The Early Childhood Curriculum (Early Childhood...

Curricula resources for young children from birth to age five in early childhood programs for child care, Head Start programs, Pre-K, and nursery schools must be aligned with The Maryland Early Learning Standards and be:

The Early Childhood Curriculum (Early Childhood...

Programs/providers who are seeking to have individually developed curricula for infants and toddlers, and three, four, and five (kindergarten) year-old children reviewed and accepted by the Maryland State Department of Education in order to meet MSDE Accreditation and Maryland EXCELS standards may submit curricula and required documentation on or before May 8, 2017. Only curricula that has been developed by the program/provider and is for the sole use of the program/provider may be submitted. There is no funding associated with this curriculum review. If you have questions regarding this process you may email early.learningbranchesmsde@maryland.gov.

A research-based early childhood curriculum is in line with current studies and best practices on how children develop and learn. It is content-rich and focuses on domain-specific, developmentally appropriate content and skills.

This book addresses a wide range of topics pertaining to curriculum design and inquiry with young children. Learning through Play is a central focus of the book. However, the authors introduce the reader to the most common approaches to early...read more

This book addresses a wide range of topics pertaining to curriculum design and inquiry with young children. Learning through Play is a central focus of the book. However, the authors introduce the reader to the most common approaches to early childhood education.

This is well thought out book that gives an in-depth look at early childhood education in a practical approach. More information about culturally responsive teaching would make this book a home run. The authors have done an outstanding job providing useful, researched-based information. One glaring issue is the lack of glossary or index and clickable links from Table of Contents and Chapter Objects would be helpful.

The text is comprehensive in covering areas of early childhood curriculum. I like the straightforward nature of chapter content with photos, charts, webs, links and other resources. I like the links that are available in each chapter. Some of the...read more

The text is comprehensive in covering areas of early childhood curriculum. I like the straightforward nature of chapter content with photos, charts, webs, links and other resources. I like the links that are available in each chapter. Some of the links are related to California State Standards and California Child Care Licensing Regulations. It would be good to have links from other states. I would also like more in the text on kindergarten - grade 2 curriculum, cultural competence, equity, Universal Design for Learning, and inclusion .

The textbook is quite comprehensive as an overall introduction to early childhood curriculum. Content covers theories, curriculum models, developmental span from infancy to school age, and specific curriculum areas. The textbook provides a good...read more

The textbook is quite comprehensive as an overall introduction to early childhood curriculum. Content covers theories, curriculum models, developmental span from infancy to school age, and specific curriculum areas. The textbook provides a good foundation for many of our other early childhood courses, where we delve into specific topics and issues. Expansion in a few areas could be further incorporated, as indicated in other criteria sections of this review. There is an appendix section which provides useful supplemental resources. Incorporating an index and glossary would be helpful to have for future revisions of this textbook.

Information presented is relevant to curriculum approaches and content areas which students will need to be knowledgeable of, when considering how to apply and integrate these into their developing teaching practices. Expanding on the topics of DAP, anti-bias curriculum, and intentional teaching would increase the textbook's relevance to current and future competencies for early childhood practitioners.

The text is written in a clear manner, utilizing terminology that is pertinent and essential to those in the early childhood field. The theoretical aspects were described in a straightforward and understandable way, and further enhanced with diagrams, tables, and other visuals.

There are several vignettes presented throughout the textbook which reflect the growing diversity in our early childhood classrooms, which I found to be culturally sensitive and relevant to the experiences of our current practitioners. As mentioned earlier in this review, I suggest adding an additional chapter specific to anti-bias curriculum and cultural responsiveness.

Of all the OER textbooks written for early childhood education, I have found this Introduction to Curriculum for ECE textbook to be the best thus far. It is a compilation of all the essential information we would want to impart to our early childhood education students about what curriculum encompasses. There is a balance of theory presented in a clear and understandable manner, blended with numerous vignettes and reflection questions to support our students in their emerging teaching practices. The content provides a good foundation for knowledge of curriculum, along with many opportunities for rich discussion based on real life scenarios.

This is a very comprehensive text covering pertinent topics in early childhood education from understanding how children learn to the appropriate setting for their learning to the curriculum topics that cover their complete educational development.read more

This is a very comprehensive text covering pertinent topics in early childhood education from understanding how children learn to the appropriate setting for their learning to the curriculum topics that cover their complete educational development.

This early childhood education text is clearly and beautifully written and presented with research based, comprehensive and practical information on the development and instruction of children addressing their early education environment with appropriate learning strategies.

I found this text to be supremely comprehensive in scope, as well as fully current and progressive in tone and intent. To my mind, it would make an ideal foundational work for undergraduate programs in early childhood education. It is...read more

I found this text to be supremely comprehensive in scope, as well as fully current and progressive in tone and intent. To my mind, it would make an ideal foundational work for undergraduate programs in early childhood education. It is sufficiently broad in topical coverage as to have utility across multiple courses, from Foundations or Early Childhood Development through Ethical and Professional Standards or Children with Special Needs. At the same time, specific sections or chapters provide sufficient depth to serve as excellent pathways of entry into dynamic and evolving topical arenas such as Diversity and Multiculturalism or Infants and Toddlers: Learning through Relationships. An index would be a useful addition to this excellent work.

In my view, the writing throughout is accessible while appropriately academic, and richly informative while never being pedantic or turgid. The enthusiasm and expertise of the authors shines through in lucid prose and evocative, relevant, often inspired selection of supporting photographs and figures. The tone is inviting along with being professional; the always-implicit, often-explicit expectation is that optimal professionalism is a given, at all times and in all contexts. The reader is guided to the fundamental recognition that, while every practitioner can and should enhance their competencies, there is a baseline of excellence to which each person who enters an early childhood education center as a professional needs to adhere: a most appropriate metaview, in short.

This textbook provides a comprehensive summary of curriculum planning for preschool-aged (3-to 5-year old) children. With only a chapter truly dedicated to infant/toddler and early elementary-aged children, instructors who are teaching student...read more

This textbook provides a comprehensive summary of curriculum planning for preschool-aged (3-to 5-year old) children. With only a chapter truly dedicated to infant/toddler and early elementary-aged children, instructors who are teaching student teachers seeking a broader license (e.g., PreK-2 or Birth-5) will need to supplement the text in these areas. The book assumes a basic knowledge of child development (though a summary of developmental milestones is provided in the Appendices), and would be most useful to students who have yet had little exposure to early childhood classrooms.

The text covers most areas and ideas of the subject appropriately. Although NAEYC was referenced throughout, they have a new position statement on equity. Race, poverty, social inequities, and the importance of teaching these topics in early childhood needs to be integrated in the text. The text does not have an effective index/glossary. Additionally, at the bottom of each page it would be helpful to write which content area is being covered. For example, in chapter 10 which covers Science add Ch. 10 and the word Science at the bottom of the page.

Some of the information is and will be important to the field of early education forever, such as theories, theorists, and child development. Brain research, AAP recommendations for media usage, ways to embed diversity, and trauma informed care were not adequately covered nor up to date. It is essential especially during this moment in history that we adhere to what we know is best for children. Although our students will be learning remotely, and are reaching out to families virtually, they need to be sure that parents/families understand the harm of too much media exposure.Although family involvement was mentioned at the end of each chapter in section IV, knowing that parents are children's first teachers and the importance of community involvement in early childhood education there should be a chapter dedicated to this topic. 041b061a72