Early Childhood has changed since 28 years ago.  I was placed in a classroom and told that my children are the 4 year old group.  I was given a table with 10 chairs, a few toys, crayons and paper.  I was perplexed and asked what I was supposed to teach my children – when I asked “How” the response was whatever way you want to teach.  I went out and did a lot of research and made a list of the items that four year old children were required to learn to enter Kindergarten.  That is the guide that I used to teach my children at that time.  It was a trial and error time and Early Childhood was in its infancy.  I joined an Early Childhood book club and created a wonderful collection of material including a lot of books where I could copy dittos for the children to work on.  As the years went by I learned what interested the children and watched the boredom in their faces as I force fed them some information that was way over their heads.  There was no rhyme or reason to what worked until now.  Children learn more from things that are more important to them – not what is important the teacher.  I found myself in the middle of something I thought was wonderful while the children were staring out the window or being distracted by anything else in the room or building.  I did learn that the difference between me and other teachers was I was able to see this and able to be flexible.  The activity that I was doing was immediately stopped and I would ask the children what they wanted to do.  We would stop and change the activity to what interested them.  Educational theories call this “Teachable Moments.”  Parents do this all of the time when they do things on the weekends that their children like to do.  I do not think I have ever heard a parent say that they keep lots of dittos in their home to keep their children busy.  After many years of research educational scholars have learned that the original teachings in Early Childhood are totally inappropriate. 

At one point in my life I received a job in a nationwide organization that demanded modern educational philosophies be properly followed.  Anyone that went against the philosophy was immediately fired.  This included a nationally accepted form of curriculum that was being taught all over the country and at colleges and universities.  I had been personally studying this curriculum and was pleased to cite it with all of the professors and students knowing what I was talking about.  Up until then I would get crocked looks and would always have to explain what curriculum program I was talking about.  I use and believe in it to this day – it is called “Creative Curriculum.”  We were fired if we were caught telling the children this was an A and making them write it after we showed them hand over hand how to do it.  It was very hard to change the way that we learned to do things but the 3 and 4 year old children were writing their names by December.  Children learn by the teachers modeling the writing of their names by writing in front of the children before painting, during an activity, having their names posted all over the classroom, changing the names on their cubbies or drawers so they have to actually think when they look for their names, allowing the children to be responsible for putting away their materials after a project and using name cards purposely posted so the children have access to the cards and can use them when they choose to use them – not forced to take them with them – then it does become a punishment. 

We were warned in our college classes that parents who do not understand how children learn will question if their child is learning – the answer is yes, your child is learning.  We are doing something that you parents have been doing for years but you just called it parenting and making your family happy and well balanced.  Bringing home busy work is not verification that your child is leaning.  Try sitting your own child down with one paper after the other and watch how miserable they get.  Make them sit and practice letters or their names and watch total boredom set in.  Children learn what you make interesting and fun.  It is no fun for a child to trace a letter with their finger until they can make the letter correctly. 

The following should help you to know what your child should be doing in an Early Childhood Programs and even include warning signs for inappropriate philosophies:

Children learn through Playing

·         Learning Centers are set up to facilitate learning and changed to facilitate different subjects.

Dittos are not used!

·         All activities are not teacher directed – you can tell teacher directed because the children all have the same art work.  Some of the activities should be child initiated or what the child chooses to do without the teacher telling the child what and how to do it.

·         Coloring pages only keep the children busy and teach children how to color between the lines and cut out any source of creativity.

Learning to write a child’s name is a forced activity where the children are pushed to sit and practice until they get it correct – this is something that High School Students are exposed to and not intended for children between the ages of 2 to 5 years old.

As part of the STARS Program we are inspected and follow the teaching of our most advanced educational philosophy and require 24 hours of training and First Aid and CPR Certification

100% of teachers are degreed or enrolled in Early Childhood Programs.

Training is an ongoing requirement for staff – we are required to do 24 hours of training yearly to get the updated philosophical information being taught or changed.

Teachers are all qualified and attending Colleges in our area.  Early childhood training and working towards Early Childhood degrees are goals for young Assistant teachers or Teachers.  A lot of Centers us High School students so they can pay minimum wages.

We use movies as an educational activity or seasonal entertainment for the Holidays when they are easily distracted due to the excitement of the Holiday.

If dittos are important to you – you really are at the wrong Center – there are lots of Centers that are either not regulated by DPW due to non-profit status or are church affiliated and not required to follow any rules.  I am proud to announce that we have the highest rating as an educational program with a 4^th STAR in the Keystone STARS Program.  We are required to go through 3 inspections a year to prove that we have the highest standards in Early Childhood today.