NEWARK PUBLIC SCHOOLS
OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
PRESCHOOL TEACHER’S
HANDBOOK
OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
PROGRAM Philosophy
The Newark Public Schools recognize the value of a developmentally appropriate preschool program that focuses on the growth of the whole child. It has committed its resources and expertise to provide a sound framework from which teachers may organize and plan an active, nurturing and safe learning environment for young children. The preschool program is designed to provide young children with the necessary foundation for future academic success and social development. The early years of a child’s life provide a unique opportunity to prepare them to learn, to develop character and to instill a sense of pride and hope by addressing their cognitive, social, emotional and physical needs.
The information and strategies contained in the Preschool Teacher’s Handbook and Curriculum Guide is designed to remind administrators and teachers that:
1. Children come with unique talents, needs, dispositions, abilities and experiences;
2. The early years develop the foundation skills necessary for life-long learning;
3. Early Childhood should be a time when young children explore in an environment that is stimulating, joyful, caring and secure; and,
4. Early childhood education should be comprehensive and holistic, and provide the cognitive, physical, social and emotional supports needed to foster the development of the whole child.
An effective preschool program provides for the growth and development of the “whole child” (social, emotional, physical and cognitive). It must incorporate academic content and skill development within a framework of appropriate activities while allowing each child to grow and be successful in all of these developmental areas. Young children learn best by becoming involved in experiential learning that is authentic, sequential and that provides hands-on developmentally appropriate activities.
The preschool program must be age-appropriate, encourage positive interaction between family, school, and the community, and respect the role of the family as the first and primary teachers of their children. The High/ Scope Approach is the foundation of our preschool program. Other curricula that are used by district and provider classrooms, such as Success For All/Curiosity Corner, Comer Preschool and Bank Street are compatible with the High/Scope Preschool Approach and the information contained in this document. Throughout this document references will be made to the common components of all these approaches in educating the young child.
PROGRAM GOALS
The major goal of the preschool program is to create a positive learning environment that nurtures each child’s growth, independence and a love of learning that creates a foundation for success in school and in their future lives. This goal can be achieved if children are provided with opportunities to:
1. Develop a positive self-concept and self-reliance;
2. Enhance and reinforce the development of expressive and receptive language;
3. Acquire motivation and enthusiasm for learning by demonstrating independence and competence in acquiring skills and knowledge;
4. Foster and expand creativity through the use of a variety of media;
5. Develop appreciation for their own and other cultures; and
6. Develop and expand critical thinking or higher order thinking skills.
DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICES
The following developmentally appropriate practices adapted from NAEYC (1997), are to be used to develop and implement the preschool curriculum in your classroom:
¨ Provide activities and routines that address the whole child (all aspects of development: cognitive, social, physical, and emotional).
¨ Provide hands on experiences with real, concrete, and relevant materials for children to explore and manipulate.
¨ Provide ample opportunities for children to interact with both adults and other children in conversations and discussions so that children will learn to use oral language expressively and functionally.
¨ Provide functional learning centers that contain appropriate learning activities such as writing, reading, drawing, oral discussion, projects, and constructing. Problem solving, exploration, discovery and field trips are important learning activities as well.
¨ Provide opportunities for children to construct new knowledge and skills based on what they already know and can do.
¨ Provide playtime as a tool for learning and developing social skills, such as cooperation.
¨ Provide an environment where children’s individual differences and cultural experiences are respected and valued.
¨ Provide a place where joy in learning occurs, where every child feels affirmed and good about being “just me”, and can blossom within a community of learners.
Play: How Young Children Learn
“We all have the duty to call attention to the science and seriousness of early childhood cognitive development-because the [years] between birth and age five are the foundation upon which essential lives are built.”
(Laura Bush, White House Summit on Early Childhood Cognitive Development, 2001)
At birth a baby’s organs are fully developed, except one – the brain. Some of the brain cells are connected at birth, but most are not. During the first five years of life (and afterwards at a slower rate), a child’s brain is hard at work connecting brain cells (Love, 1997). Every time a young child hears, sees, touches, tastes, or smells something messages are sent to the brain and connections are made (Dodge & Heroman, 1999). When a child has different kinds of experiences, and these experiences are repeated over and over again, the connections in the brain become stronger. These connections shape the way a child thinks, feels, behaves, and learns. That is why young children learn best from interaction with their physical environment.
By age three the brain has made more connections than it will probably use and gets rid of the connections that are rarely used. Science suggests that there are certain times when parts of the brain learn best. These times are called windows of opportunity. Some ‘windows’ open and close completely during the first few years of life. While learning takes place throughout life, learning is easier and more natural at certain times. For example, the first five years of life are the most important time to learn language. It takes about 15 – 20 years for a child’s brain to fully grow and develop, some things are just easier to learn at certain times than at others (Dodge & Heroman, 1999).
Some educators question the use of ‘play’ in the learning environment. But play is how young children learn best and it does have a real place in school. By experimenting with materials that lead a child to explore, ask and search for answers to questions about people, materials, events and ideas, children learn to solve problems. Between the ages of three and five, a child acquires a wealth of knowledge and skills by playing with other children under the guidance of caring and compassionate adults.
Play is the avenue for learning for young children and lies at the heart of the preschool curriculum. It makes a major contribution to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional, development of children. The development of skills and competencies is promoted largely through play, supported by a variety of materials and a wide range of experiences, under the guidance of teachers who understand and value play as an avenue for learning at this age (Read, 1970). Play helps develop thinking skills and social skills—by recalling experiences, figuring out how to replay them and solving problems that come up and mastering new challenges in an environment where play and work are one domain (Dimidjuan, 1992). Administrators and teachers need to be knowledgeable and effective in the implementation of developmentally appropriate learning or play activities for young children. While young children learn through informal play, teachers must still prepare for these activities. This means the teacher plans ahead, and provides the necessary and diverse materials for learning. The teacher encourages and extends children’s thinking through interaction with children as they play. The teacher also provides deliberate instruction through large and small group activities.
Types Of Play
Children engage in many different kinds of play, and each kind of play encourages particular kinds of conversations. Described below are some types of play that are typical of young children, and the opportunities for conversation that adults may watch for during each type of play.
1. Exploratory play. Exploratory play (in which children explore the functions and properties of materials and tools) is a relatively simple kind of play that doesn’t always lend itself to play-related conversation. If three-year old Kevin is cutting, pasting and swinging, or rolling clay with his hands, he may or may not feel the need to explain or comment on what he is doing. However, because of its repetitive quality, exploratory play often offers a relaxed occasion for the child to initiate a conversation about a topic of personal interest like a new pet or a recent visit with Grandma.
2. Constructive Play. In constructive play, the child makes or builds something. In contrast to exploratory play, this more goal-oriented play usually presents an opportunity for talk that is related to the activity. During constructive play, children may pause – to take a look at what they have done, to consider how to solve a problem, or simply to seek acknowledgement of what they have done so far. A brief conversation with an adult can be helpful at these times. However, it is important for adults who want to converse with the children during constructive play to wait for the child to pause if the child is wholly engrossed in making something, an adult’s comments may simply be disruptive.
3. Pretend Play. Role-play or pretending usually stimulates lots of role-related conversation among children. An adult who takes part in the pretend play by assuming a role related to the ongoing play or taking on a role assigned by the players will naturally be included in these conversations.
4. Games. Playing games (including action games like tag, or quiet games like card games or board games) is another common kind of play for young children. Such games often involve verbal negotiations over how to proceed and what to do next, and these are natural conversational opportunities.
Systematic and deliberate instruction implies that the teacher structures daily activities to provide children with the opportunity to learn and practice emergent reading, writing and listening skills (as well as other cognitive skills), learn how to handle their emotions, and how to interact with others in a group environment. Systematic instruction on the part of the teacher can build a solid foundation in the developmental domains necessary for future school success.
The following sections present information on classroom management that assists the educator in accomplishing systematic and deliberate instruction in an active learning and supportive environment.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
Teachers of young children should seek to organize the early childhood classroom environment so that children can learn through their own play or learning experiences. This section contains information and strategies that administrators and teachers can use to construct a developmentally appropriate learning environment for the young child.
The Learning Environment
A developmentally appropriate learning setting allows for the young child to play in an environment that stimulates learning in the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional domains. Therefore, the preschool classroom must provide a rich, exciting learning environment and be organized for the children’s safety and comfort. The learning environment should also support children’s independence. When planning the learning environment, the teacher should take into account the size and configuration of the room. The room arrangement should separate and define learning centers and areas. A distinction should be made between learning centers and areas, all of which are important components of the preschool classroom.
Learning areas are permanent parts of the classroom, which may be rearranged as the teacher desires and the room permits. Examples include reading area in the Library Area, or a Personal Storage Area.
Learning centers are flexible areas within the classroom, which have an interest/content area focus. They change frequently to correlate with certain topics. In addition, they provide for the reinforcement, application and scaffolding of a new skill or concept. A center can also create interest in a topic that is related to a theme. Learning centers need not encompass large areas. They may be placed on shelves, small tables, desks, window ledges and the floor areas or attached to walls/bulletin boards. Children must be clearly instructed in the use of learning centers to make them most effective. Centers not only help provide for the individual differences within a class, but they also provide hands-on activities that are developmentally appropriate for the young learner. Examples include Library Center, or Music Center, or Science and Nature Center.
Furniture should be appropriately scaled and arranged to facilitate interaction and communication among the children. High/Scope, Curiosity Corner, Comer and Bank Street approaches and/or curricula all offer information with which to design or arrange a classroom that incorporates the information presented in this document. In addition, educational supply and material vendors offer websites to assist preschool teachers with designing classrooms. (Please refer to the website list in the resource section of this document for further assistance.) A good deal of time should be spent in planning the learning environment for it extends or limits the experiences children will have. The classroom needs to meet the New Jersey Department of Education’s facility regulations that call for 950 square feet for a preschool classroom.
The following are basic concepts to keep in mind when arranging the classroom space. (Please refer to High/Scope, Curiosity Corner, Comer and Bank Street approaches and/or curricula for additional information on arranging classroom space.) A well-organized preschool classroom should have:
1. Sufficient empty space;
2. A broad, easily visible path through it;
3. Ease of supervision; and
4. Efficient placement of storage units.
With proper organization, the teacher can optimize the available space to meet the needs of the group effectively and efficiently. The teacher also needs to identify areas in the room where activity is likely to be unproductive and eliminate them. When arranging basic activity or learning areas, separate active and quiet areas and wet and dry areas, as shown below.
ACTIVE PLAYWET DRY
QUIET PLAY
Classroom Arrangement: Guidelines