First Class: a Guide for Early Primary Education. Preschool-Kindergarten-First Grade
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 438 033 PS 028 217 AUTHOR Hand, Ada J.; Nourot, Patricia Monighan TITLE First Class: A Guide for Early Primary Education. Preschool-Kindergarten-First Grade. INSTITUTION California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento. Div. of Child Development. ISBN ISBN-0-8011-1475-6 PUB DATE 1999-00-00 NOTE 204p. AVAILABLE FROM CDE Press, Sales Office, California Department of Education, P.O. Box 271, Sacramento, CA 95812-0271 (Item Number 1475, $12.50 plus $4.95 shipping and handling). Tel: 800-995-4099 (Toll Free); Fax: 916-323-0823. PUB TYPE Guides Non-Classroom (055) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC09 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Classroom Environment; *Curriculum Development; Curriculum Guides; *Developmentally Appropriate Practices; Early Childhood Education; *Elementary School Curriculum; Evaluation; Instruction; Instructional Development; *Preschool Curriculum; School Schedules; Teaching Guides; Teaching Methods IDENTIFIERS California ABSTRACT Focusing on the argument that early childhood education plays a crucial role in children's future success, this guide provides information to educators about development-based education that leads to active and productive learning for children ages 4 through 6. The guide provides examples for planning and organizing classroom environments, scheduling the day's activities, guiding interactions between children and adults, and planning challenging curriculum and assessment activities. Chapter one, "Guiding Principles for Quality Early Primary Programs," focuses on models of child development and explanations of development-based education. Chapter two, "Planning Environments for Early Primary Programs," addresses the importance of environment and physical space in meeting children's needs. Chapter three, "Scheduling the Day in the Early Primary Program," addresses the need to balance classroom activities in the daily schedule, while chapter four, "Planning Classroom Instruction and Management," focuses on the goals of quality learning and managing inevitable issues that arise in the classrooms of young children. Chapter five, "Applying Child Development Principles to Curriculum," addresses specific areas of study and how they fit into the education of young children. Chapter six, "Planning an Integrated Early Primary Program," addresses incorporation and integration of diversity, special services, and teaching strategies into the program. The guide's four appendices address specific issues of reading, writing, assessment, and working with English language learners. (Contains approximately 350 references.) (SD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. First U.S. DEPARTMENT OF Office of Educational ResearchEDUCATION and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has beenreproduced as A Guide for icLar: received from the personor organization originating it. Minor changes have beenmade to improve reproduction quality. Primary Educati n Points of view or opinionsstated in this document do not necessarilyrepresent official OERI positionor policy. 0 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY C. .A3t n5cYcx TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) California Department of Education Sacramento, 1999 2 A Guide for Early Primary Education CHILD DEVELOPMENT DIVISION/ ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DIVISION California Department of Education Authors: Ada J. Hand and Patricia Monighan Nourot , Publlishing ffnformatfton First Class: A Guide for Early Primary Education, Preschool KindergartenFirst Grade was developed by the Child Development Division and the Elementary Education Division, California Department of Education. This publication was edited by Janet Lundin. It was prepared for printing by the staff of CDE Press. The cover and interior designwere created and prepared by Juan Sanchez. Typesetting was done by Gloria Barreiro and Jeannette Huff. The document was published by the Department, 721 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, California (mailing address: P.O. Box 944272, Sacramento, CA 94244-2720). It was distributed under the provisions of the Library Distribution Act and Government Code Section 11096. 1999 by the California Department of Education All rights reserved ISBN 0-8011-1475-6 Ordering Information Copies of this publication are available for $12.50 each, plus shipping and handling charges. California residents are charged sales tax. Orders may be sent to CDE Press, Sales Office, California Department of Education, P.O. Box 271, Sacramento, CA 95812-0271; FAX (916) 323-0823. See page 202 for further information on payment, including credit card purchases. Prices on all publications are subject to change. A partial list of other educational resources available from the Department appears on page 201. In addition, an illustrated Educational Resources Catalog describing publications, videos, and other instructional media available from the Department can be obtained without charge by writing to the address given above or by calling the Sales Office at (916) 445-1260. Notice The guidance in First Class: A Guide for Early Primary Education, PreschoolKindergartenFirst Grade is not binding on local educational agencies or other entities. Except for the statutes, regulations, and court decisions that are referenced herein, the document is exemplary, and =XM compliance with it is not mandatory. (See Education Code Section Prepared for publication 33308.5.) by CSEA members. 4 Contents Preface Acknowledgments vi Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Guiding Principles for Quality Early Primary Programs 5 Theoretical Models of Children's Development 6 Definition of Development-Based Education 7 Principles of Development-Based Education 7 Interrelationships Among the Principles 11 Recent Research 11 Chapter 2 Planning Environments for Early Primary Programs 13 Using the Environment to Meet Children's Needs 13 Using the Physical Space to Promote Teaching and Learning 14 Chapter 3 Scheduling the Day in the Early Primary Program 19 Taking the Child's Eye View and Teacher's Eye View 19 Balancing Classroom Activities 20 Scheduling Early Intervention 21 Orchestrating the Rhythm of the Day 22 Planning Sample Daily Schedules 24 Chapter 4 Planning Classroom Instruction and Management 27 Using Knowledge of Child Development to Support Learning 27 Identifying Goals for Young Children's Learning 29 Understanding the Role of Play in Early Primary Programs 31 Understanding Status in the Peer Culture 33 Considering Mixed-Age Grouping in Early Primary Programs 34 Planning for Discipline in Early Primary Programs 34 Understanding the Roles of the Teacher 37 Chapter 5 Applying Child Development Principles to Curriculum 39 Incorporating Standards into Educational Programs for Young Children 39 ReadingLanguage Arts for Young Children 43 Intervention 65 Health and Physical Education for Young Children 69 HistorySocial Science for Young Children 75 Mathematics for Young Children 81 Science for Young Children 89 The Visual and Performing Arts for Young Children 95 Chapter 6 Planning an Integrated Early Primary Program 101 Incorporating Thematic Learning 102 Integrating Diversity into the Curriculum 107 Using Whole-Group Teaching Strategies 111 Providing Special Services 111 Nurturing School and Community Partnerships 112 Appendixes A. Reading Developing Phonemic Awareness in Young Children 117 Teaching Reading 125 Maximizing Literacy in the Classroom 131 Learning and Using Phonics in Beginning Reading 133 Onsets/Rimes 141 B. Writing Stages of Writing Development 145 Overview of Writing as a Process 147 Interactive Writing 149 C. Assessment Sample Observation Recording Forms 153 The Learning Record 155 A Test for Assessing Phonemic Awareness in Young Children 163 Monitoring and Evaluating Children's Reading 173 D. English Language Learners Phonics for Spanish Speakers 181 Multilingual and Multicultural Resources 183 Selected References 185 Index 199 iv Preface C-ThNyenop kto/w that the developmental opportunities, including education, that children receiveceive 'their11 years of life largely determine their chances for success in later i e. To help edvucat;providethe best possible education experience, First Class: A Guide for Early Primary Education describes an effective early primary program. This guide, which is based on the premise that connections are particularly important duringchildren's early years, outlines how to forge these linkages. Important research has revealed that the period from birth to age six is a crucial time in brain development, when many important connections are made. The developmental experi- ences children have before the age of six are keys to fullbrain development and a strong early primary education program allows students to flourish. Further, solid connections between preschool, kindergarten, and early primary grades are also crucial. We all need to work together to ensure that smooth transitions occur in the early years. Education is a continuum, and First Class describes thisprogression, using examples of effective curricular, instructional, and assessment strategies and citing the research that supports these practices in all subject areas. First Class incorporates many of the recommendations found in reports from previous California Department of Education task forces, including Here They Come: Ready or Not, It's. Elementary, and Ready to Learn. First Class also incorporates guidelines found in California's content standards and curriculum frameworks adopted in 1997 and 1998, respec- tively,