The principles on which we have developed our curriculum are these:
- Children can best learn and explore the world when they feel safe and secure. We are committed to creating an environment that nurtures children’s confidence and fosters the development of their imagination.
- We continually incorporate new research in the areas of brain and neurological studies, as well as behavioral research, into the program. We structure all of our learning activities based on what the children are capable of doing at each stage. With this approach, children are inspired to continue learning and to feel proud of their achievements.
- We address all aspects of children’s growth and learning: physical, cognitive, creative, social, and emotional. Each aspect plays a critical role in helping children to develop as whole human beings. For example, we deliberately use activities that help children move through progressions of large and small motor skill development, such as crawling to running, and from clapping their hands together to manipulating small objects. Likewise, we introduce activities to foster thinking, creative, and social skills as they are able to learn, practice and ultimately master them. And we help the children to identify and label their emotions as part of learning to manage their behavior in relation to their feelings.
- Children are individuals. While the field of child development provides us with general guidelines about a child’s capability at any given age, each child grows and develops in a unique and special way. Each child explores and learns in his or her own way, is fascinated by different things, and responds to the world with his or her own distinct personality. We recognize, encourage, and celebrate this individuality.
- At Corning Children’s Center, learning should be, and is fun! Our approach is to encourage children to experience exploration, learning, and accomplishment in a joyous and fulfilling way.
The curriculum we develop based on these principles is deliberate, purposeful, and individualized. While we have a broad syllabus of learning tools and plans, we tailor these each week. Each classroom team works together to develop weekly plans that reflect the interests and developmental needs of the individual children in their room at that time. Weekly lesson plans include activities in all developmental areas: physical, social/emotional, creative, and cognitive. The Age Level Specialists assure that these plans are developmentally appropriate and reflect current knowledge in the field of Early Childhood Education. The Program Director works with the Age Level Specialists to assure that learning is integrated throughout the age level and progresses as children get older.
The staff for each classroom keeps parents informed about lesson plans for the coming week and classroom activities through a weekly newsletter. Staff members also meet with parents individually to discuss their child’s developmental progress.