DOCUMENT RESUME.

ED 078 918 PS 006 532

AUTHOR Gira, Catherina, Ed.TITLE Guidelines for Early Education.INSTITUTION Maryland State Dept. of Education, Baltimore.PUB DATE Sep 72NOTE 51p.JOURNAL CIT Maryland School Bulletin; v48, n4 Sep1972

EDRS PRICE MF-$0.65 HC-$3.29DESCRIPTORS *Administrator Guides; *Early Childhood Education;

Preschool Programs; Program Administration; ProgramEvaluation; *Program Planning; State CurriculumGuides; *State Standards

ABSTRACTThe guidelines for early childhood education programs

in the State of Maryland are presented. The following topics arediscussed: (1) the importance of early childhood education; (2) thegoals of early childhood education:, (3) family and communityinvolvement in early childhood education; (4) factors to beconsidered in planning an early childhood education program--thechild, physical facilities, the staff, curriculum, grouping,scheduling, and evaluation; (5) procedures for initiating ormodifying an early childhood education program; and (6)recommendations for the effective dissemination and use of theguidelines. Specific equipment needs and teaching and activitysuggestions are provided. (KM)

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PREIACE

In March 1971, and again in April 1972, the State Board of Education declaredearl, childhood education to be of high priority in Maryland. Accordingly, theBoard assigned the State Department of Education to prepare by September1972, guidelines for the development of early childhood education programs.

1-rom the outset, it was determined that the guidelines should be developedcooperatively with representatives from many agencies and groups State,local, and national who are concerned with the welfare and education ofyoung children. These include parents, health and social services agencies,colleges, and numerous other private and public agencies. Dr. James A.Sensenbaugh, in a letter inviting other agencies to select representatives toparticipate in the project, wrote: "We in education believe that no one agencyalone has the resources to meet the multiple needs represented withinprograms for young children. Therefore, if becomes necessary for all agenciesto work together coordinating program planning, implementation, evaluation,and resources."

During the week of June 26 June 30, 1972, a multi-agency conference was heldto initiate the development of the guidelines. The conference was attended by94 persons representing 34 agencies ar d groups and by 19 parents and otherinterested individuals. The purposes of the conference were to:

Develop in the participants a clearer ay., areness of the early childhoodeducation programs currently ir, iperat'on in the State;

Develop awareness of the issues confronting early childhood education;

Develop some consensus regarding the scope, content, and purpose of theguidelines;,

Organize work groups and divide responsibilities among conferenceparticipants.

The guidelines were subsequently written and edited during the entire monthsof July and August. The names of those who contributed invaluable time, effort,and talent to the project appear in the "Acknowl7dgments."

The guidelines in this bulletin should provide a sound but flexible frameworkfor designing, operating, and evaluating educational programs for youngchildren in Maryland. They indicate the critical importance of early childhoodeducation in the total development of children; the goals of early childhoodeducation;, the factors that must be taken into consideration in planningprograms;, and appropriate procedures for initiating or modifying programs.While considerable latitude is given for interpreting the guidelines in light ofindividual community needs, this bulletin hopefully will make clear toeducational planners the fundamental principles on which any early childhoodeducation program should be based.

GuiddiNEs fOREARLY CHILDHOOD

EDUCATION

Maryland State Derartment of Education

P.O. Box 8717

Friend -iip International Airport

Baltimore, Maryland 21240

50Maryland School Bulletin

Vol XLVIII, Number 4

September 1972

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AckNowlEdgmENTSThe thinking and experience of many persons have contributed to the development of these guidelinesCatherine S. Brunner, Coordinator, Early Childhood Education, Phyllis B. Kopelke, Specialist, Early ChildhoodEducation; and Joseph M. Showell, Specialist, Early Childhood Education, represented the Maryland StateDepartment of Education and were responsibly for coordinating the entire project from its inception to itscompletion.

The State Department of Education extends appreciation to the consultants who met with and advisedmulti-agency personnel:

Milton AkersExezutive DirectorNational Association for the Education of Young ChildrenWashington, D.C.

Billy HausermanChairman, Department of EducationTowson State College

Ralph HortonDirector of Urban Studies InstituteMorgan State College

Thanks are also due to the Writing Committee. Special mention should be made of the contributions ofVirginia Puth Laura Lee Ritter, and Virginia Singer, teachers at Woodmore Elementary School, Prince George'sCounty, who devoted much time and effort to the project.

Bernard SpodekProfessor of Early Childhood EducationUniversity of Illinois at Urbana

Percy V. WilliamsAssistant State SuperintendentDivision of Compensatory, Urban, and Supplementary

ProgramsMaryland State Department of Education

Other writers were:

Elizabeth ClopoerSupervisor of Early Childhood Education and Special

EducationWashington County Public Schools

Margaret ConantSupervisor, Child Study ProgramsPrince George's County Public Schools

Leroy DurhamAssociate Professor of EductionDirector of Cooperative Education CentersMorgan State College

Alyce M. EdwardsAssociate Professor of EducationBowie State College

Charlotte B. HancockChairman, Education DepartmentBowie State College

Alice HoldenConsultant, Early Childhood EducationMaryland State Department of Education

Gloria B. JonesPrincipal, Pumphrey Elementary SchoolAnne Arundel County

Pauline V. KummerPublic Health Nursing Consultant in PediatricsDivision of NursingMaryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Jewell Mako linSupervisor of Special Educat;on 'Carroll County Public Schools

Joan C. MaynardSpecialist, Speech and HearingMaryland State Department of Education

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Peggy NottinghamSupervisor and Coordinator of Early Childhood EducationBaltimore City Public Schools

Bette NunnPrincipal Invcs"gator for Early Childhood Research

ProgramCoppin State College

H. David ReeseAsristar: Director in Certification and AccreditationM ryland State Department of Education

Eleanor B. RequardSupervisor of Elementary SchoolsBaltimore County Public Schools

Emma W. SmartAssistant Professor, Department of EducationBowie State College

Jeanette SorrentinoSpecialist in Accreditation, PreschoolMaryland State Department of Ed 'cation

Ethel SpencerPublic Health NutritionistDivision of NutritionMaryland Stile Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Iris M. ZimmermanSupervisor of Elementary SchoolsFrederick County Public Schools

TAbtE Of CONTENTS

I. The Importance of Early Childhood Education 8

II. The Goals of Early Childhood Education H)

III. Family and Community Involvement in Early Childhood Education 1 )

IV. Factors to be Considered in Nanning an Early Childhood EducationProgram 16

A. The Child 16

B. Physical Facilities

C. The Staff 26

D. Curriculum 28

E. Grouping 37

F. Scheduling 38

G. Evaluation 41

) )

V. Procedures for Initiating or Modifying an Early ChildhoodEducation Program 43

VI. Recommendations 48

Appreciation is extended to the following persons whoreacted to content and format:

Aliia BrandwineAssociate Professor of EducationTowson State College

Amon Burgee, HISpecialist, ESEA, Title IMaryland State Department of Education

Mary Jane EdlundChild Day Care Center CoordinatorDivision of Maternal and Child HealthMaryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Kathleen A FrancisSupervisor of InstructionTalbot County Public Schools

Trudy HambyAssociate Professor of EducationUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore County

Alice KjerTraining Director, Martin Luther King Parent Child CenterBaltimore, Maryland

Dell C. KjerProfessor of EducationChairman of Early Childhood EducationTowson State College

Frederick LeeDirector of General StudiesCommunity College of Baltimore

George D. LisbySpecialist, ESEA, Title IMaryland State Department of Education

Geraldyne LongCoordinator, Parent InvolvementBaltimore City Public Schools

Joan C. MaynardSpecialist, Hearing and SpeechMaryland State Department of Education

Grateful acknowledgment is given to Catherina Gira,Baltimore, who prepared the report for publicaticn.

EARLYCHILDHOODEDUCATION

read the manuscript during the production stage and

Frances S. MeginnisAssistant Director, ESEA, Title IIIMaryland State Department of Education

Donald P. MerrymanCoordinator of Elementary SchoolsBaltimore County Public Schools

Pamela R. Moore, M.D.Chief of School HealthAnne Arundel County Health Department

Virginia MurraySupervisor of Elementary SchoolsCarroll County Public Schools

Wilhelmina E. OldfieldSupervisor of Elementary SchoolsHoward County Public Schools

Marion D. PersonsChief, Division of Child Day CareBaltimore City Health Department

Lee Joyce RichmondChairman, Division of Social ServicesDundalk Commun:ty College

Eve F. SmithSupervisor, Pre-School Child Day CareBaitimore County Department of Health

Marorie TeitelbaumExecutive DirectorMaryland 4-C Committee

Joan H. TilsonSpecialist, Federal ReportsMaryland State Department of Education

Ronald C. WattsActing Assistant Director, ESEA, Title IMaryland State Department of Education

Kathleen ZivkovichTeacher, West Friendship Elementzry SchoolHoward County

Associate Professor of English, University of

(JAMES A. SENSENBAUGHState Superintendent of School,:

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ThE IMPORTANCE

of EARLY Childhood EducATioN

For more than a decade, educational research hasunderscored the critical importance of the early yearsin the later development of the individual. Duringthese years more is learned at a faster rate than atany other time. Foundations are laid fo: theformation of long lasting habits, attitudes, andintellectual competencies for what virtually maybecome a lifetime style of living and learning.Studies by Bloom (1964), Hunt (1951), and Skeels(1966),, for example, suggest that as much as 50 percent of mature intelligence is developed by age fourand 80 per cent by age eight. The studies concludethat a lack of appropriate learning opportunitiesduring these years can result in irreversible retarda-tion Other researchers, such as Deutsch (1967) andWeikart (1967), have produced evidence that care-fully planned educational experiences prior to agefive can enable children with potential learningproblems to achieve successfully in later years. Thesestudies have profound significance for ail children,and particularly for disadvantaged children, many ofwhom experience serious impediments to learning.Ultimately, the goal of education is for eachindividual to fulfill his own potential and to becomea productive member of society. Early childhoodeducation is an essential first step toward therealization of this goal.

The critical need for more comprehensive andadequate early childhood education programs in theState of Maryland is reflected in the fact that during1971-72:

Nearly 9,000 children in the public schoolsrequired programs of special education because ofsevere learning disabilities or language impair-ments not related to physical handicaps;

Over 19 million dollars in federal funds wereexpended in the State to improve education fordisadvantaged children;

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-early 20 per cent of Maryland's potential highschool graduates for the year (based on ninth-grade projections) had left school beforegraduation. In school systems where there arehigh percentages of disadvantaged childrenenrolled, as many as 30-400/0 of the potential highschool graduates drop out of school. Inadequacyof the foundation for learning developed duringthe early years of life is one major factor inherentin the dropout problem.

As Deutsch and Weikart indicate, well-plannedlearning experiences early in the lives of childrencan do much to prevent learning disabilities, toreduce the need foi and cost of special educationand remedial programs, and to strengthen theholding power of the schools. Neither Maryland norits children can afford less than a strong program ofearly childhood education.

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OAtS

ARty hiLdhood EducArioN

An effective program of early childhood educationseeks to strengthen all aspects of the child'sdevelopment. Its goals are to enable the child:

O To develop a positive feeling about himself andabout his own abilities to create and learn;

To acquire a foundation for learning:

To become interested in many kinds of things, inthe beauty and excitement of the world about andwithin him;To develop the skills and processes necessary forlearning and communicatin8, about his world;,

To acquire information and develop concepts in avariety of content areas: language arts, science,mathematics, social studies, art, music, physicaleducation, health and safety.

To understand his strengths and limitations; to copewith success and failure;

To participate in activities that increase his physicaland mental health and develop positive habits ofpersonal care;,

To meet and work with persons of different sexes,races, ages, and cultural and economic backgrounds,so as:

--To observe sim.'arities and differences amongpeople;,

To appreciate and learn from the unique abilitiesof other persons;

To become sensitive to the needs and feelings ofothers;,

To cope with positive and negative feelings aboutother people; to cope with positive and negativefeelings directed toward him;

To work dependently, independently, or inter-dependently as the situation requires.

When the goals of early childhood education aremet, the child has a sense of worth and fulfillmenand is responsive to the worth and needs of other:.These goals will not be fully met by age three, orfive, or eight. Rather, the child in his early years willbegin an educational process which, if nurtured anddeveloped throughout a lifetime, will help him tobecome a worthwhile and responsible human being.

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FAmity ANd

CommuNiTy INVOLVEMENT

iN EARty Chitdhood EducATioN

Although the family is the basic unit of living inAmerican life, its role has changed considerably,particularly in raising and educating child1en. Twofactors have contributed to this change:

1. The status of women in the family because of thepercentage now employed.

2. The economic plight of some families in a highlyindustrialized and mobile society.

In 1870, only 14 percent of the women were em-ployed. In 1970, about 40 percent of the femalepopulation were employed. Among other things, thisincrease in female employment means that a mothermust perform many of her traditional roles inaddition to her job responsibilities. She is a wageearner and is required to be outside of her home to agreater extent than unemployed mothers. If themother comes from a low income family, the resultsof her employment may be devastating. In somefamilies she may have all the responsibility becausethere is no male in the household. If her education isinadequate, she may not make enough to adequatelysupport the family.

Such conditions as these tend to minimize the hometraining which children receive. Essentially the needfor early childhood education programs has beenintensified as social and economic patterns havechanged. In addition to programs for children threeand four years old, there is also a need for an aspectof these programs that involves the family in ameaningful way.

Concern is often expressed that early childhoodeducation programs do more harm than good byseparating children from their parents and placingthem in the school setting. Successful early child-hood education programs bring children and parentscloser together by improving the parents' ability toparticipate effectively in the development andeducation of their children. Good programs are

developed in relation to the specific needs of thechildren and families to be served, place majoremphasis on important roles parents can assume inthe daily program, and strengthen the family throughproviding resources which lead to more effectiveparenthood.

Early childhood education programs depend in largemeamire upon the active involvement and support ofthe families and communities they serve. Withoutfamily and community assistance, the school staffcar do little to identify program needs, set meaning-ful goals, or marshal the resources needed to financeand strengthen the program.

Involvement of parents and other communityrepresentatives in the early childhood educationprogram can take many forms, for there are manyand varying roles that each can play in contributingto program development. The following guidelinesidentify ways in which the school, the family, andthe community can work together to achieve richerand fuller lives for young children.

The staff can learn from parents for parents, too, areeducators.

Parents have helped the child to learn much of whathe knows when he enters school. They want what isest for their child. They want, in effect, what the

school wants. Parents make invaluable contributionsto the early childhood education program when theyshare information with the school staff about theirchild: his interests, his relationship with siblings andplaymates, parents and other adults; his habits ofdaily living.

Parents also contribute to the total program whenthey participate directly in the school learn;ngprogram as volunteers (assisting with health screen-ing programs, accompanying children on trips,tutoring, serving as resource persor,) as aides(helping small groups with projects under the direc-tion of the teacher, helping to organize supplies andmaterials, keeping records, helping to guideorganized play activities, reading stori., to smallgroups).

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Ei Parents can learn and receive needed services from theschool staff as they:

Observe the child in the school setting;

Confer with staff members about the child'srelationship to other children and adults in theschool;

Work wtih staff members to identify the child'sneeds and to acquire increased skills in developingand reinforcing positive learnings and minimizingor modifying negative learnings;

Confer with specialists who can help them toidentify needs and secure referral assistance forthe child or the family.

Social workers, for example, can assist families toobtain and use community resources and servicesrelating to food, clothing, and family managementneeds; to cope with problems involving inter-personal family relationships; to evaluate theeducational and community programs in which thechild is involved and to consider alternatives in theevent that a program does not seem to beappropriate for the child.

Health specialists working with the school programpsychologists, dentistscan help parents to assessthe health needs of the child and the family andsecure referral assistance as needed.

Parents and staff members can learn from one another asthey participate in conferences, workshops, and planningsessions designed to increase understandings aboutchildren or about community needs.

Many opportunities should be provided for parentsand educators to look closely together at the com-munity and the specific children involved in t1-1,program. Communities ale not static; communityneeds are not constant;, learning programs cannotjustifiably remain unchanging. Learning about thechild and the community is an essential prerequisiteto program planning. Parents and staff need tounderstand the implication of a new industrialcenter,, a new military base, or a changing racial orethnic composition upon the community and theschool.

n Parents, educators, and the community must plan jointlyfor the initiation, modification, implementation, andevaluation of early childhood education programs.

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...---Guidelines concerning this responsibility are dis-

that need to be given high priority in community

_ .cussed more fully in Chapter V.

to Parents and staff members should coordinate their effortswith other community agencies and inc:ividuals in orderto establish priorities affecting early childhood education.

Support and assistance from the community areneeded, not only to establish educational goals andsecure funding, but also to identify related services

pi:inning Th.s. may .,,`lode traffic and safetyservices, sanitation services, health services, social

vices, and other services needed to ensure thewell-being of children and their families. On occa-sions, joint efforts will need to he expended by theschool and the community to bring about neededpublic information programs or supportive legisla-tion. Parents, educators, and other representativesfrom the community will not always agree on plansof action, and they will need to work hard to resolvetheir differences and arrive at acceptable compro-mises But the welfare of children is at stake, andcommunities that care about that will find v:ableways to take positive action within a climate thatrespects and cherishes differences.

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1V.

FACTORS TO bE CONSidEREd

iN PEANNiNg AN

EARLY Childhood EducATioN PROgRAM

Planners of early childhood education programsmust he sensitive to the total dimensions of thechild's world. First, there is the child himself, thecenter of the learning program. Then there are thepeople, the places, the things, the experiences inschool and out that surround and affect him. Eachof these factors must he given careful considerationin a comprehensive and effective program for youngchildren Subsequent sections of this bulletin containgeneral principles and guidelines concerning thechild, physical facilities, the staff, curriculum,grouping, scheduling, and evaluation.

A. The Child

The young child grows rapidly in many ways Hisbody matures physically: he grows taller and heavier,his coordination improves; his perceptions sharpen.He becomes able to relate to larger and largergroups of people. He learns to understand and dealwith the many emotions that he feels. He grows evermore inquisitive: his mind questions, explores,expands.

These facets of development physical, social,emotional, intellectual take place concurrently,yet not at an even pace and not in isolation. Thechild is a complex organism. His physical develop-ment, for example, may he far ahead of or far behindhis social or intellectual maturity. Yet his growth inone area affects everything he does. If the childcannot see or hear well, his ability to learn to readmay be impaired, or he may he socially reticent oremotionally disturbed. If he is unhappy with himselfor with someone in his home, he may find it difficultto enter into play and work activities designed todevelop his mind and strengthen his body. The earlychildhood education program, therefore, must fostergrowth in all aspects of the child's development.

1. Developing the Child's Concept of Himself as aPerson and as a Learner

Before his first birthday, a baby has begun to sensehis worth as a human being. His concept of himselfbegins to form as he is held or not held; as others

care for his needs or do not care for them. as heexperiences N. oices and reactions of others, as he ishandled gently or harshly Numerous studies indicatethat by the time the child is fiN.e or six, he has alreadyformed a strongly developed picture of himself a

self-concept. That picture is with him \\here\ er hegoes, it influences everything he does. These studiesalso suggest that the child \A, ho feels good abouthimself and has confidence in his abilities is morelikely to succeed than the child who believes himselfincapable of success Success or failure, then,appears to be caused as much by the child's conceptof himself as it is by measured mental ability.

School experiences, research also indicates, cancontribute to the development of an adequate andrealistic self concept in the young child when theseguidelines are foliowed:

E Attention to positive self-concepts should be initiated atthe earliest level possible and shs;uld be consistentlymaintained throughc it each child's school experience.

Each child should be made to feel that he is im-portant, that he belongs in school, that he can dowh, tever needs to he done.

Ea The staff must be cognizant of ways in which positiveself-concepts are fostered in the young child.

These include:

Showing continuing faith in the child's ability toachieve;

Using teaching methods and materials whichenable the child to achieve honest success,

Giving attention to accomplishments, rather thanmistakes;

Talking with the child, listening to him, andsupporting him in his efforts to plan, share, solveproblems, and express himself.

2. Recognizing the Child's Characteristics and Needs asthe Center of the Program

Much has been written over the years about thecharacteristics of the young child. It is well estab-lished, for example, that he is insatiably curious; thathe is egocentric, that each day he seeks greater andgreater independence It is essential for developersof early childhood education programs not only torecognize these characteristics, but more im-portantly, to view them as an implicit focal point forthe planning of all facilities, staffing, learningexperiences, grouping patterns, and schedules.While the following chart is not intended to be com-prehensive, it should provide a point of view andsome useful guidelines to illustrate how a givencharacterstic of the young child affects and deter-mines many aspects of program planning.

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curious a time to discover his own interests

large blocks of time to pursue his interests

e, time for his questions to be heard anddiscussed

a wide variety of materials and resource, tohelp him find the answers to his questions

purposeful observation of childrendifferentiated roles that professional, para-professional, and volun eer p !ronnel can playin assisting children to r' rsue tI-eir interests

flexible scheduling

problem solving procedt , es an techniques

materials, resources, anc ictivities appropriateto children's interests and developmentallevels: books,, interest centers, manipulativematerials, field trips, resource people

egocentric positive attention horn others

opportunities to care for ins own needs andpursue his own interests

opportunities to participate and share withothers: with a single partner, with smallgroups, with larger grou;)s

a clear understanding of his special or uniquerole in group activities; the opportunity toassume the roles of leader and follower

the relationship between self-concept andlearning,, ways to foster a positive self-concept

techniques for helping children to establishtheir own limits

grouping patterns; activities appropriate tovarious size groups

techniques for assuring the active participationof each child in group activities and for avoid-ing long periods of waiting in activites such ascooking or science experiments and field trips

not sure of opportunities to develop a sense of trust, tohimself share with others, and to establish his own

limits and responsibilities in group activities

praise for his successes and assistance inunderstanding and learning from his failures

the dynamics necessary for building relation-ships of trust among children and betweenchildren and adults

ways in which the individual can copeconstructively with failure

experiencing opportunities to develop insights into his ownfeelings he behavior and the behavior of othersdoesn't fully opportunities to receive recognition and tounderstand give recognition to others for their

contributionsfreedom to express both positive and negativefeelings

opportunities to channel feelings intoconstructive behavior

a variety of activities through which childrencan come to recognize and deal with positiveand negative feelings about themselves andothers; e.g. role playing, reacting io hypo-thetical situations, dramatic play

the relationship between feelings and learning

-- varied ways in which an individual mayrespond to situations involving both positiveand negative feelings

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testing his opportunities to work alone when possibleindependence but with support when needed

opportunities to participate in self-initiatedactivities as well as in those planned andinitiated by the teacher or othersopportunties to be involved in group planningand decision making and in carrying outdecisions

a variety of room-arrangement patterns, a flvariety of options for organizing the learning

rienvironment. learning centers, interest centers, §media centers, outdoor centers

procedures involved in decision makingquestioning techniques for motivating criticalthinking and verbal developmentroles of leaders and group members indecision making

testing hissenses andhis body

opportunities to engage in a wide variety offirst-hal.d experiences involving seeing,hearing, tasting, touching, smelling

opportunities tc, Participate in play activitiesthat develop large end small muscles

materials and activities that extend learningthrough the use of the senses, e g clay, wood,weaving, cooking

materials and play activities that improve bodycoordination, e g halls, balance beam,rhythmic activitiestechniques for avoiding overstimulation andunderstimulation

growing in opportunities to assess his own strengths anda unique ;imitationspattern

assistance in setting realistic goals for himselfin terms of his varied developmental levels

opportunity to select from a variety ofmaterials and activities suitable to his level ineach content area

assistance in evaluating his own growth andredefining his goals accordingly

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methods, techniques, and instruments forascertaining the developmental levels ofchildren

curriculum goals appropriate to variousdevelopmental levels

learning experiences that are based on thechild's strengths and that enable him todevelop further his skills and concepts in eachcontent area

methods, techniques, and instruments forevaluating the child's growth

learning something to talk aboutlanguage

experiences which will promote communica-tion

opportunities to express feelings and ideas

using stimuli that are present in theenvironmentproviding materials which add interest andchallenge to the environmentarranging for periodic change of materialsand equipment in the environment

providing experiences for children to use theirsenses as they interact with people, places, andthings as a basis for language growth andcommunication skills

creating opportunities for person-to-personconversation and group discussions

3. Recognizing the Effect of Environment inDetermining the Extent of the Child's Growth andDevelopment

Children grow and develop in many kinds ofenvironments. Crowded, diversified urban areas,geographically-isolated areas, and suburban areaswith their unique patterns of cultural, racial, and age-group isolation cause the development of varied lifestyles and give rise to different values, resources, andproblems. Varied aspects of any environment havesignificant impact in producing particular strengthsand needs in the individual. Of major importanceare:

The quality of family relationships;

Provisions for care and protection of theindividual;

Opportunities for interaction with persons ofdifferent ages, sexes, races, and cultural back-grounds,

Opportunities for varied experiences;

Opportunities for intellectual stimulation andlanguage development;

Availability of resources to provide for needs offamilies and individuals.

Children who are isolated from the mainstream ofsociety by poverty, discrimination, distance, familycrises, institutionalization, or physical or mentalhandicaps are usually deprived of opportunities inareas identified above. Frequently, this deprivationis severe with devastating results. Children who arevictims of marked deprivation require educationalexperiences which emphasize positive relationships,self-esteem, supportive health and social services,experiences to stimulate concept development,language development, and basic learning skills.Additional effort must he expended by the staff, bylocal and state boards of education and their staffs,and other officials of the community, state,and federal government to identify the needs of dis-advantaged children and to provide the resources tomeet those needs For example, in urban areas wherelarge numbers of parents may he absent from thehome from early morning until late in the day due tocritical necessity for employment, an extendedschool day, including food service, is necessary toinsure maximum development of children and

fulfillment of their educational needs. In rural areasNA, here transportation to and from s( pool consumeslarge blocks of time, there is a need for planning forproductive use of this time through planned educa-tional experiences that can be developed en routeto school. Likewise, the isolation of children in ruralareas from resources such as libraries, requires thedevelopment of traveling multi-media centers tobring books and other visual aids, educational games,and similar mental stimulation to communitiesotherwise deprived of these resources. Suburbanchildren are limited in their development because ofan environment that restricts opportunities to relateto many different kinds of people Provision needsto be made for experiences which bring childreninto continuing relationships with a broad spectrumof people, places, and situations.

Program planning must capitalize upon thoseaspects of the environment which encourage growthand compensate for those which impede it. Forchildren with marked deficits, prekindergartenOpportunities must be provided to ensure maximumdevelopment and success in learning.

4. Providing Services that Foster the Child's Physicaland Emotional Well-Being*

The early years are crucial to the development of theindividual's physic ' and emotional well-being thechild who is healthy has a better chance to learnthan one who is not; the child who suffers physicalor emotional disorders may experience severelearning disabilities. It is essential, therefore, thathealth services he directed toward the early detec-tion and prevention of health problems.

Some specific guidelines for planning an earlychildhood education program that fosters physicaland emotional health are as follows:

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El Health services should provide for thorough appraisals ofeach child's health needs.

Parents, educators, and health personnel shouldcooperate to assure that the child is provided with acomplete medical examination before enteringschool, including visual acuity and hearing tests; a

dental examination, preferably on an annual basisafter the third year, when deciduous dentition iscomplete; screening for developmental, physical, orpsychological disorders; and primary immunizationagainst diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitits,measles (rubeola), and German measles (rubella).Some of these health appraisals may take placewithin the school setting; others will occur in themore specialized facilities of private family physi-cians and dentists, -Imics, oi other communityhealth facilities. In any case, it is imperative that theresults of various screening ai d ex, mination pro-cedures be coordinated and that a comprehensiveand ongoing health record be mair..ained for eachchild.

Adequate provision should be made for followupand referral services as needed and for assistingparents in selecting and using resources appropriateto the child's health needs.

Ongoing health appraisal should take place as the childis observed by school and health personnel on a daily orregular basis.

The teacher is often closer to the child than anyoneelse outside his immediate family and, accordingly,has unique opportunities to observe the child'sfunctional well-being, to note incipient problems,and to assist the child in securing the help he needs.The teacher is often among the f;rst, for example, tosuspect visual or hearing defects, emotional dis-orders, and learning or speech problems.

The nurse is skilled in recognizing signs of commonchildhood illness; the psychologist recognizes earlysigns of emotional disorders. Often, both haveoccasion to work directly with the child's familyregarding health needs and can assist the teacher toknow what to look for in terms of the child's healthor school performance.

EARLYCHILDHOODEDUCATION

Conferen«-s bevAcen the teacher and health per-sonnel assigned to the school or working withchildren on a consultant basis are invaluable inappansing the child's health needs.

lE Food cervices in the early childhood education programshould provide the child's daily nutritional requirementsand foster healthful eating habits.

The content and scheduling of food services shouldbe determined by the number of flows the programoperates; the facilities available for food prepara-tion, storage, and serving; and the accepted foodcustoms in the home and community. Snacks shouldbe planned as supplements to meals when they areprovided. A suggested food service pattern follows:

MinimumLength of Day Meals and/or Snacks

Four hours or lessFive to seven hoursEight hours or more

One snackOne meal and two snacksOne meal and two snacks

orTwo meals and one snack

Food service facilities should provide a comfortablephysical setting for children, including suitably-sizedfurniture, plates, cups, and utensils which can bemanaged by the age group, a calm, unclutteredatmosphere. Facilities should meet local healthdepartment standards in terms of sanitation and mustprovide for personal cleanliness on the part ofchildren and staff.

Eating should take place in a setting which en-courages conversation, socializing, and pleasureFoods should be attractive in appearance andarrangement, vaned in color, flavor, and texture,provided in small servings with the assurance thatthe child can ask for more or in family style servingso that the child has some freedom to choose hisown food and regulate the amount he needs andwants in a given clay.

Learning experiences and schedules for young childrenshould be designed to foster sound health.

Health services should be integrated with the learn-ing program where possible, so that children maybecome more aware of the importance of health andincreasingly more Ale to assume re' nonsibility fortheir own health.

The daily schedule of the young child should provideopportunities for him to engage in appropriateperiods of rest, quiet, and vigorous activities andindoor and outdoor play.

IN An appropriate health services program should beprovided for children with special needs (physical,emotional, educational disabilities), so that they mayderive maximum benefits from their educationalexperiences.

gl School health programs should be developed throughcooperative planning and administration.

Parents, educators, and health personnel shouldwork with other community agencies to identifywhat services are needed and available for eachchild Provision should be made for coordination ofservices, so that optimum use may he made ofcommunity resources and so that school, health, andother professional personnel may concentrate theftefforts in areas in which they are most proficient.

it ,i( tit

Whenever possible, prekindergarten and kinder-garten centers should he housed in elementaryschools Location of centers in schools is economicaland efficient, since overhead costs may he mini-mized and services and resources already availablewithin the school setting may be easily extended tothe younger children. Of vast importance is theopportunity afforded to the young child and his fam-ily to become involved from this initial educationalexperience with the school the young child willattend on a continuing basis.

Young children need indoor and outdoor space justfor them; low drinking fountains, their own bath-room facilities, adequate storage areas; not toomany stairs to climb;, space for their needs theirpets, their noise, and their active lives. It is notalways possible to house all elements of the earlychildhood education program in an elementaryschool. Therefore, when considering alternatives, itis important for planners to select facilities on thebasis of availability of community services, proximityto the main school, sole use of the facility, adequacyof staff space, and the special needs of children.

The following chart underscores the necessity ofplanning for facilities,, equipment, and supplies inlight of the unique needs of children aged three toeight years. The chart is not intended to be prescrip-tive or exhaustive, but rather is intended to providea framework for planning.

iti?1,2

Odd t .

Guidelines for Providing Facilities for Young Childrenhe td( dthe, hould

im lode .I he equipmt -114.u1d

in( hide . Int +tide

Eat when hungry

, ,,,,Food preparation facilities Cooking equipment, refriger-

ator,, tables and chairs at child'sheight, serving dishes

Foods as required

Drink when thirsty Child-sized drinking fountains,both indoors and outdoors

Pitchers Cups and a variety ofcool drinks

Rest when nee -"d Space for indiv'dual childrenand groups of children to restor engage in quiet activities

Cots couches, rocking chairs, Bath towels, sheets,arm chairs, rugs, boxes blankets

Move about withsafety while helearns

Adequate indoor and outdoorspace to permit movement ofgroups, individuals, andequipmentSpace for individual, small-group, and large-groupactivitiesSafe play areas: hard surface(black top,, tile) and soft surface(grass, sand)

Suggested equipment and supplies are listed in theMaryland State Department of Health and MentalHygiene's Regulations Governing Group Day Care Centers10 02 01

Go to the bathroom Child-sized toilets and washbasins, bathroom doors thatopen easily

Steps or large carrying boxes Toilet paper, paperto reach adult-sized fixtures towels, soap

Be cared for when A separate room and a lockingsick or injurid cupboard for medical supplies

A cot with covers Quiet toys, first-aidsupplies

Adult

Appropriate Roles and Needed Facilities and EquipmentFor Adults in the Early Childhood Program

I a( ditiesKole quip nwn t

Princ ipal andassistantprincipal

Relates effectively to children, parents, andstaff members at all levels

Works with parents and community to identifyprogram goals and to plan and evaluateprogiams

Coordinates staff planning and conferencesDevelops effective community and public

relations

Private office that in-cludes a conferencearea vith chalkboard

Storage space

Desk, comfortable chairsfor young children andadults, tables, shelves,files, telephone, andtypewriter if desired

Secretarialstaff

Relates effectively to children, staff, and other Officepersons who contact or enter the school Storage space

Assists administrative and teaching staff

Standard office equipmentand supplies. desk, type-writer, telephone,duplicating equipment,,files, etc.

Director orcoordinator

Teacher

Serves in a systemwide capacity to plan. Private office that in-implement, and evaluate the total program cludes a conferencecooperatively with the principal, the school area

staff, parents, and the community Storage spaceIdentifies and coordinates services needed to

complement the educational program

Desk, comfortable chairtables, shelves, files, tele-phone, and typewriter ifdesired

Relates effectively to children, parents, otherstaff members, and community

Guides and leads children, paraprofessionals,volunteers, and other staft in planning,implementing, and evaluating the learningprogram

Shares community and public relationsresponsibilities with the administrative staff

Planning and prepara-tion centers

Storage space

Personal desk and lockerfiles for materials, shelvesof varying height, largetables for group con-ferences and preparationof materials, telephoneand typewriter (or accessto them)

Paraprofessional Works effectively and primarily with childrenParticipates in team planningCarries out responsibilities that are defined

cooperatively with teacherRelates effectively to staff, parents, and others

involved in the program

Storage space Personal desk and locker,files and shelves, tele-phone and typewriter (oraccess to them)

Volunteer*(parents, seniorcitizens, olderstudents in theschool, civicgroups, collegestudent, etc.)

Works effectively and primarily with childn,,i Work roomParticipates in team planningCarries out responsibilities defined cooper-

atively with teacher and paraprofessionalsRelates effectively to other adults involved in

the program

Tables and chairs,equipment needed toperform specifiedresponsibilities

(continued On next page)

7

Adult

Appropriate Roles and Needed Facilities and EquipmentFor Adults in the Early Childhood Program

FacilitiesRole Equipment

Nurse and other Works with children, school staff, parents, and Storage spacehealth personnel others to icier-mi' health needs

Follows up on health needs

Desk and comfortablesirs for young children

and adults, «)t, shelvesand high cupboard tohouse supplies, telephone

Nutritional Relates effectively to children, parents, and Kitchen facilities, Standard kite hen equip-staff other staff members storage space men' and supplies,

Works cooperatively with staff and tamilies to telephoneidentify nutritional needs

Plans mealsOrders and prepares food

Psychologist Works with children,, school staff, and parents Conference room Desk and comfortableto identify children with special needs chairs for young children

Assists staff in developing ongoing observation and adults, table, testingand screening techniques equipment, telephone

Follows up on referrals

Social Service Works with children, school staff, parents, and Conference room Desk and comfortablepersonnel other community agencies to identify family chairs for young children

and community needs and adults, table, tele-Follows up on referrals phone

Custodial staff Maintains safe and healthful school facility Storage facilities Cleaning equipment, deskRelates effectively to children and adults who and chair, telephone

use the facilityTakes inventory and orders supplies as needed

Bus driver Transports children Space for loading, Bus equip ecl with ode-Follows and sets an example for safety unloading, parking quate safety devices for

standards in traffic situations childrenRelates effectively to children, school staff,

and community

*In programs where only one paid staff member is available for a group of children, volunteers should be organized andcommitted to a routine schedule Examples of the effectiveness of planned use ut olunteer, can be toilful in /IPA Start andCooperative Nursery School Programs

,,. .., - . -.,,... .. ,

.11A11.

;it

People make up a very important part of the youngchild's learning environment, both in school and out.The child's total development physical, emotional,social,, and intellectual is profoundly affected byhis interactions with his parents, brothers and sisters,playmates, neighbors, bus drivers, teachers, para-professionals, and many, many others. Plans forstaffing at all levels should take into account theimportance of these influences.

The following understandings and guidelines arefundamental to the selection and continuing devel-opment of a staff that can work effectively withyoung children:

J The staff should know about the characteristics and needsof young children and about programs and facilitiesappropriate for them. (Refer to the preceding sections ofthis chapter.)

l Tie staff should be selected in terms of the specific needsof the community and the established requirements ofappropriate agencies.

Teachers, principals, and other professional staffmembers should meet the requirements of the Mary-land State Department of Education; nurses,psychologists, and other health personnel should becertified by the Maryland State Department ofHealth and Mental Hygiene;, social workers shouldmeet the requirements of the Maryland State De-partment of Employment and Social Services. Whenpossible, additional guidelines for the selection ofstaff members and resource persons should be de-veloped cooperatively by parents and the profes-sional staff. These guidelines should includeprovision for the career mobility of paraprofessionals.

ea The staff should include a variety of persons representingdifferent ages, sexes, races, and cultural backgrounds.

The child's life is enriched when he has the opportu-nity to meet and work with many different kinds ofpersons.

L'very staff member involved with the child, whether on adaily basis or periodically, in the classroom or outside it,must understand that he is a potential model for positiveor negative behavior.

The young child learns by imitating. He becomescurious or eager when he is motivated by others whoare questioning, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable.He becomes accepting and friendly when he is withothers who are warm, receptive, and understanding.He learns honesty from honest people, dishonestyfrom dishonest people. And from others he learns tolaugh or to inflict pain.

Di The professional staff should recognize the inevitableexistence of positive and negative influences in the child'slife and should know how to deal with those influencesin the learning situation.

The staff and the parents should work closely to-gether to identify and reinforce positive influencesin the child's environment, find ways to m;nimizenegative influences, and help the child to recognizeand cope with the presence of negative influences.

Each staff member should understand clearly his role inthe total program.

g Each staff member should be provided with the facilitiesand equipment necessary to carry out his responsibilities.

The number of persons involved in the early child-hood education program will depend upon theneeds and resources of each community. The follow-ing chart is not intended to designate required staffpositions. Rather, it suggests appropriate roles,facilities, and equipment when such personnel areavailable in terms of program design and budget.

ti The early childhood education program should providefor continuing staff development

Staff training should begin prim to each member'sinitial involvement in the program and should con-tinue throughout his association with it. Productiveand lasting staff training cannot result from a one-time exposure or trom a hurried or superficialexperience. The blocks of time needed for staffdevelopment should be determined by each in-dividual staff. On occasion, released time or out-of-school time may be desirable to permit a thoroughdevelopment of a pa:ticular area of concern. Atother times, staff training will take place concomit-antly with other activities as staff members identifythe needs of children and the community, identifyprogram goals, and plan,, implement, and evaluatethe educational program.

A variety of materials and activities should beavailable to the staff as it engages in individual andtotal staff development. Observations, video tapes,tape recordings, films, field trips, seminars, andworkshops can he extremely useful in facilitating thedevelopment of staff competencies. Resourcepersons at the local and State level should beinvolved as needed to answer questions, assist withplanning, demonstrate procedures and methods, andassist in the selection or construction of materials.

Staff training programs will be most effective whenadequate leadership is available Intervisitation,cooperative planning, and interconsultation amongpersonnel from various local units and counties canenable each staff to develop leadership skills,capitalize upon existing programs, and reduceduplication of effort.

.00

;

imtr

z.

ri

- ,*;

D. CurriculumThe curriculum of the early childhood educationprogram should be:

Broad in scope to provide for the varied andexpanding needs of children;,

Flexible, based not upon "set" patterns of learning,but upon the [earnings required by each child.

General guidelines for planning a comprehensiveand flexible curriculum for young children are asfollows:Curriculum planning should be predicted upon certainbasic understandings about the way children learn:

Learning is continuous;, it proceeds from theknow to the unknown.

The child brings to the early childhood educationprogram many skills and understandings that need tobe extended, refined, or modified.

Learning results from reinforcement of experienceover a span of time.

Learning takes place best when what is to belearned is appropriate to the developmental levelsof the learner.

Learning is a multifaceted process.

The following chart illustrates some of the aspects oflearning that can be developed as the young childengages in even a very simple activity.

Curriculum planning for the total early childhoodeducation program includes the following:

Establishing the broad goals of the learningprogram;

Identifying the content concepts, skills processes,developmental tasks, and attitudes needed to helpyounger children function effectively in their dailylives and build a sound basis for future learning;,

Developing a wide variety of learning experiencesappropriate to the many developmental levels ofchildren;

Selecting materials and resources which will helpchildren to accomplish program goals.

Planning a learning program for a particular child requiresthe following:

Ascertaining the child's needs and developmentallevels;

Planning a program appropriate to those needsand levels; leading the child from where he is inhis physical, emotional, social, and intellectualdevelopment towards what he can become.

In essence, each child should engage in a learningprogram that is harmonious with the broad purposesof the total program for young children, but at thesame time is uniquely suitable for him. Research hasshown that nearly every child, including the excep-tional child, can benefit immensely from earlychildhood education so long as the program isappropriate and meaningful for him. The programfor the exceptional child may require, beyond theprovision for all children, a variety of alternatives orrelated services, such as services to parents to assistthem to work with their exceptional child, orcombined school and home experiences for thechild.

2

IS Planning a specific learning experience for one child or agroup of children requires the following:

Identifying the aspects of learning potential in theexperience: what content areas, concepts, skills,processes, developmental tasks, attitudes may beinvolved.

Content areas may be described as the raw materialof learning. "Content" is the body of knowledge thatexists in particular fields of human study andendeavor: language arts, science, mathematics,social studies, art, music, physical education, healthand safety.

Young children derive information through firsthandexperiences and through media such as television.Some of this information they can understand anduse. Some of it they completely misunderstand. It isnot unusual, for example, for a young child to givean impression of understanding as he talks aboutthings, yet reveal no real understanding in a directlearning experience in which that information playsa part.

Learning experiences should provide children withan opportunity to modify and acquire understand-ings in the various content areas. Accordingly,children need opportunities to develop certain skills,processes, concepts, and attitudes that are peculiar,if not always unique, to each discipline or contentarea.

29

The following curriculum materials, availablethrough the Maryland State Department of Education,Division of Instruction, contain useful guidelines fordetermining the scope of various content areas in theearly childhood education program:

"New Perspectives in Intergroup Education""Reading Goals and Characteristics""Environment and Education""Health Education Curriculum""Please Listen To Me""Prescription for Special Education"

determining which aspects of learning are toreceive particular attention for the child.

The learning program for one child may call forreinforcement of particular attitudes in a certain typeof activity, for example, while another child engagedin a similar activity may be concentrating primarilyon the development of a particular skill. It is import-ant for the learning experience to focus upon thoselearnings which are most needed by each child at agiven stage in his development.

Learning experiences which focus on a particular aspect oflearning should be predicated on a clear understandingof how those aspects are developed.

The following pages suggest ways of developinglearning experiences that focus primarily on con-cepts, skills and processes, developmental tasks, orattitudes.

e

Aspects of Learning Potential In A Given-Activity

Attitudes

1. Cooperating with otherswhile sharing tools andpaints

2. Assuming responsibilityfor organizing and corif'pleting project

3. Showing concern forsafety for self and others

Developmental Tasks

1. Learning to relate toothers while sharing

2. Learning to choose andprepare for an activity

3. Achieving appropriatedependence-independencepattern

Content1. Social Studies the

various uses of vehicles2. Science how things are

made and how they move3. Art design and color4. Safety proper use of

materials5. Language vocabulary and

communication skills

The child is engaged in anactivity:Making a simple constructionsuch as a car, an airplane or aboat, with two or three pieces ofwood hammered together,followed by a painting project

Process

1. Experimenting with materialssuch as wood, tools, and paints

2. Communicating ideas3. Evaluating the results of the

activity

it

Concepts about

1. Size2. Color3. Position4. Texture

MaterialI5

6. Length7. Number8. Density9. Shape

:Skills

1. Organizing ideas2. Noting details3. Developing eye and hand

coordination4. Measuring with the eye

by matching parts

1

EARLYCHILDHOODEDUCATION

....-7f-

,,

32

Concepts

Concepts begin to develop as children become ableto generalize ideas from particular situations. Whena child is very young, many of these conceptsconcern himself his relationship to objects andpersons in his environment. The child soon observes,for example, that he is "bigger" or "smaller" thananother child, or "taller" or "shorter." These labelsare based upon some understanding of conceptsinvolving size, weight, and height. Gradually, thechild begins to relate these simple concepts to otherpersons and objects in his experience and to formbroader and broader conceptual understandings,such as concepts about space, time, texture, density,speed, color, number, and order.

The two examples that follow illustrate some of thekinds of activities appropriate for focusing on con-cept development. In the first, a variety of sugges-tions are made for helping children at differentlevels develop concepts about themselves and theirrelationship to the physical world. In the second, anillustration is given of how a series of activities overan extended period of time can develop moresophisticated concepts as the child attains knowl-edge and skills and as prior learnings are reinforcedand extended.

Example 1: Developing Concepts of Self in Relationto Space

During the preschool years, repeated experiences inmoving about the environment provide the childwith initial understandings concerning his ownorientation in space and the relationship betweenhimself and other things in space.

Planned learning experiences which can extend thechild's initial concepts about himself in space willvary with the needs and developmental levels ofeach child. Some children will need help initially in:

Understanding the space required by one's bodyin different situations: space required when armsare stretched out, when stooping, when sitting,when lying down;

Understanding the space required by one's bodyto move in a variety of ways: walking, running,jumping, skipping, hopping, sliding;

Understanding the relative amount of space onerequires in a given situation as compared to otherpersons or objects;

Understanding the position of oneself in relationto other persons or objects: near, far, in front of,behind, next to, over, under, between, among,inside, outside.

Other children with wider experience will developmore definitive concepts and vocabularies abouttheir orientation in space: they will be able toexpress distances such as "nearer" or "farther" interms that are more precise: "a foot" or "four blocksaway." They will be able to determine direction notonly in terms of "up" and "down," "in" and "out,"but also "right" and "left," "north" and "south."These concepts are developed as children engage inactivities in which they learn a variety of ways todetermine distances and directions: pacing the

Some Concepts ThatCan Be Developed

distance to the window or the playground; measur-ing the distance; finding the third mailbox on theright; constructing a map showing the route fromhome to school; using a compass.

In addition to planned experiences which focusprimarily on concepts about the child's orientationin space, numerous other opportunities will arise forreinforcement as the child engages in play or work.As the very young child climbs the steps to thesliding board, for example, he may be encouraged toobserve that he is going "up" or "down," or that thedistance down the sliding board is "about six feet."The teacher will need to determine the optimumtiming and frequency of these reinforcements.

Example 2: Developing Concepts about WaterThe following chart illustrates how concepts may bedeveloped at different levels and with groups ofdifferent sizes and ages over an extended period oftime. (The specific activity involved in this kind ofplanning will vary with changing content emphasesand with ages and abilities of children.)

Developing Concepts About Water

Water Activity Group Size and Composition

Water takes up space.Water has weight. (The empty

container is lighter than the filledcontainer.)

Filling and emptying plasticcontainers

One to three younger children and anadult

Water can change form:It can become a solid.It can become a gas.It can evaporate.

Water is affected by changes intemperature.

Observiag the effects of temperaturechange on water (series of spacedactivities at different seasons andinvolving recall)

One to three younger children and anadult (teacher or resource person)or a larger group of older children(age six to eight) and an adult

Water exerts force.Water can be a constructive or

destructive source of energy.Water can change landforms.Flooding can be controlled.

Locating and using books and othersources of information about thecauses and effects of flooding(pictures for younger children,reading materials for those who canread)

One older child (age seven to eight)in an independent study project, ora small group of children and oneor more adults (teacher, resourceperson)

33

Skills and Processes

As children grow, they lean; tl master certain skills

and to undertake a series of interrelated skills oroperations in order to achieve a particular goal. In asense, processes are to skills what complex concepts

are to simpler ones. The very young child, forexample, may be able to place his foot into a shoe ofappropriate size (a coordination skill), but if hecannot find a matching pair of shoes or tie the laces,he cannot really complete the "process" of "puttingon his shoes."

Children in the early childhood education programneed many opportunities to engage in skill develop-ment and reinforcement and to direct those skillstoward the accomplishment of a specific end. Skillsare developed largely through practice. Just as thechild learns to speak by imitating and practicingsounds, so must he practice lettering or handwritingor buttoning or pouring or reading if he is to masterthose skills.

Children also need opportunities to developprocesses such as exploring, experimenting, com-municating, measuring, interacting, analyzing,synthesizing, and evaluating. They need to discoverwhich processes are more or less efficient inaccomplishing goals. For example, they need tolearn, perhaps by trial and error, that it is sometimesmore efficient when measuring to use a funnel topour water into a narrow-necked container than topour it directly from a pitcher. The child's com-petence in performing processes, then, grows as hebecomes more and more discriminating in theselection and application of skills to achieve hispurposes.

34

Here are two examples of learning experiences inwhich the child has an opportunity to develop bothskills and processes:

Example 1: Measuring

There are many occasions in which the child willneed to complete the process of measuring in orderto carry out a project or experiment. The following is

an example of one such occasion.Process to be completed Measuring 1/2 cup ofwater to be used in a cooking or science experimentSkills Involved:

Coordination skills:Turning faucet on and off, regulating force of thewater (This skill may need to be practiced manytimes before the young child really achievescompetence.)

Pouring from one receptacle into another (Again,much practice may be needed before the child ':anpour with control, without spilling.)

Perceptual skills:

Locating the half-way mark on the cup;

Recognizing when the water level coincides withthe half-way demarcation on the cup.

Example 2: Communicating

Process to be completed Communicating toanother child or adult an idea for constructing anobject

Skills Involved:

Using gestures and language to convey thoughts;

Noting details;

Organizing ideas; e.g. telling the other personswhat will be done first, next, last;

Inferring from verbal or facial clues and signalswhether or not the ideas is being understood;

Perhaps using other skills to clarify what is notbeing understood; e.g. drawing a picture or model.

Developmental Tasks

Each individual in a given society is expected todevelop certain behaviors in 'elation to standardsestablished by that society and its subcultures. Someof these behaviors, or developmental tasks, areachieved chiefly during the early years of life (e.g.controlling bodily movements and processes); somebegin to be achieved early but continue to developat more advanced levels during later years (e.g.relating to changing social groups, adjusting to achanging body, achieving :appropriate patterns ofdependence interdependence independence,mastering and using an accepted symbol system).

Early childhood education is concerned with devel-opmental tasks, since the school environment,together with the home and community environ-ment, can either contribute to or impede theirachievement. Two examples of planning learningexperiences that focus on developmental tasksfollow:

Example 1: Helping Children to Relate to ChangingSocial Groups

The young child is self-centered, concerned with hisown wants and needs. He is just beginning todevelop an awareness of others. To assist the childin learning to relate to others, it is important that theprogram provide:

Interest areas that invite group activity, such asconstruction centers, experimentation centers,housekeeping areas, learning stations wherechildren may begin to work together in relation tocommon interests and purposes;

Equipment that requires or encourages cooperativeendeavors such as large hollow blocks, climbingapparatus, audiovisual equipment;,

Activities that require small and large groups toachieve specific goals such as games, discussions,role playing, and dramatizations;

Opportunities to assume the role of leader orfollower in a variety of situations;

Guidance in developing limits to be applied togroup activities requiring sharing of space,materials, and equipment; e.g. using a timer toequalize time blocks for activities and encouragingchildren to "take turns."

These experiences should be planned in relation tothe developmental levels of children and with theflexibility to meet individual needs. Each child willrequire his own pattern and balance of individualand group activities.

Example 2: Helping Children to Achieve Depend-ence Interdependence Independence

Initially, the child is totally dependent upon others,but by ages three and four, he displays increasingindependence as he begins to care for personalneeds such as eating without help or mastering somephases of dressing himself.

An early childhood education program can con-tribute to increased independence by:

Providing furniture, equipment, and materials thatthe child can handle and manipulate with comfort,safety, and ease;Involving the child in making decisions concerningstorage of personal belongings and work materials,changes in daily scheduling, plans for special orunusual events or changes in plans;

Labeling storage areas, interest areas or learningstations so the child may become more self-directed. At the earliest levels, labels may consistof an appropriate concrete object or a picture;later, a picture and a corresponding word; stilllater, a word, a phrase, or a sentence can serve toidentify important areas.

Continuing dependency needs can be provided forby means of:

Availability of adults for questions, conferences,or special problems. Paraprofessionals and/orvolunteers can support the teacher in these roles;

Self-help devices for checking the outcome ofgames, practice activities, or learning stations;

Availability of materials representing varied levelsof difficulty so that children have alternatives formeeting needs and building upon success.

Interdependence can be enhanced as a result ofactivities such as cooking, gardening, or constructing.The success of these activities is dependent upon theefforts of many different persons.

36

Attitudes

During the early years, children form many basicattitudes toward themselves and others and towardtheir experiences. Early childhood education pro-grams can provide many opportunities for childrento develop positive attitudes, such as cooperation,appreciation, acceptance, respect, sensitivity,responsibility, and the desire to learn.

Activities which are particularly useful in developingpositive attitudes with young children include:

Dramatic play: house, gasstation, store, farm center,police station, fire station

Role playing: becoming aparticipant in imaginaryencounters and inter-actions

Group projects: makinga mural, singing together,building a structure

Respect for different rolesand kinds of work

Sensitivity to the feelingsof others, to the effectsof gestures and words

Appreciation of the tal-ents c.f self and others

Cooperation in sharingmaterials

Responsibility in carryingout individual tasks

q

Language

Our society places great importance upon one'sability in verbal expression. The ability to communi-cate effectively plays a major role in determining thesuccess of the individual. As early as third grade, theextent of a child's vocabulary may be a crucial factorin determining success in school.

The language habits which th young child acquiresand the ways in which he uses language in his dailylife shape his intellectual development, especiallythe development of the ability for abstraction andconceptuz.1 learning.

The teaching staff faces the daily challenge ofmotivating the young child to use language as a toolnot only for communicating, but also for thinking.(problem solving, labeling, forming concepts, com-paring, relating causes and effects, etc.)

To further the development of language for youngchildren the staff should:

Provide objects for children to handle, examine,describe, compare, differentiate, and use;

Involve children in a wide variety of experienceswhich provide information and which produceneeds for communication;

Provide opportunities for attentive listening on aone-to-one basis and within group situations;

Use complete sentences when addressing andresponding to children. The teacher is the child'smodel, and his use of language will influence thechild's language ability;

Classify whenever possible when addressing thechild in order to build concepts. (i.e. "That animalis a gerbil" or "This color is blue.");

Use specific descriptive words frequently to fostervocabulary development and word comprehen-sion. Naming characteristics about items give thechild more information so that he can distinguishdifferences and similarities;

Use materials which require "matching" or classi-fying objects in relation to common characteristics(color, size, shape, etc.). Provide opportunities toname qualities of sameness and qualities ofdifference;

Make accurate references to height, weight, sizeor other characteristics of dimension. Ambiguityfosters confusion;

Describe children's motor activity (i.e. "Johnclimbs the ladder.") Gradually introduce differenttenses;

Develop a technique of repeating the child'sexpression for him in standara English whenappropriate.

Language development is most critical among dis-advantaged children and must be developed con-sistently as a major part of each activity.

E. Grouping

School organizational patterns will vary with thespecial needs of each community. Patterns that areeffective for children in a rural setting, for example,may or may not succeed in an urban or suburbansetting. Similarly, within an individual school what isbest for one child may or may not be appropriate foranother. Grouping for the total school and for theindividual child is most effective when it is based onthese guideiines:

Grouping patterns should provide opportunities forchildren to work with and learn from other children ofdifferent sexes, races, chronological ages, and culturalbackgrounds.

Young children should be grouped by developmentallevel, rather than by chronological age or grade.

"Grade" suggests that there is a preconceived set ofinformation and skills that can be completed in oneyear. Research indicates that this kind of aroitrarygrouping not only has been unsuccessful for manychildren, but has been actually harmful to theirdevelopment. Unfortunately, the results of thisresearch have not been disseminated widely andmany parents continue to look to "grade level"information and "promotion" from grade to gradeto tell them whether their children are learning ornot learning.

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Life situations demand that people be able to cooperateand work productively with groups of various sizes.Children should be provided opportunities to developabilities and skills necessary for operating effectively bothindividually and as a member of a group.

Group size and staffing must be determined inrelation to the ages, needs, and abilities of children,the nature and purpose of particular programs andeducational activities, and the size an J se of classroom space. It is difficult, therefore, to definespecific group size. To insure maximum opportunityfor child-adult interaction, the following number ofpupils per adult is recommended:

Three-year-olds Five children to one adultFour-year-olds Seven children to one adultFive-year-olds Ten children to one adultSix-, seven-, and Twelve to fourteen children to

eight-year-olds one adult

For example, in a class of 35 seven- and eight-year-olds, the staff would consist of one teacher, oneparaprofessional and one volunteer, or one teacherand two volunteers.

When children of mixed ages are grouped together,the size of the group should be determined by theage of the children and their special needs.

The adults involved with your children on a regularbasis :;houid always include a .eacher and, if pos-sible, a paraprofessional.

In situations where the budget does not permit morethan one paid staff member, volunteers should berecruited, trained, and scheduled on a regularbasis. (Refer to chart on staffing.) Volunteers asmembers of the staff play a vital and necessary rolein all programs where additional help is needed.Young children require a great deal of one-to-onecontact, which must be considered when establish-ing group size and determining the number of staffmembers needed. There must be sufficient staff,both paid and volunteer, to make individualizedinstruction possible.

Open-space facilities lend themselves to flexible andmulti-age grouping, but careful planning is needed foroptimum use of such facilities.

Evidence indicates that in too many so-called open-space schools large groups of children are con-sistently doing the same activity at the same time,using identical materials. In such instances, it isimperative for educational planners to take a carefullook at the program to identify practices which aregetting in the way of recognizing children asindividuals and providing for their needs.

In communities in which open-space facilities arebeing initiated, a transition period is rie,:cleo forchildren, staff members, and parents to becomeaccustomed to the increased freedom of movementand noise that accompany flexible grouping andindividualized instruction. In these communities, it issuggested that flexible grouping patterns iniV illyprevail for only part of the school day, and thatgradually they expand to ir-lude the whole day.

Tests should not be used as the sole factor for groupingyoung children for any school experience.

Conferences with parents and observations ofchildren's interests and behavior arc' invaluableindices for determining grouping patterns. As thechild develops in fr.e program, tests can be useful,along with other evaluative instruments, in ascertain-ing appropriate groups for certain kinds of activities.(See Section entitled "Evaluation" in this chapter.)

Children should move in and out of groups as theirinterests and needs indicate.

Children's interests vary, and they develop at differ-ent rates. Some need more or less time than othersto complete given tasks. They should not be"locked" into set and unchanging groups.

F. Scheduling

Jr. its broadest sense, scheduling involves determin-ing such policies as:

When the school day should begin and end;

How long the school year should last;

Whether a particular child should attend all day orpart of the day, morning or afternoon, every dayor alternate days.

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On a daily basis, scheduling involves providing andarranging time for the day's learning activities.

The following guidelines are important in developingplans for scheduling:

Cooperative planning is necessary to identify thescheduling patterns most appropriate for the community.

Factors affecting school scheduling in each commu-nity include the distances children are required totravel, whether they walk or are bussed to school,how major industry affects the community, and whatfunds are available for the educational programs.Communities in which a large segment of the popu-lation works a four-day week, for example, mayprefer a four-day school week for young children.Communities in which necessary funds are available

3-, 4-, 5-, 6-year olds ...1.1m.Arrival

EARLYCHILDHOODEDUCATION

may find it desirable to keep schools open all year,or to extend the school day.

Schedules for individual children should be designed tomeet family needs.

Pa rents and school personnel should work togetherto develop a schedule that takes into account suchfactors as the availability of family transportation orthe schedules of other school-age children in thefamily.

The daily schedule of learning activities will vary from dayto day and should remain flexible if children's needs areto be met.

The daily schedule should provide time for certain basicactivities, as indicated in the following chart:

In the Daily Schedule

need time for ... 5-, 6-, 7-, 8-year olds

-- time to receive individual attentionfrom the staff and be helped withcoats, boots, etc. if necessarytime to talk with staff and withfriendstime to get help in starting anactivity

Planning time to become in-formed about the plansfor the day (very youngchildren)time to help staff toplan their day

Caring for time to use the bathroomtheir own time to use the drinking fountainneeds time for snacks

time to take off or put on coats,boots, sweaters, etc.time to rest when tired

time to receive guid-ance in planning theirdaytime to receive guid-ance in developingindividual plans forprojects and independ-ent activities

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3-, 4-, 5-, 6-year olds ...

In the Daily Schedule

need time fo; . 5-, 6-, 7-, 8-year olds

Indooractivities

learning experiences related tovarious content and skill develop-ment areas (see chart, page 29);large blocks of time to pursueinterest areas and needs: painting,reading, house corner, blocks, workbench, water table, puzzles, games,science table, live animals

Outdooractivities

Large blocks of time to use play-ground equipment (climbingapparatus, tree stumps, inner tubes,tricycles, wagons, bikes, skates,etc.); take walks; plant gardens;play with sand and water; engagein games appropriate to their age

Quiet time to enjoy books (look at books,read to themselves, have storiesread to them)time to listen to music (records,tapes, visiting musicians)time to see slides, filmstrips,moviestime to play quiet gamestime to rest on individual mats,towels, beds if xessarytime for conversation with friendstime to enjoy being alone

Meals asdeterminedby lengthof schoolday andcommunityneeds

in the classroom time for family-style mealstime to wash hands before mealstime to cleanup after meals

in the cafeteria

Trips andvisits byresourcepersons

time to walk or ride to places ofinterestshort periods of time to listen tointeresting adults and olderchildren (policemen, artists,farmers, boy scouts, 4-Fliers)

Cleanup time to put away materials and toyswith the help of adults

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a

3-, 4-, 5-, 6-year olds ...In the Daily Schedule

need time for ... 5-, 6-, 7-, 8-year olds

Evaluation time to discuss the day's learningwith guidance of adults (share apainting, relate school and homeexperiences)time to discuss any concerns(playground problems, meal time,etc.)

- time to plan for tomorrow

G. Evaluation

The purpose of evaluation is to determine whetheror not what is expected to happen has happened oris happening. Like a map, evaluation can keep thedestination visible while pointing out the presentlocation.

In an early childhood education program, thechildren, the staff, parents, and the community arecontinuously evaluating in one way or another.Children test themselves: "Can I climb the ladder?""arents evaluate children's progress by observingew skills: "Can he write his name now?" Staff

members ask, "Are the children really learning whatI had hoped and planned they would learn?" Andcommunities ask, "Are we getting our money'sworth from this program?"

Finding answers to these questions is essential inevaluating early childhood education programs at alllevels. The following guidelines indicate ways inwhich effective evaluation may be accomplished.

Evaluation at any level should include the following steps:

Formulating program goals and objectives;

Gathering information to describe the participantswho are to take part in the program or activity;

Examining the objectives in light of the partici-pants' special needs; clarifying or redefiningobjectives as needed;

Developing appropriate procedures and tech-niques to determine the results of the program oractivity;

Applying those procedures and techniques todetermine the success of the program or activity inachieving goals or objectives.

Useful procedures and techniques for evaluating theprogress of children in early childhood educationprograms or activities include thi following:

OBSERVING

Good teachers are trained observers. They know thatdaily observation over a long span of time ensuresa total picture of the entire child: his strengths,weaknesses, abilities, successes, learning styles, andfeelings about himself and others.

A child grows in many ways. By observing hisphysical condition, teachers and other staff memberscan tell if a child's vision and hearing are satisfactory,if he seems adequately nourished, if his musclecontrol is developing, so that his body is readyfor what he is asked to do. Observation can help thestaff decide when to refer a child for health services.

A child's feelings about himself and others arerevealed by his behavior. By watching him, a teacherknows when he feels threatened, when he seemsconfident and eager, and, as his behavior dictates,when his environment should be changed. Changesin scheduling, grouping, materials, and equipmentcan result from observation.

As a child gains knowledge, he shows it in everythinghe does. As soon as he can write his name, he writesit everywhere. When he learns to tell time, he doesit. This is the kind of progress a teacher can see. Byobserving carefully, the teacher not only sees whatthe child has learned but also gains some insight intohow that learning came about.

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RECORDING

Recording information helps the staff to know whereeach child is, how he got there, and what plans areneeded for the individual and the group. There aremany useful ways to record what children do andhow they grow. Staff members keep some recordswhile the children can plan and carry out otherrecords themselves.

Checklists: Checklists are a quick way of noting whata child has done. They show at a glance such thingsas: what skills have been learned, how motor devel-opment is progressing, what books have been read,what projects have been attempted, and which werefinished. Checklists can be kept by the staff or thechild.

Anecdotal records: Anecdotal records arP a way ofkeeping track of what a child says, how he acts orreacts, how he learns, and important events in hislife. These are usually short narratives and they helpthe staff see an overall picture of the child.

Health records: Records about a child's healthinclude information about: asthma, hearing loss,allergies, heart problems, immunization.

Portfolios: A child may be encouraged to keep in aportfolio examples of what he considers his bestwork. These can include drawings, paintings, shortstories, poems, examples of daily work, art projects,notes on science experiments, graphs, and songs. Inanother portfolio, a teacher may keep selectedexamples of a child's work to show his progress.

TESTING

Tests can be useful in conjunction with otherevaluative techniques for assessing children'sgrowth and for identifying their needs. There is awide range of tests available to test the young child'sreadiness, achievement, I.Q., aptitudes, attitudes, andfeelings; but not all of these tests are appropriate forall early childhood education programs. Tests mustbe carefully selected in terms of program goals. Ifthey are designed to measure children's progress inachieving a goal that has been identified for theparticular program involved, they can provide usefulinformation. If they measure progress toward goalsthat the early childhood education program is not

designed or intended to achieve, they will be of littlevalue.

In using tests to determine the progress or develop-mental level of an individual child, it is important tointerpret the results in the context of other evidenceof growth derived from observations, records, andconferences.

CONFERRING

Conferences can provide valuable information andinsights concerning children's growth. Observationby a single observer a teacher, the child himself, aparent can give some perspective on the child'sdevelopment, but shared observations broaden anddeepen that perspective.

Conferences between children and a teacher orother staff members provide opportunities for thechild to learn more about himself and for the staffmember to learn more about him.

Conferences between staff members and parents canyield insights and information that only a parent canprovide concerning how the child sees himself orwhat leamings he reveals outside the school setting.At the same time, it gives parents additional infor-mation about the child's performance outside thehome.

Staff conferences between teachers and para-professionals or health personnel enable the entirestaff to broaden their understanding of the child andof his needs.

Evaluation of the early childhood education programshould focus not only on the progress of chilaren, but alsoon the effectiveness of every aspect of the program.

Decisions are being made continuously at manylevels about many aspects of the program. Commu-nities determine which services are needed; staffmembers make decisions about materials and equip-ment and teaching methods and grouping patterns;parents and staff rrlmbers establish criteria for staffselection; inservice training programs are developed;the school day is organized around half-day orfull-day sessions. Each of these decisions should becarefully scrutinized in light of the specific goals itwas intended to achieve so that future planning maybe predicated on sound principles.

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V.

PROCEdURES fOR INITIATING

OR ModifyiNq ANEARLY Chik11100d EdILICATiON PROGRAM

All public schools in Maryland have early childhoodeducation programs which are planned for children,ages six through eight. As of September 1973, theearly childhood education program in each schoolsystem will irclude children, ages five ihrough eight.However, on occasion, needs vise within a schoolsystem to develop a completely new part of theprogram such as a prekindergarten program. Atother times innovative modification becomesnecessary, such as the change to a nongradedorganization of the early childhood educationprogram When marked changes are deemed impor-tant, the following guidelines provide a frameworkfor change.

The need for an early childhood education programor for the modification of an existing program maybe identified by parents, community groups oragencies, or school staff members.

In counties where local Community CoordinatedChild Care Councils (4-C Councils) have beenestablished, the local superintendent and hiscounterpart in social services and health agenciesshould work with the 4-C Council to initiate orsubstantially modify early childhood educationprograms. These interagency, interdisciplinary 4-CCouncils, one-third of whose membership is parents,can be utilized for fact-finding, planning, andcoordination.

In counties where superintendents wish to initiate orinodify a program and there is no local 4-C Council,the following procedure is recommended:

The local superintendent of schools, or someone specifi-cally designated by him after consultation with hiscounterparts in social services and health agencies, shouldestablish a council that includes broad-basedrepresentation:

The Maryland 4-C Committee

Local school systems and boards of education,public and nonpublic institutions

Parent groups

Local community agencies, health, social services,law enforcement, sanitation, and other govern-ment agencies;, community action agencies;colleges, hospitals; mental health centers; medicalschools

Local businesses

Local religious groups

Community organizations: YMCA, YWCA, NAACP,various civic organizations

Members from the community-at-large

This council should analyze program needs and resources.

This includes:

ldentifyins community needs and resources interms of.

Location urban, suburban, rural,, changingcommunity, metropolitan;

Population racial, ethnic, socio-economic andreligious backgrounds, age groups;

Existing programs recreational programs, daycare programs, Head Start programs, nonpublicday care programs, nurseries, health centers, drugabuse centers;

Housing patterns apartments, one-family homes,multi-family homes;, luxury housing, low-costhousing, sub-standard housing;

Identifying the children who are to be served bythe program: ages, numbers;,

Identifying the basic needs of the children to beserved: health and social service needs, educa-tional needs;

Identifying facilities that can house the program:space in public schools, churches, synogagues,recreation centers, industrial buildings, hospitals,public buildings;

Identifying means of financing aspects of theprogram not funded through current education,health, or social service budget: local taxes, Statefunds, federal funds; special grants; fees to be paidby parents based on a sliding scale; endowments;other means of fund raising;

Defining criteria and procedures for recruiting,selecting, and orienting professional, para-professional, and volunteer staff

The council shall present its findings and recommenda-tions to the local superintendent of schools and the localboard of education, which is responsible for approvingthe program and, if approved, to the professional staffwhich is responsible for planning, developing, implement-ing, or evaluating the program.

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VI.RECOMMENdATIONS

To ensure the effective dissemination and use ofthese guiedlines, it is recommended tha't

Guidelines be presented to local school systems inways that provide opportunity for discussion andplanning.

Representatives of the multi-agency committeeresponsible for developing the guidelines heinvolved in the initial presentation of the guide-lines,

Provisions be made for local school systems towork cooperatively with colleges and the Mary-land State Department of Education in developingspecific plans for implementing the guidelines;

Provisions be made in !ocal staff developmentprograms and in college early childhood educationprograms for developing staff competencies inimplementing the guidelines,

Guidelines he reviewed every five years by theMaryland Early Childhood Education Committeeand revised as needed.

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MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

Members of the Board Year Term Ends

PRESIDENT

Jerome Framptom, Jr. Federalsburg 1973

VICE PRESIDENT

Richard Schifter Bethesda 1974

Lawrence Miller Baltimore 1977

Mrs. Roger W. Moyer Annapolis 1977

Mrs. William F. Robie La Plata 1975

Ross V. Smith Thurmont 1974

William G. Sykes Baltimore 1976

SECRETARY-TREASURER OF THE BOARD AND

STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

James A. Sensenbaugh

DEPUTY STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

Quentin L. Earhart

ASSISTANT STATE SUPERINTENDENT IN

COMPENSATORY, URBAN, AND SUPPLEMENTARY PROGRAMS

Percy V. Williams