Creative Curriculum

Community School for People Under Six parents, teachers and board of directors adopted the Creative Curriculum written by Diane Trister Dodge of Teaching Strategies as our written curriculum in April 2001. The Creative Curriculum focuses on four areas: 1) goals for children's development and learning; 2) experiences through which children will achieve the goals; 3) what staff and parents do to help achieve these goals; and 4) materials to support the implementation of the curriculum. We use both the Infant and Toddler and Preschool Curriculum.

Multi-Cultural, Community-Based Philosophy

The Creative Curriculum allows us to promote our multi-cultural, community-based philosophy. We share 20 different cultures or combination of cultures. Such cultures include, but are not limited to: Israeli, Arab, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Russian, Native American, Indian, African American, Japanese, Korean, Hispanic, Asian, Chinese, American, and British. The children may read books written by different people or with pictures of different people, play games, do art or cooking projects, listen to music or play dress up similar to children from other cultures. This is to give children an understanding and appreciation for diversity.

Infants and Toddlers

The Center utilizes the Creative Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers (infants to 2 year olds). The Curriculum serves as a framework for planning and implementing developmentally appropriate programs. The Curriculum emphasizes that relationships between teachers and children and their families form the basis of the curriculum for young children. The Creative Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers focuses on building relationships, knowing infants and toddlers and their families, and building a network of community support.

Preschoolers

The Creative Curriculum for Early Childhood is used as the curriculum for 3-5 year olds in our program. The curriculum is environmentally based. The curriculum focuses on goals and objectives for children's learning and development--social, emotional, cognitive and physical development. Emphasizes is placed on the importance of the physical environment and materials; and defines the parent and teacher roles. The Curriculum allows you to apply child development and learning theories to the everyday work with children. The Curriculum is responsive to the diverse communities and cultures with our program.