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Our Curriculum
Using current research about children’s development and learning, Heart
Prints has designed an early learning program that reflects the
principles and guidelines established by the National Association for
the Education of Young Children. Based on a developmental approach, the
curriculum focuses on the whole child and fosters social, emotional,
cognitive, physical, and aesthetic development. The latest research
about early literacy and numeracy learning in young children guides the
day-to-day curriculum experiences in the center. In the area of social
and emotional development, a primary focus is to help children learn to
manage their feelings and use conflict management skills with the
support of a caring and nurturing environment.
In
creating a curriculum for Heart Prints, we choose to blend elements from
several highly respected approaches to early childhood education – the
Reggio Emilia approach, the
Montessori approach, and the
High/Scope approach.
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With our
Reggio Emilia colleagues, we celebrate
the languages children use and the symbols they make as they seek to
build relationships with each other, with adults, and with the
natural world. We encourage children to express their knowledge,
ideas, and emotions through the arts.
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With our
Montessori colleagues, we celebrate the
early childhood classroom as a well-planned and cared for place of
beauty in which young children can share responsibility for their
learning. We believe young children should be surrounded by
interesting materials and given the freedom and time to explore
these materials.
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With our
High/Scope colleagues, we celebrate
young children’s abilities to actively participate in planning daily
learning activities, following through on their plans, and reviewing
the quality of their daily activities.
Our
curriculum will support:
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The young child’s active
involvement in the learning process.
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The young child’s
advancement toward his/her individual potential.
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The young child’s active
involvement in building meaningful, reciprocal relationships within
the family, within the learning community, and within the local
community.
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The young child’s
development of creativity and imagination.
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The young child’s
development of decision-making and problem solving skills.
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The young child’s
development of communication skills that will enable him/her to
express feelings, needs, ideas, and information in effective and
appropriate ways.
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The young child’s
development of conflict management skills.
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The young child’s
understanding that he/she is a member of the worldwide community.
The curriculum
encourages our teaching staff to implement a variety of tools within the
early childhood classroom including:
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flexibility in group size,
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varied learning or activity
centers,
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cooperative project work,
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individual projects,
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parent and community
volunteers, and
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free play.
Classroom
learning will also be enhanced through field trips or visits from
special guests.
Specialized instruction:
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HeartPrints is
pleased to offer children instruction in foreign languages as an
integral part of our preschool program.
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HeartPrints is pleased to offer
weekly yoga instruction for children enrolled
in our preschool programs
Teachers will incorporate the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards in
the on-going assessment of children’s development and learning.
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Center
for Early Education