Based on works of theorists of Early Childhood Education and Brain research
“Developmentally Appropriate Practice”
Continues to stress the importance of social development as a stepping stone to cognitive development (Vygotsky)
Encourages teacher as motivator, initiator and member of the learning community
Uses domains of learning, social, cognitive, language, motor-a holistic approach
Strong stress on the 3 components of learning –language development
-early literacy -early math Little emphasis on social
component Direct instruction, Based on scientifically based
research Pressure for full day full year
programming and/or a minimum of two years of preschool experience in a direct, “high quality” program
Jean Piaget
Piaget studied how children construct knowledge
Believed in stages of development
1. (0-2 years) Sensory-motor
Heavily involved with learning from senses
2. (3-7 years) Pre-operational
Children learn from exploring and constructing
Why Play?
Functional play: using senses and muscles, experimenting with muscles
Constructive play: involves handling materials, children develop own ideas
about how things work and begin constructing representationsDramatic play:
can develop alongside other types of play. Person oriented, verses material oriented
Games with rules: involve planning. Children control own behavior and
conform
The use of the terminology in the recent media and government is pushing teachers to extremes and “explicit” “direct” teaching methods are replacing
the work of children and changing the role of the teacher.
Kindergarten has shifted from being the “unfolding” and development of children who interact with their
natural world, to a cognitively based, direct instruction model
Is this happening to preschool? Should it?
Is it ethical?
Pressures
References
Dodge, D.T., Colker, L.J., & Heroman, C. (2002). The Creative curriculum. Washington DC: Teaching Strategies.
Jardine, D. W. (2006). Piaget & education. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing Inc..
Maine Department of Edcuation and Maine Department of Health and Human Services, (2002). State of Maine Early Childhood Learning Guidelines. Augusta, Me:
Noddings, N (2007). Philosophy of education. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press.
Smilansky, S, & Shefatya, L. (1990). Facilitating Play. Gaithersburg, Maryland: Psychosocial & Educational Publications.
Spodek, B. (1988). Early childhood curriculum and the definition of knowledge. New Orleans, LA.
United States Department of Education, (March 4, 2004). Serving preschool children under Title 1. non-regulatory guidance, Retrieved July 14, 2009, from http://www.ed.gov/policy/e/sec/guid/preschoolguidance.doc
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