Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Curriculum>Who Doesn't Use a Cirriculum?
sahm2three 10:14 AM 08-23-2010
I feel like I am the only one here! I am not a preschool teacher, or a teacher of any kind! We do things like crafts, read tons of books, I print worksheets off of my computer (for the littles, learning the alphabet and coloring something that starts with that letter, etc), we take a few field trips. I try to use every moment I can for a teachable moment. I have kids who are in preK, and I don't want to teach them differently than they are learning. So for those who use a cirriculum, do your kids not go to preK? It just isn't really done in home day cares around here from what I have learned by asking around. Just curious.
Reply
tenderhearts 10:28 AM 08-23-2010
I don't use a curriculum. I buy learning books and just do my own. We learn a letter and color one week and a number and shape the following. We do opposites and just all different things. Its less expensive for me this way, more time consuming though.
Reply
DCMom 11:45 AM 08-23-2010
This is going to sound odd...I buy a prepackaged curriculum for ME. It keeps ME focused, gives ME ideas, has all the things the I need to keep the kids occupied. It motivates ME and makes my day go smoother~all about ME as my dh would say, lol!

I don't charge extra; if I don't feel like doing preschool stuff that day, I don't feel obligated to. When interviewing, I stress that I use the curriculum because of the themes and the ideas and that I am NOT a preschool teacher. But you know what? My little daycare darlings pick things up pretty quickly in the routine of the days and are usually are more than ready for Kindergarten, despite their daycare lady not being a teacher and not having the formal preschool experience. In 21 years and many, many children the only ones who have gone to preschool were my three own kids

Don't stress over it~do what feels right for you and your clients. It sounds like you are doing fine!
Reply
Jenjo 12:17 PM 08-23-2010
I don't do a curriculum, We just play, paint, color, read, explore and play some more. Some of the kids do go to a preschool down the street from me.
Reply
Lilbutterflie 12:23 PM 08-23-2010
I don't use curriculum, though I am thinking about doing it. I do a lot of the same things everyone else is posting.
Reply
jenh171 12:26 PM 08-23-2010
I don't have a curriculum, but I have always done crafts and activities. However, this summer I sort of sketched out a plan for what I am doing this upcoming school year. I am going to have a different theme and letter each week, and our plans will have to do with that theme. It is just a way to have a little structure/seasonal significance to our daily crafts, books and activities. Also, I'm starting to do a lot more readiness activities this year because the babies I started out caring for are now approaching 3, and I have one little girl who is 4.
Reply
GretasLittleFriends 12:43 PM 08-23-2010
Originally Posted by Jenjo:
I don't do a curriculum, We just play, paint, color, read, explore and play some more.
Same here. I teach the dck's the same things I teach my own children. Nothing is structured. As a matter of fact, my contract states:

This is not a pre-school, but, we do learn new things everyday. I believe young children learn best through play, not a structured school-like environment. They will get that soon enough when they enter the school system. However, I do believe it is important for children to have early pre-school knowledge prior to entering the school system. Therefore, we spend our days learning through play, artwork and books. We will learn among other things: our colors, numbers, shapes, our names, our ABC's and some basic handwriting skills, along with some important fine motor skills, which include the proper way to hold a pencil and cut with scissors, through age appropriate activities. Your child will not be pushed to do anything that he/she is not capable of doing, all children will learn these things at their own pace. Early learning should be a fun and enjoyable experience to help ensure a life long love of learning.
Reply
melskids 01:54 PM 08-23-2010
curriculum doesnt have to mean expensive prepackaged programs or sheet after sheet of worksheets, flashcards, and rote memorization. from what many of you are explaining, you are already "doing" curriculum!!!

i absolutely believe children learn best through play, and thats what i base my "curriculum" on. (i personally use the creative curriculum) i offer many hands on open ended activites throughout the day. (creative art, dramatic play, blocks, small manipulatives, etc.) i ask alot of open ended questions to get the kiddos thinking. the purpose of my "lesson plans" is like DCmom said, it helps ME stay focused and keeps ME organized. i dont puposely advertise as a "preschool". i'm not a teacher, nor pretend to be. the whole reason i started in home daycare was because i hated the institutional feeling of centers, and wanted to offer a cozy home-like atmosphere. but i explain to parents that they will be given many of the same opprotunities as they would get in a preschool. (just like gretasfriends explains) i like to think of myself as a surrogate mom who homeschools preschoolers...lol

i think as long as you are offering opportunities for the children to learn through engaging activites throughout the day, then youre already doing a great job!!!! keep up the good work!!!
Reply
Lucy 08:32 PM 08-23-2010
Originally Posted by GretasLittleFriends:
Same here. I teach the dck's the same things I teach my own children. Nothing is structured. As a matter of fact, my contract states:

This is not a pre-school, but, we do learn new things everyday. I believe young children learn best through play, not a structured school-like environment. They will get that soon enough when they enter the school system. However, I do believe it is important for children to have early pre-school knowledge prior to entering the school system. Therefore, we spend our days learning through play, artwork and books. We will learn among other things: our colors, numbers, shapes, our names, our ABC's and some basic handwriting skills, along with some important fine motor skills, which include the proper way to hold a pencil and cut with scissors, through age appropriate activities. Your child will not be pushed to do anything that he/she is not capable of doing, all children will learn these things at their own pace. Early learning should be a fun and enjoyable experience to help ensure a life long love of learning.
LOVE it!!! I may even use similar wording in the next version of my handbook. Thanks!!
Reply
GretasLittleFriends 06:05 AM 08-24-2010
Originally Posted by Joyce:
LOVE it!!! I may even use similar wording in the next version of my handbook. Thanks!!
Thanks... I found it online.
Reply
Crystal 07:25 AM 08-24-2010
If you are drawing, painting, writing, EXPLORING, dancing, singing, PLAYING, you are using a curriculum.....it's called Developmentally Appropriate Practice, or DAP....and it's the BEST curriculum you can use! All of the boxed curriculums that send homea finished "product" are what I call Parent Pleasers.
Reply
SilverSabre25 07:32 AM 08-24-2010
Originally Posted by Crystal:
If you are drawing, painting, writing, EXPLORING, dancing, singing, PLAYING, you are using a curriculum.....it's called Developmentally Appropriate Practice, or DAP....and it's the BEST curriculum you can use! All of the boxed curriculums that send homea finished "product" are what I call Parent Pleasers.
Well said!
Reply
DCMom 11:44 AM 08-24-2010
Originally Posted by Crystal:
If you are drawing, painting, writing, EXPLORING, dancing, singing, PLAYING, you are using a curriculum.....it's called Developmentally Appropriate Practice, or DAP....and it's the BEST curriculum you can use! All of the boxed curriculums that send homea finished "product" are what I call Parent Pleasers.
I totally agree Crystal, but sometimes we have to please the parents, it makes for good business~lol!

My kids love doing the projects and honestly I don't care how much or how little the do with them, it's process not the product. I have a few real out of the box thinkers and I just can't wait to see what they come up with some days. I keep all the 'leftovers' from previous days in a bin and they are forever in there creating~so a 'boxed', 'canned', whatever you want to call it curriculum can be used as part of a DAP curriculum at least at my house

I just need a starting point and the boxed curriculum does that for me.
Reply
Crystal 11:48 AM 08-24-2010
Originally Posted by DCMom:
I totally agree Crystal, but sometimes we have to please the parents, it makes for good business~lol!

My kids love doing the projects and honestly I don't care how much or how little the do with them, it's process not the product. I have a few real out of the box thinkers and I just can't wait to see what they come up with some days. I keep all the 'leftovers' from previous days in a bin and they are forever in there creating~so a 'boxed', 'canned', whatever you want to call it curriculum can be used as part of a DAP curriculum at least at my house

I just need a starting point and the boxed curriculum does that for me.
Oh, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean any offense about the boxed curriculums....and I agree that they can be turned in to DAP curriculums, so long as they aren't used just to get a cutesy little end result to give to the parents. I LOVE that you point out that you make it about the process, not the product.

My main point was that, for those who don't feel like they are using a curriculum because they don't buy the boxed curriculums, that they really are implementing a curriculum, they're just doing it without spendning the extra money, and they are practicing DAP....I hope that makes sense!
Reply
DCMomOf3 11:57 AM 08-24-2010
Originally Posted by DCMom:
I totally agree Crystal, but sometimes we have to please the parents, it makes for good business~lol!

My kids love doing the projects and honestly I don't care how much or how little the do with them, it's process not the product. I have a few real out of the box thinkers and I just can't wait to see what they come up with some days. I keep all the 'leftovers' from previous days in a bin and they are forever in there creating~so a 'boxed', 'canned', whatever you want to call it curriculum can be used as part of a DAP curriculum at least at my house

I just need a starting point and the boxed curriculum does that for me.
This is me too.
Reply
DCMom 12:12 PM 08-24-2010
Originally Posted by Crystal:
Oh, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean any offense about the boxed curriculums....and I agree that they can be turned in to DAP curriculums, so long as they aren't used just to get a cutesy little end result to give to the parents. I LOVE that you point out that you make it about the process, not the product.

My main point was that, for those who don't feel like they are using a curriculum because they don't buy the boxed curriculums, that they really are implementing a curriculum, they're just doing it without spendning the extra money, and they are practicing DAP....I hope that makes sense!
Oh my, no offense taken~I like that you brought up DAP. Curriculum or no curriculum, adults often forget that a child's 'job' is just to play (and learn in the process).
Reply
legomom922 03:29 PM 08-24-2010
I do not use any planning either. I also tell parents I am not a preschool teacher., that they can consider me more of a nurturing Aunt, and I include the kids in MY everyday life & activities, including grocery shopping, cleaning, & cooking. They seem to like that more. Of course they learn through everyday life activities. You would be suprised how much they learn by these things. You can count forks just as easily as counting other objects. In fact, I have one parent who choose me just for this very reason! If they are looking for a preschool program, I direct them to someone else. No offense to anyone who does a preschool program, it's just not for me.
Reply
melissa ann 04:01 PM 08-24-2010
I don't do a "boxed" curriculum. We would do projects (so the parents think they are doing "something" and not nothing) that would go with the seasons, holiday or letters,numbers etc. But it was just whatever I felt (or the kids) felt like doing. My daughter went to preschool last year (really just to get her away from me and for her to have other adults in her life she must listen to) Anyway, I had all of her papers, monthly newsletter, crafts etc that listed what each preschool day was going to be like. So, this year, I'm planning out my days just 3 days/week on preschool stuff. I'm taking some of my daughter's preschool things and a few books on special holidays etc and build off that. This way I know what things I will need to buy for an activity instead of saying we are going to do this, but then can't because I didnt' have all of the supplies.
Reply
countrymom 05:49 PM 08-24-2010
I'm like the above poster who buys it for herself. I also buy it because its easier to do than to sit and think of things (I have 4 kids of my own) its a challage just to get all my stuff done, my own childrens stuff done and then to do a cirriculum. I would love to use my dd's stuff from jk and kindy (or as some know it as preschool and kindy) but they barely do art, they did a letter book, and played most of the time so I have nothing I can use. I sometimes use workbooks but after a while I find they get boring so I need ideas.
Reply
Lucy 10:02 AM 08-27-2010
I totally agree with the idea of learning as you live. I really take EVERY opportunity during the day to teach something. Maybe it's just coincidence, but the majority of the kids who have grown up at my daycare have been above-average students.

However, with money an issue as it kind of is now, I did just advertise for pre-schoolers from 9am to 2pm and said that if I get enough enrollment, I would start a curriculum.

Don't get me wrong - those purchased curriculums are fantastic and do have value, as do curriculums you develop yourself. I'm not against a structured curriculum in any way. But I do feel they can learn just as well without one. But if it brings in the business, I'm going to go for it. I'm low right now on middle of the day kids anyway. Once the kids go back to school, I will only have a 2-yr old unless someone answers my ad.
Reply
laundryduchess@yahoo.com 10:21 AM 08-27-2010
I do early start, I dont use all of it and do suppliment it with my own things, but I do it for me. lol. I find it keeps me on task more and moving with the program. I am working on accreditation and one of the requirements is a written curriculum. However,.. I am determined to keep my home environment just that,.. a home. not a center. And that is what is taking so long for me to tweak. lol
Reply
professionalmom 07:45 PM 08-29-2010
This topic is quite interesting considering I was just in mediation with a former client this past week and she brought "curriculum" up as a way to try to bash me and tell the mediator what a horrible daycare provider I was. Her claim was that I told her "curriculum? You bring your kids here to play and for me to watch. I don't have a curriculum."

Now that is NOTHING like what I told her. I told her exactly what the rest of you are saying - learning through play, just not a pre-packaged "curriculum". I told her that basically when you are talking about a 6 month old, the "curriculum" consists of things like learning to sit and crawl, exploring the different tastes of different purees, etc. When you're talking a 1 1/2 year old, we are practicing our speech, learning animals, animal sounds, body parts (eyes, ears, tummy, etc.), how to share, how to use eating utensils, etc. When we are talking about a 3 year old, I start to teach them how to hold a crayon, pen, or pencil and write their letters and numbers, etc. The list goes on and on. But I guess I should have used the term "DAP" so that it would come across as more "educational" or "approved" by experts.

I just found it interesting that since I had a laid-back, but very fun and educational atmosphere, she used that to try to discredit my professionalism and assassinate my character. So, I'm beginning to think it was risky to NOT have the "boxed" "curriculum". Funny though that "curriculum" would be an issue for someone who is receiving state assistance and STILL got so far behind (by not reporting her hours to the state) in payments and is trying to weasel out of paying me. Talk about wanting something for nothing. But that's how some people are.
Reply
Unregistered 05:27 PM 09-06-2010
We dont do pre school either I use to when I had a a bigger daycare now I have a small daycare I read to my babies, color, take walks, play, etc I am not a teacher I am daycare provider.
Reply
Tags:curriculum, handbook
Reply Up