Curriculum that Matters

10/15/2007

Never work just for money or for power. They won't save your soul or help you sleep at night.
Marian Wright Edelman

In Exchange’s popular center management guide, The Art of Leadership: Managing Early Childhood Organizations, Margie Carter offers five strategies for reconsidering your center’s curriculum. One strategy she proposes is, “Consider curriculum as how we spend our time together.” Here is how she explains this strategy...

“Many people tend to think of curriculum as the activity they describe in little boxes with time blocks or subject areas. In early childhood programs, this might mean a daily arts and crafts project, some music, and a story to read. Some take it further and plan for learning centers or interest areas, which might include materials and activities around a topical theme or school readiness concern. The daily chores of living together — greeting, eating, playing, cleaning up, and going to the bathroom are seen as things limiting our time for 'real curriculum'.

“For young children, curriculum is everything that happens, including the transitions, spills, spats, and naps. Hopefully, engaging projects that continue over time are part of the curriculum as well, but projects are only part of the complex story of what is being learned in our programs. Remember that your environment, interactions, food, spiritual and physical energy are all included in what you offer as curriculum.

“Have teachers write out their daily schedules for children. Then, pass out sheets of colored sticky dots and ask them to put a green dot beside everything on the schedule that is child-initiated, designed, or directed. Put blue dots beside the times that represent 'holding patterns' — transitions that involve changing, ending, or waiting. Wherever there are teacher-directed or dictated times, add a red dot. When you're done, discuss what you discover. Any surprises? Whose needs are reflected in the blue and red dots? Are you satisfied with the general quality of how the day is designed to meet children's needs?”

Art of Leadership on Sale!

This week The Art of Leadership: Managing Early Childhood Organizations is on sale at the Exchange web site. This comprehensive guidebook includes sections on leadership, organizational management, financial management, personnel management, program development, and community relations.

The Institute for Early Childhood Leadership & Professional Development has an advanced degree (M.Ed.) for you if you aspire to become an Administrative Leader!

Johnson & Wales University, School of Education

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.