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Policy

Early Head Start staff will write a curriculum plan that includes goals for their children’s development and learning.It will also detail the experiences through which they will achieve these goals, the roles for staff or parents to hep children achieve the goals, and the materials needed to support the use of the curriculum. The curriculum plan will be based on sound developmental principles about how children learn and grow and will be responsive to children’s strengths, needs, and interests.

The curriculum uses a variety of strategies to promote and support learning and developmental progress. It encourages the development of secure relationships, supports the social and emotional development of infants and toddlers and promotes their physical development.

Procedure

  1. The Creative Curriculum is the program curriculum.
  2. Supplemental curriculum resources are available for educational staff to enhance learning experiences across all developmental learning domains. These supplemental resources include but are not limited to
    1. Partners for a Healthy Baby 
    2. Baby Doll Circle Time & I Love You Rituals (from Conscious Discipline) 
      1. ASQ-3 & ASQ:SE-2 learning activities
  3. Gather information about the child and family’s interests, routines, strengths and needs from home visits, assessment information, and using the Getting to Know Your Child and Family form
  4. On the EHS Individual Routine form, document when each child needs a diaper change/toileting, a meal, or a nap. Each EHS primary care provider in the classroom will be in charge of following through with the routines of the focal children in their care.
  5. Educational staff will document their weekly curriculum plan in “My Teaching Strategies”. The weekly plan will provide a balance of child initiated and adult directed activities through group experience, routines, transitions, and individualized plans. The weekly plan will include the following areas:
      1. Individual Child Plans
      2. Indoor Group Experiences
      3. Outdoor Group Experiences
      4. Circle or Story Time
      5. Also include family involvement and adaptations / accommodations to be made for the week.
  6. Weekly curriculum plans will be submitted to the Regional Manager (RM), Assistant Regional Manager (ARM), and ECEC for review and/or feedback.
  7. Current curriculum plans must be legible and posted in an accessible and visible place in the classroom for reference and notation of changes.
  8. At the end of the week, curriculum plan will be placed in a binder/folder with all other past plans. The curriculum and individualization plans will be kept for the entire program year.
  9. Post individual routine form where it is convenient for direct service staff to see.

This policy complies with Head Start Performance Standards 45 CFR1302.30, 1302.31, and 1302.32

Policy Council approved December 2012. August 2023

Updated: April 2018. July 2023

REVIEWED: July 2023