Free research paper on childhood curriculum models

Introduction

There are several childhood curriculum models which have been developed in a bid to acquire the best for children while learning. This makes it essential that one understands each curriculum, its benefits and effects to the children while making these choices. The curriculums differ in their alignment with principles for children development, the nature in which the children learn and interact in the learning and the ultimate goal. This has caused differences within researchers and teachers as it becomes hard to recognize the most effective curriculum for the children. This report is based on advanced information regarding the high scope creative curriculum and the project approach inquiry based learning. In a nut shell, the high scope in initiated in a manner such that the children develop personal schedules of learning in regards to their interests. The teacher who acts as the facilitator guides the children in such endeavors. The project based learning emphasis on developing the creativity nature of children through analysis of diverse problems. Solving these enquiries is based on the creativity level of the children which is extensively determined by the support acquired from the teachers.

High scope curriculum

The high scope curriculum was developed in the early 1960s in Michigan with its major development issues being based on theory and research of Piaget and Dewey. The curriculum was developed to assist poorly performing students within the poor neighborhoods of Michigan. It was aimed at improving the performance of the children regardless of their social and emotional status. This would rather emphasis of the intellectual progress of the children. The initial development of the curriculum was aimed at supporting the talents and skills of the children through learning with the teachers and families of the children involved playing a major role for its success. Its initiation was done with a test of one hundred and twenty three children of which 58 were selected randomly while 65 children made the control sample of the test (Singer, Golinkoff, & Hirsh-Pasek, 2006).
The history of the curriculum led to its development and use in Michigan which is one of its current users with other additional countries adopting it. The alignment of the curriculum to the develop mentality of the children is based on their participation in the learning process. It involves active learning which includes direct involvement of the children with the experiences, objects and ideas involves. The interests of the children are the hearts of this curriculum through which adults teach them new experiences by expanding their thinking capabilities. It follows a daily routine which involves developing a plan for the children which they follow constantly including transition time, time to interact with the outside world, eat and rest (File, Mueller, & Wisneski, 2012). Children with disabilities are not well catered for in this program as it involved development of the thinking capabilities and interaction of the children with adults and teachers. There is however a new development in this curriculum which involves inclusion of such cases.
There are different strategies used in teaching the children which involves expression of their thinking, feelings and observations through music, art, movement and pretend play. These strategies are developed by offering the children a chance to observe diverse actions, think about the actions and create imaginary representations of the actions developed. This ensures that they learn diversely on all the senses. The curriculum enables an implementation method of mixing the child and adult guided activities through sharing the control among the two. This sharing mix involves adults involvement in the children’s playing sessions, conduct conversations with the children on a two way basis as they listen to their ideas and focusing on the strongholds notable in the children. The benefits of this curriculum to the children involve research based valuation tools which are used to track the developments and growth acquired by the children during the learning process (Pianta, 2012). This ensures that emphasis is laid on those areas which the children are notable to be lagging behind. The assessment tools are also essential in classifying the development structure of the children thus ensuring common IQ children are taught together.

Project based learning

The project based learning was developed to replace the paper based curriculum through which the teachers led in classrooms. It was initialized with an opinion on ensuring children learn by actions in 1987 by Dewey. This initiation was driven by the theory that the teacher should not just impose diverse ideas to the children in class rather there are several members of the community that influence children and assist them in learning. This has led to diverse description of the curriculum with that of knowing and doing acquiring most popularity. Currently the curriculum is highly used in Lowe in Muscatine High School where it has gained popularity with students learning diverse practical lessons such as assembling purification systems for water. Its diverse use has also been driven by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which is involved in financial assistance in the US to start schools which would wholly embrace PBL.
The curriculum is consistent with development practices as it ensures students are able to do what they learn practically. This involves a syllabus which is directed at enhancing the knowledge of the children through practical (Pickert, 2012). This develops their thinking capability and enables them to expand in diverse fields. There are different programs within the curriculum aimed at offering a chance to the disabled students through modification of their practices. Different labs have been developed with high technology and machines suitable for creativity of the disabled. The curriculum uses diverse strategies in ensuring learning which include development of open-ended questions which the students are expected to resolve by the end of the program. This creates the desire for the children to know and understand the content of the research this acquiring skills to resolve the condition. The inquiry to learn strategy used in the curriculum is also paramount as it leads to creation of new and improved products. The curriculum incorporates feedback from the students through communication and revision of any mistakes made. The feedback can also as a strategy to acquire an in-depth understanding of the students y the teachers as they communicate their ideas. To ensure the success of the program, the teachers use the publicity strategy which involves showing off the creativity of the students through work shows.
The accomplishment of the ultimate goals by the students is based on the constructivist nature of PBL which involves grouping the students within groups which they are comfortable in. the students communicate within themselves using technology which plays a major role in ensuring information is obtained, displayed and changed in the process of acquiring perfection. The children adult mix in the curriculum is acquired through the facilitating role played by the instructor which involves developing an environment in which both have shared responsibilities. The instructor structures the situations or questions which are to be solved while the student has the responsibility of building knowledge to ensure real world solutions are acquired to solve the situations (MacDonell, 2007). The benefits of this curriculum involve developing an in-depth understanding of the situations by the students thus increasing their knowledge base. The students also develop interpersonal and social skills as they communicate within the groups and with the instructors. The curriculum is also essential in improving the creativities of the students as they try to acquire solutions. Groupings are successful through competent leaders who are chosen among the groups thus the curriculum develops leadership skills among the students.

Conclusion

The two curriculums are essential in ensuring development of the students although they have several differences. The high scope curriculum is well matched for early development compared to the project based curriculum which is based on problem solving. It is also notable that the project based curriculum which has been in existence for long has more benefits to the students as it is based on practicality of the knowledge acquired. Development of social and interpersonal skills among young children is essential as it assists them interact easily thus growth. It also assist in idea sharing compared to adult children mixing which can be intimidating to the children especially I areas of complications. The high scope curriculum is however essential in ensuring children develop good relations within the society and are offered a chance to use their imagination. Their interests and talent are also cultivated which increases their responsiveness to the program as they are involved in things they relate with well.

References

MacDonell, C. (2007). Project-based inquiry units for young children: First steps to research for grades pre-K-2. Columbus, Ohio: Linworth Pub.
Pianta, R. C. (2012). Handbook of early childhood education. New York: Guilford Publications.
Singer, D. G., Golinkoff, R. M., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2006). Play = Learning: How Play Motivates and Enhances Children’s Cognitive and Social-Emotional Growth. New York: Oxford University Press.
Pickert, L. M. W. (2012). Project-based homeschooling: Mentoring self-directed learners. United States: Lori McWilliam Pickert.