Curriculum
Shining Star Academy has adopted key principles from the Creative Curriculum series for our developmentally-appropriate curriculum. A developmentally-appropriate curriculum provides for the whole child: physical, emotional, social, and cognitive learning through an integrated approach. We incorporate the child’s interest by straying from our lesson plan to talk about the events or things that interest the children.
Children learn best when they have hands-on experience. Children learn in many different ways. We provide many learning opportunities to include all types of learners. The children will carry new skills with them throughout their lifetime. The children feel important and valued when others listen to them. They tend to seek out their ideas and are allowed to express themselves.
Our curriculum is also based on age-appropriate and individually-appropriate activities for the children in our care. Children have different needs at different ages, and each child has his or her own individual needs as well to be considered. By allowing children to explore a variety of activities, often at their own instigation, we promote a lifelong love of learning.
Children learn best when they have hands-on experience. Children learn in many different ways. We provide many learning opportunities to include all types of learners. The children will carry new skills with them throughout their lifetime. The children feel important and valued when others listen to them. They tend to seek out their ideas and are allowed to express themselves.
Our curriculum is also based on age-appropriate and individually-appropriate activities for the children in our care. Children have different needs at different ages, and each child has his or her own individual needs as well to be considered. By allowing children to explore a variety of activities, often at their own instigation, we promote a lifelong love of learning.
Play-Based Curriculum
At Shining Star Academy, our curriculum encourages learning through play, using a variety of activities and techniques to our goals. Our developmentally-appropriate curriculum provides for the whole child; it combines physical, emotional, social and cognitive learning through an integrated approach. Each of these domains is interconnected and impacts each other.
Children learn by doing. Through active involvement with their environment, children attempt to make sense of the world around them. They learn by exploring their environment through hands-on experience. Teaching young children is a creative process. An early childhood curriculum provides the framework for what actually happens in a planned environment where children interact with materials, peers and adults. The primary teaching goal is to help young children use the environment productively and see themselves a capable learners. They will acquire the skills and abilities needed for a lifetime of learning through carefully planned, developmentally appropriate activities arranged by the teachers.
When a learning environment encourages explanation and discovery, children develop a sense of trust and belonging. They feel important and valued when others listen to them, seek out their ideas, and allow them to express themselves. This type of environment is considered hands-on or learning through play. Children in our classrooms are encouraged to discover things on their own. They learn by exploring the actual objects we talk about. The teachers inspire the children by asking open-ended questions and finding new ways to teach new things within the subject area.
Children learn by doing. Through active involvement with their environment, children attempt to make sense of the world around them. They learn by exploring their environment through hands-on experience. Teaching young children is a creative process. An early childhood curriculum provides the framework for what actually happens in a planned environment where children interact with materials, peers and adults. The primary teaching goal is to help young children use the environment productively and see themselves a capable learners. They will acquire the skills and abilities needed for a lifetime of learning through carefully planned, developmentally appropriate activities arranged by the teachers.
When a learning environment encourages explanation and discovery, children develop a sense of trust and belonging. They feel important and valued when others listen to them, seek out their ideas, and allow them to express themselves. This type of environment is considered hands-on or learning through play. Children in our classrooms are encouraged to discover things on their own. They learn by exploring the actual objects we talk about. The teachers inspire the children by asking open-ended questions and finding new ways to teach new things within the subject area.
Possible Activities
While this isn’t a full list of activities that our children engage in, it does offer a glimpse into your child’s day and what he or she might encounter in the classroom:
While this isn’t a full list of activities that our children engage in, it does offer a glimpse into your child’s day and what he or she might encounter in the classroom:
- Gross Motor Play (This includes the development of large motor skills, such as walking, crawling, running, jumping, and similar activities. Children develop these skills while using the play equipment, taking walks, etc. By learning large motor movements, children are able to then develop the smaller, more exacting movements required later on.)
- Small Group Activities (This allows for more individual attention during a project or assessment.)
- Large Group Activities (This helps to teach cooperation, social interaction.)
- Circle Time (This is a specific kind of large group activity where the children learn things like the days of the week, the months, the weather, the alphabet, and counting. Story time is usually a part of this as well.)
- Outside Play (The children go outside every day as weather permits. Please provide appropriate footwear and outerwear for the season. Due to staffing demands, children are not allowed to stay inside while their group is on the playground. Children who come to the Center will be expected to join the others in outdoor play. Children will go outside when the temperature is above 55°F for infants to 36 months. In addition, children will go out when the temperature is below 90°F. We may not stay outside long when the weather is very cold or very hot.