Curriculum

Curriculum
Rationale
The ECLC curriculum will meet the needs of the children in all aspects of their development. The project approach for curriculum planning will ensure the program is child initiated and inquiry based. The ECLC program will be appropriate to the age of the children and encourage their intellectual, emotional, social, creative and physical growth. The ECLC curriculum is an inclusive curriculum that respects and promotes the diversity that exists within China and the school/home environments. It adopts the ESLR’s (Expected Student Learning Results) as they relate to early childhood education and the Creative Curriculum as it relates to developmental goals and benchmarks. All teachers, children, families, and management • To ensure individual goals are met by using child assessment tools (bench marks, observations etc) to develop lesson plans and extend on children’s current strengths and abilities. • To ensure the planned program acknowledges the educational interest of the children • To ensure that the planned programmed activities are extended throughout the whole curriculum environment including intellectual, emotional, social, creative and physical growth and is developmentally appropriate for each age level. • To ensure program planning is evaluated on a regular basis to eliminate bias from Procedure
1. ECLC implements the Project Approach of Topic Investigation to curriculum 2. Along side the Project Approach teachers encourage the development of literacy, numeracy, science, mathematics, physical education, music and social skills. 3. The curriculum goals that inform teacher guidance and assessment are derived from the American Creative Curriculum for Preschool and New Zealand’s Te Whaariki – Early Childhood Curriculum Document and ESLR’s. 4. Planning is child initiated and teacher guided. 5. Planning is intended to encompass the development of children’s skills through topics of their interest for high motivation and participation. 6. Teachers observe children’s current skills and interests and develop goals to extend current knowledge by investigating topics of interest. 7. Teachers plan and provide educational learning experiences based on topics of interest 8. Teachers include all areas of the curriculum within the planning, Math, Science, Art, Music, Drama, Physical Education, and Literacy. 9. Teachers evaluate progression of investigation which informs where to lead next for 10. Teachers evaluate program to eliminate environmental, ethnic, and gender bias and Jing Shan Villas • Nanhai Boulevard • Shekou, Shenzhen • 518067 • Guangdong Province • P.R. China Phone: 86 755 2669 3669 • Fax: 86 755 2667 4099 • Email: sis@sis.org.cn • Web: www.sis.org.cn Curriculum
11. Teachers document planning and learning experiences by Rubicon (SIS computerized archiving system), Planning Sheets, Project Books, and Individual Portfolios. 12. The programme plan is displayed and visibly accessible to parents, visitors and other stake holders upon entering the early childhood environments. Documentation/Portfolios (Narrative Assessments) 1. The teachers make formal and informal observations through taking pictures, videos and writing educational narrative assessments. 2. Narrative Assessments are completed on both individual and group experiences. 3. Narrative Assessments are collected in both individual portfolios and classroom project 4. The portfolio is a compilation of a child’s’ developing skills and interests which are documented in the format of a narrative assessment or check list. 5. Individual artwork is also included within the child’s individual portfolio. 6. The portfolios are accessible to both parents and children during class and home time. 7. Parents are encouraged to comment on their child’s development within the Parents’ 8. Portfolios are given to the children periodically throughout the year to take home and handed to families at the end of the school year to keep. 9. A new portfolio is started for each new child for each academic year. 10. Portfolios will have a similar format but will differ in content due to individual child Revision The philosophy and instructional program is biannually reviewed against current international theory and trends in Early Childhood Education. Goals and Objectives ECLC goals and objectives are derived from Creative Curriculum and Te Whaariki which include all the development areas and view the child as a whole learner (see website). Progress Report 1. The progress report contains children’s information such as birth date, spoken language, 2. ECLC 1 and 2 completes a check list progress report for each of the two Semesters which includes all the goals and objectives of the Creative Curriculum for Preschool Education. 3. The progress report is merely a checklist of observed skills and needs to be viewed 4. The progress report provides for a narrative comment explaining a child’s overall 5. The progress reports are given out at the end of each semester with the individual 6. The parents sign the envelope and return to their child’s teacher. Jing Shan Villas • Nanhai Boulevard • Shekou, Shenzhen • 518067 • Guangdong Province • P.R. China Phone: 86 755 2669 3669 • Fax: 86 755 2667 4099 • Email: sis@sis.org.cn • Web: www.sis.org.cn Curriculum
1. Each September and March ECLC offers Parent Teacher Conferences. 2. ECLC children are not required to attend the Parent Teacher Conferences, but are given 3. The school office coordinates appointments and sends out forms for families to accept. Acceptance is recommended but voluntary. 4. The purpose and aim of the conferences is to report on child progress and share information. This is a two way information sharing process. 5. The office deals with any changes to times of appointments. 6. ECLC encourages parents and families to have informal chats with teachers on a regular 7. ECLC encourages shared Parent Teacher communication. 8. Parents are encouraged to attend special events planned by division level teachers and the Assistant Principal in order to experience and learn about the ECLC curriculum. Special Needs The school does not accept children with special teaching needs at this point due to limited facilities. Facilities ECLC facilities provide a balance of home like and child size furnishings. ECLC uses age and size appropriate facilities which support the children’s developmental needs and curriculum learning. Teachers Professional Development 1. Professional development is intended to develop teaching knowledge and practice and improve curriculum learning and child education. 2. The teacher’s conference with the Assistant Principal is to identify and develop 3. In the goal setting conference the Teacher and Assistant Principal select 2 school wide and one personal professional goal to develop at the beginning of the school year. 4. At the end of the year an annual professional development summary and an appointment with the Coordinator is completed. 5. Seminars and training are offered by various training providers and matched to 6. Each teacher is allocated an amount of funding to pay for professional development. The amount is dependant on the teacher’s contract and differs per teaching responsibility and years of service. 7. The teachers attending seminars and training have to fill in Professional Development Request Form with proper information such as place, dates, name and payment of the workshop approved by the Coordinator and Director. 8. In the event that leave is needed teachers have to fill in a Leave Request Form and pass in to have it signed by the Assistant Principal or Director. 9. Fapiao (official invoice and/or receipt) must be collected to obtain reimbursement of Jing Shan Villas • Nanhai Boulevard • Shekou, Shenzhen • 518067 • Guangdong Province • P.R. China Phone: 86 755 2669 3669 • Fax: 86 755 2667 4099 • Email: sis@sis.org.cn • Web: www.sis.org.cn

Source: http://www.sis.org.cn/uploaded/learning@sis/Curriculum.pdf