HIGH SCOPE 17
High Scope: A Curriculum Framework Research
Kim Y. Bailey
Concordia University St. Paul, ECE 526-621
Catherine A. Arentsen, M.A.Ed.
February 21, 2013
High Scope: A Curriculum Framework Research
The High Scope curriculum is a well-known approach in the early childhood education field. High Scope was developed in the early 1600’s by Dr. David Weikart. Dr. Weikart created High Scope to improve education in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Dr. Weikart questioned why children living in poor neighborhoods were achieving low scores and found that these children were achieving low scores due to the lack of opportunities. He also found that the early interventions were the appropriate approach in achieving improvement. The High Scope approach is claimed to be a good and effective quality preschool curriculum, especially for disadvantage children (Holt 2007). Due to this claim it is only appropriate that a research framework was created for the High Scope curriculum. The framework includes key aspects of the curriculum:
· The philosophy of which this curriculum is based.
· Research to support evidence of effectiveness.
· The framework of High Scope (environment, materials, the role of the teacher and the child).
· Evaluation of the whole curriculum in comparison with current standards.
Philosophy
High Scope’s name was chosen because of its meaning. High is the individual level of achievement, wished for all children. Scope is the range in which support is offered to the children to be able to reach this level. Dr. Weikart and his team looked at Jean Piaget’s theories on child development. The team used Jean Piaget’s theories within the curriculum because his theories support the teams’ belief towards active learning. Jean Piaget’s ideas of child development (as cited in Schweinhart 2003) see “children as active learners, who learn best from activities that they themselves plan, carry out, and reflect upon” (p. 1). The basic High Scopeframework is that “active learning is its core and that children learn through key experiences gained from the world around them and from their own discoveries (Holt 2007).
In 1970 Dr. Weikart and his team created the High Scope Education Research Foundation. In creating this foundation, it was created to research, development, training, and do public outreach for lifting lives with education (High Scope, 2013). The High Scope Foundation continues to produce materials to support the curriculum to the present (Holt 2007). High Scope’s mission “is to lift lives through education and envisions a world in which all educational settings use active participatory learning so everyone has a chance to succeed in life and contribute to society” (High Scope, p.1, 2013).
Research
High Scope has published over 40 years of research (Holt, 2007). The most popular research done was the Perry Preschool Project. The Perry Preschool Project led the ground research work for High Scope. The Perry Preschool Project used the High Scope curriculum when performing this research. Other researches that were done for High Scope includes following ups and validations of The Perry Preschool Project.
The Perry Pre-school Project study was designed to follow young children living in poverty and assign them to a high quality preschool program or to a no preschool group. The data was collected when the children were in preschool and continued to be collectedthrough childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. This study consisted of 123 African American children who were invited to do this study because of location of residency (poor neighborhood) and because they scored low on the intelligence test at the study entrance. The data was collected from parents at the age of 3 and15; achievement tests were done annually at ages 7 through 11, 14, 19, and 27. Data was also collected from school, police, and social services records. It was found that the High Scope Preschool contributed to the children’s education performance, economic productivity, and social responsibility (Schweinhart, 2003).
A current study was done using the Perry Preschool Program. The researchers did this by doing a cost benefit analysis with a follow up study, when the original participants were 40 years old. There was 97% of the original participants, which was still alive, to do this follow up. There were two key components that would effectively help with the cost benefits analysis. The first was the accurate information on the cost of the program and secondly, all of the measures would be put in financial terms. New data was collected at age 40 to calculate lifetime economic difference between the High Scope Preschool program and none preschool participants. This study collected data with their earning profiles, tax contributions, criminal activity, impact on welfare, and other additional costs (e.g. childcare, savings, etc…). The findings showed that “preschooling that raises education and skill levels may raise economic well-being through enhanced employment prospects and does reduce criminal activity” (Belfield, Nores, Barnett, & Schweinhart 2006). With these findings the cost of the Perry Preschool Program was well worth it.
Schweinhart and Weikart (1998) assess three distinct preschool curriculum models to see which may work best. The study worked with 68 children born in poverty. The children are ages three and four. They were randomly assigned to one of the three groups. The three curriculum models were:
· Direct instruction – which uses a scripted approach, in which teachers’ present activities and the children are expected to respond to them. The activities used were sequenced with academic lessons.
· High Scope
· Traditional nursery school – child centered approach in which children initiate activities and teachers respond.
Based on reports, at age 23, the children who attended the traditional nursery school or using the High Scope had significant advantages over the direct instruction curriculum.
· Six percent from the traditional nursery school and High Scope students needed support with emotional impairment or disturbance treatment during school; as opposed to direct instructions with 47%.
· 43% of High Scope and 44% of nursery school engaged in volunteer work; as opposed to 11% who attended the program usingdirect instruction.
High Scope had further advantages compared to direct instruction:
· Only 10% of the group using the High Scope curriculum were arrested compared to 39% of the direct instruction group
· 70% of the High Scope group planned on graduation from college compared to 36% of the direct instruction group
Nursery school had two additional advantages over direct instruction:
· The nursery school group only had nine percent arrested for felony at ages 22-23, while direct instruction had 34%.
· None from the nursery school group was ever suspended from work; whereas 27% of the direct instruction group had been suspended.
Framework
High Scope has five basic areas that the curriculum follows. The tool used is called The High Scope Preschool Wheel of Learning. The High Scope Preschool Wheel of Learning is a simple way of communicating some of the key elements of the High Scope curriculum. The Wheel of learning includes five different areas; there are important details within each area to make sure the approach is appropriate. These details are:
1. Active learning
· Children engaging in learning
2. Adult-child interaction
· Interaction strategies
· Encouragement
· Problem-solving approach to conflict
3. Learning environment
· Areas
· Materials
· Storage
4. Daily routine
· Plan-do-Review
· Small-group time
· Large-group time
5. Assessments
· Teamwork
· Daily anecdotal notes
· Daily planning
· Child assessment
Active Learning
Active learning is placed in the middle of the wheel because of its importance to the children’s learning. Children use their senses to explore and seek out their own answers to questions. Adults still continue to support children in solving their own problems. Hohmann and Weikart (as cited in Holt, 2007) states that “active learning is defined as learning in which the child, by acting on objects and interacting with people, ideas and events, constructs new understanding”.
Adult-child interaction
Adults and children work together respectfully to focus on the children’s strengths. High Scope distinguishes that in “active learning” children “initiate” activities of interest. The children get to choose where they are interested in spending their day. “Control” is shared between the student and teacher rather than “controlled” by child or teacher (child-directed or teacher directed). In the High Scope setting children are encouraged instead of praised. High Scope believes comments should be specific to the child’s actions. When children are praised, there is room for comparison and competition. However, through encouragement, children are in control and can make evaluators of their own work (Holt 2007).
When there is a conflict that arises, the High Scope approach uses this opportunity as a learning opportunity. The role of the adult is to follow the six steps to conflict resolution when working with children. The six steps to conflict resolution are (Holt, 2007):
1. Approach the situation calmly – watch what is going on and try to be positive. Get to the child’s level and use a calm voice. Reach out to the upset child by allowing him or her to come to you.
2. Recognize the child’s feelings – e.g. you look sad, Amy or you sound angry Sam
3. Gather information and restate the problem – listen to both children and ask questions to understand what is going on.
4. Ask for solutions or ideas – support and encourage children to talk to one another.
5. Retell any suggested solutions – Acceptance of children’s suggestions for solutions.
6. Support children to act on their decision - encourage children to resolve their own problems and be near to clarify the decisions if needed.
Learning environment
Active learning is a key factor to the children’s success. The learning environment is set up so that the children can play alone or in small groups. The areas that are included in the classroom are classified as sand and water, creative and art area, block and construction area, music and movement area, book and writing area, and toy and small world area. Areas are divided by many things (e.g. shelves and furniture). Using shelves as dividers provide storage for items and toys. The items used for the dividers are kept short enough for the teachers to see over them to supervise the children. There is a good amount of variety in the materials so the children can explore. The areas also reflect its community. Cultures are respected and shared within the classroom. The areas are well labeled and have meaning to the children. Labels can consist of the names, pictures, or example of items.
The learning environment is also very important to the support of children’s active learning. There are five basic ingredients to support active learning through the environment (Holt 2007):
1. Materials – items are for children to play with. There is a variety available for the children’s use. These items may include every day object (e.g. pots and pans), natural materials (e.g. stones and leaves), tools (e.g. scissors and mops), messy items (e.g. water and soap), large heavy items (e.g. big blocks), and smaller items (e.g. Lego and buttons).
2. Manipulation – opportunities offered to children for exploration and work in their own way.
3. Choice – children are given a choice to choose their own materials and decide how to use them.
4. Language – children talk about what they are doing or have done, they get a chance to reflect about their learning and build relationships with others.
5. Support – adults join in play and ask “real questions” about what the children are doing.
Daily Routine
High Scopes daily routine is consistent and flexible at the same time. The daily routine offers consistency for children and creates security (children to understand what is coming next) and flexibility for unplanned learning. An important tool used for the daily routine is the plan-do-review. The plan-do-review is used daily. The children get to plan what they want to do during the day. They do it. Then at the end of the day they reviewed what they did (Holt 2007).
Assessment
Assessment is very important in the High Scope curriculum. Observations are done by using the Child Observation Record (COR). COR is used to accurately record observations of children and in doing so provide knowledgeable information on individual development and ability in children. The adult interacts with children and at the same time they are making anecdotal notes about the children during play. The anecdotal record is then transferred to the COR at a later time. Teamwork is very important because anyone can write an anecdotal note on a child. The COR is completed and shared with parents three times a year. Since the COR give the adult the understanding where the child is planning can be made for individualization for the child (Holt 2007).
Training
It is important to understand that the High Scope Foundation does offer trainings and workshops for teachers and administrators to learn how to effectively implement the High Scope approach. High Scope also offers conferences and events for educational purposes to the community. Teachers can be certified through High Scope to provide high-quality education using High Scope. Programs can also be certified through High Scope but must meet the proper requirements (High Scope 2013).
Evaluation
With the lens of a reader, High Scope’s curriculum framework seems to overall have effectiveness in its promotion for early childhood education. Stebbins, St. Pierre, Proper, Anderson and Cerva states (as cited in Schweinhart and Weikart, 1999) that “children who experienced High/Scope had significantly higher achievement test scores than other students did” (p. 78). Evaluation is important to see the success or unsuccessfulness of High Scope’s curriculum. A comparison with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP), NAEYC’s Curriculum Evaluation, and Tools of the Mind (Tools) will be shared to show overall effectiveness of High Scope.
NAEYC’s DAP of Curriculum
NAEYC is one of the most trusted and respected leaders in the field for children. NAEYC has principles of DAP specifically related to curriculum and instruction and practices. NAEYC (2009) states that “the profession’s responsibility to promote quality in the care and education of young children compels us to revisit regularly the validity and currency of our core knowledge and positions, such as this one on issues of practice” (p.1).
NAEYC (2009) states that there are three core considerations in DAP. These three core considerations are needed for everyday decisions. With this, teachers need to keep in mind the children’s individual goals and be intentional in achieving these goals. The three core considerations of DAP are: