Catoosa County Schools and the HighScope Curriculum

1
Catoosa County Schools and the High/Scope
Curriculum

• Facts and Myths
• By Portia Knowles
• July, 2002

2
What is High/Scope?

• A developmentally, researched based philosophy of
  how to teach young children to reach their
  fullest potential.

3
What Makes High/Scope so Special

• Children are exposed to 10 key experiences which
  include not only academic goals, but social,
  problem solving, and critical thinking goals as
  well. Children are allowed to make many choices
  about what they do during the day.

4
Why does my Child Need to Make so Many Decisions?

• Studies show that children who are given many
  opportunities to make choices about what they do
  and what they think, are more likely to grow up
  to be responsible, law-abiding citizens.
  According to the Perry Preschool Study, children
  who are in direct instruction curriculums do not
  fair as well. By age 15, students in the
  High/Scope program reported only half as many
  delinquent activities as the direct instruction
  group (Weikart, Epstein, Schweinhart, and Bond
  1978).

Hohmann, m. weikart, d. educating young children.
High/scope educational research foundation, 1995,
p 8, 9)
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What Other Research Supports High/Scope?

• Piagets Stages of Development (much of Piaget
  theory is used in High/Scope)
• Vygotskys Zone of Proximal Development
• Kohlbergs Stages of Moral Development
• Ericksons Development of Play
• Deweys Learning by Doing
• (just to name a few)

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The Myths of Pre-K

• Many questions and statements have been made
  about the Pre-K Program that are not
  representative of the facts. The following is an
  attempt to address some of these issues.

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Myth My Child will not Learn to Read and Write.

• Fact If a child is developmentally ready to read
  and/or write, he will thrive in the High/Scope
  print-rich environment. If a child is a
  typical four year old and not quite ready for
  these skills, she will be exposed to a wealth of
  activities which will prepare her to read and
  write so no matter what the level of ability,
  the child will thrive in the Pre-k Program.
  Studies overwhelmingly support the fact that
  at-risk children benefit immensely from being in
  a Pre-K Program. It is important that at-risk
  children not fall through the cracks.

One of many studies was done by the Department of
Education, Georgia State University, 1993-1996)
8
Myth There is No Structure

• Fact Although the day is filled with
  child-initiated activities, the High/Scope day is
  very structured with a daily schedule visually
  accessible to the child. We understand that
  young children thrive when they know what to
  expect and so their day is planned with that in
  mind.

9
Myth The Pre-K Teacher is not Allowed to
Discipline

• Fact Yes, Pre-K Children receive the best kind
  of disciplineencouragement, problem solving,
  think time, conflict resolution, and positive
  attention.
• Discipline means to teach and that is what we do.
  There is no place for punitive punishment in the
  Pre-K Classroom. As psychologist Barbara
  Coloroso says Aggression begets Aggression,
  Passivity invites it, and Assertion dissipates
  it. We use this philosophy in Pre-K.

10
Myth All they do is Play

• Fact Yes in fact young children learn best
  through meaningful, purposeful lay. If you look
  closer you will se an array of learning which
  includes gross and fine motor skills, math,
  reading, science and social studies. In
  addition, Pre-K Children are learning to get
  along without hurting behavior, and learning to
  control their anger and temper, which will
  probably be the MOST beneficial factor as they
  grow in to young adults.

11
Myth Its just a Babysitting Service

• Fact Learning goals, lesson plans, and
  curriculum are followed, with all aspects of the
  program monitored by a state consultant. The
  teachers are certified, dedicated, and caring.
  Six and one-half instructional hours are required
  daily. There is no duty free lunch or planning
  period. A 30-45 minute rest time is used for
  planning. Two adults are required in the room at
  all times except during rest time. The Pre-K
  Teacher provides the music and physical education
  each day.

12
Myth My Child will not be Challenged

• Fact Every child is treated individually. We
  start where they are and take them as far as they
  can go. Students do not compete against other
  students, but achieve their individual best.

13
Fact We Teach Children How to Think not What
to Think

• As Psychologist Barbara Coloroso says in her book
  Kids are Worth It, children need to be taught
  HOW to think, not WHAT to think. We believe
  in Pre-K that children who know how to think will
  be able to get along and make good decisions.

14
Pre-K We Play to Learn

• Children are the future
• We are preparing Pre-K Students to be Ready for
  Kindergarten, and ready for whatever life has to
  bring them by teaching responsibility,
  cooperation and independence.