The Creative Curriculum for Preschool®
The Creative Curriculum® for Preschool is a comprehensive, research-based curriculum that features exploration and discovery as a way of learning, enabling children to develop confidence, creativity, and lifelong critical thinking skills. It is designed to help educators at all levels of experience plan and implement a developmentally appropriate, content-rich program for children with diverse backgrounds and skill levels.
The Creative Curriculum® for Preschool is based on five fundamental principles which provide the guidelines for operating a preschool program in particular ways. These principles are:
- Positive interactions and relationships with adults provides a critical foundation for successful learning.
- Social-emotional competence is a significant factor in school success.
- Constructive, purposeful play supports essential learning.
- The physical environment affects the type and quality of learning interactions.
- Teacher-family partnerships promote development and learning.
Handwriting without Tears®
Beginning in 2015, the Co-op has included Handwriting Without Tears®, a nationally recognized program, into their Pre-K curriculum. The Handwriting Without Tears® Pre-K curriculum was developed almost 10 years ago in response to requests for hands-on teaching materials and strategies that would make learning fun and easy for students. It uses a developmental approach that is based on the most relevant research about how young children learn best:
- Break difficult concepts into simple tasks
- Believe that every child can achieve
- Use really cool materials that make children want to learn
This curriculum accommodates both teacher-directed and student-initiated playful learning, because we know that sparking the imagination leads to a lifelong love of learning. It helps the students develop both fine and gross motor skills before they can master such skills as writing. The program also provides an integrated approach to language and literacy to make learning meaningful and engaging.