Chapter Two: Programs Models Early Childhood Services 120.

Chapter Two:Programs Models

Early Childhood Services 120

Beliefs about Kids = Beliefs about ProgramsHow we approach the education & care of young

children depends on what we believe children are like.

Programs for preschoolers are often designed based on what we believe children are like.

For example, if you believe that children learn by exploring their environment (the room, the things in the room, etc), then you would probably design a program that kept this in mind.

If you believe that children are “unruly” (wild, needing to be controlled), then you might design a program that was strictly organized and that focused on keeping the children under control and directed by the grownups.

Six Program ModelsThese are the main models used in

North America:1.Montessori2.Open Education3.Project Head Start4.Cognitively Oriented Curriculum (COC)5.The Bereiter-Engelmann Model

(DISTAR)6.The Reggio Emilia Model

What is a Program Model?A program model describes typical

1. Goals2. Materials3. Roles4. Schedules (sometimes)5. Theories (sometimes) such as

behavourist, maturationist (development & learning comes in time), etc..

6. Role of teachers7. Role of children8. Role of parents

CurriculumCurriculum means what is studied, or

focused on, or learned (the program, the set of courses, syllabus)

History of ModelsIn the 1960s and 1970s, a lot of models were

developedThey looked at different ways to help childrenModels really affect children and how they

develop, so they are very importantAt one point (1990s), 14 early childhood

education models were identifiedMost of them fit in one of the three categories:

1. Montessori Models2. Behaviorist Models3. Interactional Models

A Review of the “Big Three”1. Montessori – a program model designed by Maria

Montessori. Children are like sponges.

These programs make sure that their environments are fun to explore. Curiosity is the key. Maria Montessori stressed using the senses to learn (sight, sound, touch, taste). It’s all about preparing the child to learn skills by teaching the movements and actions necessary to perform them. For example, to teach her students how to write, she cut up large sandpaper letters and had children trace them with their fingers, and later with pencil or chalk.

Working independently and being persistent (not giving up, finding a way to work through a problem) are key.

The Montessori classroom was the first of its kind, with its emphases on cultivating a warm and comfortable environment and on independent and active learning.

1.

BehavioristA program model based around Watson’s ideas that behavior is separate from the way our mind works, so we learn through observation (watching others) and reinforcement (rewards & punishments).

Behaviorists use drills (repeating something over and over again), modeling (showing a child how to do something) and segmented learning (breaking skills into pieces – ex: reading read begin with identifying the sound of individual letters, then letter blends, until they are able to read entire words).

Interactional Based on Piaget and his Six Stages of Development.

He believed that children developed best in a classroom with interaction.

He believed in two basic ideas about moral (decent, right, honest) education: children develop moral ideas in stages and create their ideas of the world, based on what they see (not based on what they are told).

He also focused on social relationships and how this affects children: he thought cooperation was key, not adults controlling children and how they act and learn.

Children and adults have the freedom to share his or her own thoughts, consider the ideas of others, and defend his or her own point of view. Children’s thinking can’t be limited by a dominant influence (usually grown-ups).

Eclectic Eclectic means assorted, diverse, free, a “mix”

Very often, programs are very eclectic – they might “loosely” fit in one of the three categories, but “play” with the rules and come up with an original blend.

If you asked teachers in most early childhood programs to describe their program’s philosophy (attitude, viewpoint), you would likely find that most are only “sort of” based on one of the three main categories (Montessori, Behaviorist, Interactional).

1. Montessori Programs1. Believed children are good and must be

respected if they are to learn.2. Early experience is the key to success3. Sensory education (using the senses to learn)4. Absorbent mind (like a sponge)5. Between age 3 and age 6, kids are in the

sensitive period and most able to learn.6. Kids learn best in a prepared environment.7. The teacher’s main role is to prepare the

environment by choosing & arranging materials that will interest kids.

8. Self-education (child will educate himself)

The EnvironmentOrderNoise level is quite lowNo teacher’s desk at the front, no rows of desksChild-sized equipment and furniture (Montessori

started this, though it’s “normal” now).Different areas with different materials that

help children master a skill .Plants, flowers, attractive decorations and

materials.Beauty is important

The ChildrenDifferent agesMostly from affluent (wealthy) homesEach doing their own thing (lots of different

activities)Usually children are from 2 ½ and 5 years

old (all in the same room, mixed)Children initiate (decide or start) activitiesChildren free to do what they pleaseSometimes working in pairs or small groupsYounger children often learn to participate

by watching older children

The TeachersLittle adult controlQuiet and not “bossy”Teacher is the director (watching and

demonstrating, if asked)Does not reinforce or praise work because

children should find their work self-rewarding

Teachers take post-secondary (after their first degree at university) education to learn about the Montessori program.

The ParentsRarely involvedCan visit, but asked to be quiet and not

obvious

The SchedulePeriods for indoor and outdoor playSnack timeGroup lessons do not happen every dayMay have group activities one or two times

a week

The MaterialsDidactic (designed to teach a specific

lesson)Self-correcting (child gets immediate

feedback)Go from simple to complicatedChallengingAttractiveUsually made of natural materials (like

wood)

The Curriculum1. Daily Living (practical activities such as buttoning,

hair brushing, watering plants, washing windows, sweeping).

2. Sensorial (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste). Examples, the pink tower (ten cubes stacked from smallest to largest), color tablets (kids arrange hues (shades) of one color from darkest to lightest), sound boxes (boxes filled with materials like salt, rice, and they match sounds).

3. Academic (writing, reading, math). Use fingers to trace sandpaper letters, or to trace letters in cornmeal, movable alphabet (to form words), golden beads (to learn the decimal system)

Not much “fantasy play”, and they don’t often combine materials in their play until they have mastered the materials for their original purposes

2. Open EducationDeveloped in the BRITISH INFANT SCHOOL (1800s

and 1900s) . North Americans got interested in the 1960s.

Relied on Dewey, Freud and Piaget.Susan and Nathan Isaacs taught at Cambridge and

the University of London, came up with this model.For kids 3-5 (nursery schools) and 5-8 years old.Child-centeredKids learn through discovery (ex: might visit a

firehall and then do dramatic play, draw firetrucks, write stories or poems about firefighting)

The EnvironmentGradual admission (some enroll in Sept, some in

Jan, some in April)Only enroll after visiting with parents many timesArrive at school at different times; leave at

different timesMulti-age groupsIntegrated day (no lessons at set times)Many activity centersWorking on many projects in many areas

(gardens, senior citizen home, library, etc)Outside often (not just at “recess”)Lots of materials (many home-made)

The ChildrenLots of different backgroundsNot in rows, no teacher at frontMore noise than MontessoriFree to use what they want and move

around as they likeChildren Initiate ProgramsTeacher is resource personKids of different ages working together

The TeachersKeep careful recordsWant to know what each child understandsDon’t receive report cards, more interested

in how the child interacted in order to lead to success

The ParentsFrequent visitors and volunteersTeachers and parents have great

relationshipsImportance of the home is stressed

The ScheduleNo set scheduleEntire group would not have a shared

lessonTeachers work with small groups

The CurriculumBecause it’s British, there is no government

curriculumThere is a Canadian guidebook

3. Project Head StartIn 1964, the US government started its biggest,

most important early childhood education projectA reaction to the civil rights movement (rights for

everyone, women and all racial groups) and the Sputnik crisis (race to space, which US lost to the Russians)

Break the poverty cycleCanadians took it on because a) said early years

are important b) evaluation was important (figuring out what works, etc)

Funding by government to help disadvantaged kids get help and education

The EnvironmentNo one Head Start program, many different

typesEnvironment set up to help kids learn in all

areasSome are full day, some are part-dayAt least one hot meal a dayRegular medical and dental examsImmunizationsIdentify developmental delays & learning

problems

The ChildrenFamily income is the main reason for

joining90% come from families that are at the

poverty level10% have disabilities

The ParentsParenting education and parent

involvement are key partsParents are seen as the main influence in a

young child’s lifeIf the child’s life is to improve, the parent’s

life must improveHelps parents find jobs

The TeachersIn the USA, the requirements change from

state to stateSome need training, others don’tIn the 1970s, started to introduce teacher

requirements

The ScheduleNo standardChanges from program to program

4. Cognitively Oriented Curriculum (COC)Based on PiagetDesigned in the 1960sFor children from poor backgroundsNow used by many others and many

preschools and primary (kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3) use the program

Children are active learners who come up with their own knowledge from their experiences

The EnvironmentStimulating (exciting) but orderlyCan choose materialsUse them in any way you wantDivided into clearly defined work areas, each

with specific materials Housekeeping, block, art, quiet, music, large-

group areasFocus on real materials like dishes, tools, not

toy versionsUncluttered storage areas with pictures to

show kids what’s stored thereEncourage clean up and order

The ChildrenMot kids were originally poor and black and

from single-parent backgrounds (at first)Lots of encouragement of social skills (how

to act and communicate with other people)

The TeachersMore structured role than in OPEN and

MONTESSORI programsLarge-group circle time, small-group

lessons every dayTeachers work in teamsTeacher-Child ratio could be from1:5 to

1:10 (depending on the age)Plan for each kidSocial and Intellectual development both

important

The ParentsCome in every two weeks to see what the

child is doing and to learn how to do it themselves, in some cases

Want to learn about the child’s family (and culture) so they can help children

The ScheduleDaily schedule is importantConsistency is important (doing the same

things, in the same way, at the same time). Helps kids understand time and structure.

Day starts with “planning time” when kids decide what activities they want to do that day

Work timeRecall timePlan-do-Review Cycle (the main thing about

this program model)

The MaterialsNo list Block area, house area, art area, quiet

area, construction area, sand and water area, music and movement area, large-group area

Ex: block area would have lots of building materials, things to take apart and put together, materials for filling and emptying. Tinkertoys, interlocking materials, trucks, trains, people and animals in the play area

Role play is common

The CurriculumFocus on cognitively-oriented curriculum (how you

think)1.Active learning2.Using language3.Represent experiences & ideas(describing, playing

with language)4.Classification (preoperational stage): difference

between things (sort and match, etc)5.Seriation (arrange things according to size, etc)6.Number concepts7.Spatial relationships (take things apart, put

together, reshaping objects, describing things in different ways)

8.Time (stop, start, speed, time, seasons, future events, planning, past events)

The Bereiter-Englemann Model (DISTAR)Based on behavioral theory1960sHelp children from poor backgroundsBecoming more popular, nowHelp disadvantaged kids catch up, and

pass, their peersEmphasize some areas, and ignore othersVery specific, teacher-determined goals

(not meeting the needs of the whole child)

The EnvironmentSmall and large classroomsDirect teaching activities in small rooms,

large room for less structured activitiesArithmetic Room, Reading Room and

Language Room.Each facing the front, and the chalkboardQuiet roomsPlain, to minimize distractionLarge room has more stimulation and are

“more normal”

The ChildrenMost came from deprived (poor,

underprivileged) homes Now being used in some elementary

schools in Canada and USA & for all kids

The TeachersElementary teachers are more suited to

use this model because early childhood teachers have been taught not to “force” the children, but elementary school teachers are “ok” with it

The ParentsNot involvedSome are asked to do extra work at home

The ScheduleThree fast-paced, no-nonsense, intense 20

minute lessons in language, math and reading

Five children with one teacher (ratio)Mixed in are times for eating, bathroom

and 15-20 minutes of musicMusic is used to reinforce language

The MaterialsToys are limitedPaper, crayons, chalk (no paint)Materials are meant to help with the

lessonsNo housekeeping areas, no block areas, no

creative arts areas, no practical life areasNo peer play or games

The CurriculumDaily lessons with direct instruction

(teacher teaches)Planned lessons, drills, exercisesLanguage, Math and ReadingColor recognition, naming, counting to 20,

letters, ability to rhyme, sight-reading vocabulary

Constant reinforcement, with praise and food used to motivate (behaviorist theory)

6. The Reggio Emilia ModelA city in Italy where publicly funded early

childhood education started 35 yrs agoLoris Malaguzzi had this visionNorth Americans are now interestedUsed Dewey’s ideas about child-centered

education and mixed with Piaget’s approach.The child is an active participant in

developing knowledgeAll relationships are connected, between

child and parent and teacher

The EnvironmentInvitingPrettyComfortableClose relationship between children and

teacherSpace encourages communication between

peopleWork alone, with small group, with large group,

with teacherPiazza is a central greeting and meeting place

(to encourage communication and visiting)

The CurriculumProjects are the focus, can be short term or long

term (lasting over a month)Work at your own pace No set schedule, no rushOften use artworkThe themes come from the children or everyday

experiencesExample: go to a field and see some poppies,

then draw and paint, and discuss and ask questions and examine each others’ work. They then go back and draw and work again, because they know more now.

The Children4 months – 6 yearsInfants – 3 yr olds in one space; 3 -6 yrs in

anotherAll children stay with the same teacher and

peers for three yearsLearn from others (communicating)

The TeachersWork in pairsResource to childrenResearchers gathering informationContinual observation, documentation and

discussionWatching and listening are keyPeer support, meetings and discussions are

key

The ParentsSeen as very importantRun committees to operate the schoolsOutdoor courtyards are used for meetingsParent-teacher meetings once a monthCan participate in activities when they like

The ScheduleLunch and rest time scheduled, no rest of

the day is notOpen from 8am – 4pmProjects come about by chance, not

plannedLots of time to discuss, question, work

together

The MaterialsLots and lots of materials Lots and lots of examples of past projectsWire, clay, paints, mirrors, cameras, paper,

videos, etc

Assignment1. Make a chart, on the top, put “strengths”

and “weaknesses”. Put the six programs down the side. Leave big boxes to fill in information. Value: 15 marks

2. Organization and attractiveness: 5 marks3. Covers key points, accurate information:

10 marks

Assignment1. Which program would you choose for your

children and why? Write a two-page response (when double spaced). Give specific examples and reasons to support your opinion.

2. Value: 10 marks

Do you have two pages?Do you make at least 5 good points?Do you try to back-up your opinion with specific

details from your notes?Do you make some good points?

AssignmentMake a ChartUse the three main categories (Montessori,

behavioral and interactional) across the top of your chart, with a short description for each one.

Put each of the six examples (Montessori, Open, Project Head Start, COC, DISTAR, Reggio Emilia) under one of the three categories.

Value: 10 marksAppearance (orderly, looks professional) 4

marksProper placement 6 marks

TestList the three main categories and be able

to (briefly) explain eachList the six program models we studied

Matching question – description of each and you will need to match with the proper program model.

1. Teachers see their role primarily as preparing the environment by choosing and arranging materials that interest kids.

2. Most kids come from disadvantaged backgrounds. (Project or COC or DISTAR)

3. Kids stay with the same teacher every year they are at the school. (Montessori o or Reggio)

4. Art is a big part of the curriculum. (Reggio)

5. Kids arrive at school at different times throughout the day. (Open)

6. Projects are a big part of the curriculum. (Open or Reggio)

7. Kids learn through discovery, and often leave the preschool to explore things in the community. (Open)

8. Parents come in every two weeks to see what the kids are doing and to learn how to do some of these things themselves. (COC)

9. Based very closely on Piaget and the interactional model (COC)

10. Focus on “real” materials, like dishes, tools, etc (COC and Montessori)

11. Fast-paced day , no nonsense (DISTAR)

Chapter Two TestName the three categories and briefly

explain each.List the 6 program models.Matching. For each of the descriptions I

give, tell me which program model matches.

1. Kids are like sponges