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Curriculum>HighReach Learning?
Daycare Mommy 07:25 AM 05-19-2010
I just ordered some samples of this and was just curious.. Does anyone here use this curriculum? I'll be ordering a curriculum for 4-5 year olds and am shopping around to place an order for this summer or fall.

I'm looking for something that is beyond letter and number of the week and cookie cutter crafts, something hands-on with open ended activities. I may just end up picking a theme and doing my own activities but I like the idea of the work done for me to a certain extent since creativity/imagination doesn't really come naturally to me. If anyone has any book or curriculum suggestions for me to look into I'd be grateful!
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Crystal 08:08 AM 05-19-2010
This is an AWESOME program, I have used it in the past. It is very open-ended and based on emergent learning. Totally NOT a cookie cutter program.

Your first kit comes with many wonderful resources and each additional kit comes with lots of stuff, including the curriculum, books for the classroom, books for the children to take home, manipulatives, a puppet or stuffed animal, posters, etc. It is VERY reasonably priced as well.

Did you order the samples for the Family Child Care program, or one of the others? The Family Childcare program is great, because it includes materials and activities for each age group. Your kit is customized based on the ages you serve and can be changed anytime.

Keep in mind it does NOT include the actual art materials.....but most activities use materials and supplies you would generally have. I never liked the programs where all the children make the exact same thing....I like it to be more about the process rather than the end product, and that's exactly what you get with High Reach. The only reason I no longer use it is because I use my own curriculum now, much of it developed based on the principals that High Reach ues.

I say go for it, you'll love it!
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Daycare Mommy 11:06 AM 05-19-2010
Cool! I can't wait to get the samples and catalog. I'm so excited! I ordered several samples as I wasn't sure which would suit us best. I ordered Pre-K, Passports, Fives, and Family Child Care. Thanks for your info on it. I'm much more excited about it now.
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MarinaVanessa 11:56 AM 05-19-2010
I have themed weeks and activities and I plan my own curriculum rather than purchase a pre-made one from somewhere and I bought two books that I use ALL OF THE TIME!! One is "The Weekly Curriculum which has 52 weeks of complete pre-school themes and the other is The Complete Daily Curriculum For Early Childhood that has 1,200 activities. These are for young kids but there are others for older kids. "Learn & Play The Green Way" ages 1-8, "Everyday Early Learning" ages 1-8 (easy & fun activities and toys made from stuff around your house) etc.

I use them both religiously to make my lesson plans or to get ideas from them. All but one of my DC littles are age 5 or younger except one (age 8) but I just make the activities a little harder for him and let him get a little more creative than the rest of them. It works out great for me.

For example: For mother's day I had my 8 year-ol DC kiddo cut out large flower-head shapes for me (one for each child) and we pressed each child's hand into paint and pressed handprints on the flower. We rolled up construction paper and stapled it for a stem and added a small picture and a poem (that I had the 8 year-ol cut out). I took an idea from the books and we instead made books about our mothers. I would write something about their moms on a small piece of paper and the kiddos would glue a shape on a page and draw a picture. It was cute and the moms all loved them. I use the books for ideas all of the time and incorporate Kumon learning books that I make copies from here at home.
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happykidschildcare 12:06 PM 05-19-2010
was checking this out, which would be the best set to order for a home based childcare? the classroom kit or the family connection ?
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Former Teacher 01:42 PM 05-19-2010
I am sorry DC Mommy but I think that the HR is a total waste of money IMO. I used it at my center years ago when I first started out in daycare. I found that the first year or so was really good and then they started to repeat things and it just wasn't something I was looking for. I get all my materials either from cheap bookstores (we have Half Price Books) or just copy from the internet.

Of course this was years ago so maybe it has changed. However again I do not recommend them. Sorry
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Crystal 01:49 PM 05-19-2010
Vanessa....I just recently bought the Daily Curriculum book and I LOVE it! I do recommend it as well.
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misol 01:57 PM 05-19-2010
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa:
I have themed weeks and activities and I plan my own curriculum rather than purchase a pre-made one from somewhere and I bought two books that I use ALL OF THE TIME!! One is "The Weekly Curriculum which has 52 weeks of complete pre-school themes and the other is The Complete Daily Curriculum For Early Childhood that has 1,200 activities. These are for young kids but there are others for older kids. "Learn & Play The Green Way" ages 1-8, "Everyday Early Learning" ages 1-8 (easy & fun activities and toys made from stuff around your house) etc.
The Complete Daily Curriculum For Early Childhood is FABULOUS. We have this and use it ALL the time. I also have a good one called Ready, Set, Grow: A Preplanned Calendar of Preschool Activities. Between the two of these I get everything I need. Anything I need to change or supplement I get off the internet.
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MarinaVanessa 02:15 PM 05-19-2010
Originally Posted by misol:
I also have a good one called Ready, Set, Grow: A Preplanned Calendar of Preschool Activities.... Anything I need to change or supplement I get off the internet.
Yup I love it and I also get a lot of ideas from the internet ... I'll have to check out Ready, Set, Grow also though.

As for HighReach Learning I was checking it out and have to admit that I ordered one of the infant sets. I have trouble finding things for my infants to do beside the usual tummy and mirror time so I thought I'd try it out. I hope it works out well because it's sooo difficult for me to find lesson plans and activities to do with them that don't require 100% attention from me. I thought it was cute that they offer baby yoga and sign language music DVD's to incorporate with our other activities. I already use Signing Time Videos which are great but I think it's important to have variety.
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Daycare Mommy 05:54 PM 05-19-2010
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa:
I have themed weeks and activities and I plan my own curriculum rather than purchase a pre-made one from somewhere and I bought two books that I use ALL OF THE TIME!! One is "The Weekly Curriculum which has 52 weeks of complete pre-school themes and the other is The Complete Daily Curriculum For Early Childhood that has 1,200 activities. These are for young kids but there are others for older kids. "Learn & Play The Green Way" ages 1-8, "Everyday Early Learning" ages 1-8 (easy & fun activities and toys made from stuff around your house) etc.

I use them both religiously to make my lesson plans or to get ideas from them. All but one of my DC littles are age 5 or younger except one (age 8) but I just make the activities a little harder for him and let him get a little more creative than the rest of them. It works out great for me.

For example: For mother's day I had my 8 year-ol DC kiddo cut out large flower-head shapes for me (one for each child) and we pressed each child's hand into paint and pressed handprints on the flower. We rolled up construction paper and stapled it for a stem and added a small picture and a poem (that I had the 8 year-ol cut out). I took an idea from the books and we instead made books about our mothers. I would write something about their moms on a small piece of paper and the kiddos would glue a shape on a page and draw a picture. It was cute and the moms all loved them. I use the books for ideas all of the time and incorporate Kumon learning books that I make copies from here at home.
We use the Kumon books too. Everyone here has one or two they are working through at any given time. I'm not generally a workbook fan, but I do like the Kumon books!

And I actually just checked out the Weekly Curriculum book from the library. I'll take a look at that tonight after the kids are in bed and I'll also see if I can find the others you mentioned. Thanks for the suggestions!

Originally Posted by happykidschildcare:
was checking this out, which would be the best set to order for a home based childcare? the classroom kit or the family connection ?
I think this is it: HighReach Learning Family Childcare Curriculum

Originally Posted by Former Teacher:
I am sorry DC Mommy but I think that the HR is a total waste of money IMO. I used it at my center years ago when I first started out in daycare. I found that the first year or so was really good and then they started to repeat things and it just wasn't something I was looking for. I get all my materials either from cheap bookstores (we have Half Price Books) or just copy from the internet.

Of course this was years ago so maybe it has changed. However again I do not recommend them. Sorry
I'll only be using it for a year at most. I'm thinking by then I should have enough time and inspiration make my own again. So would you recommend it for short term when there's no time to make up your own? Did you have any other complaints about it or just the repetition?

Originally Posted by Crystal:
Vanessa....I just recently bought the Daily Curriculum book and I LOVE it! I do recommend it as well.
Thanks again Crystal.
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Former Teacher 06:12 PM 05-19-2010
Originally Posted by Daycare Mommy:
I'll only be using it for a year at most. I'm thinking by then I should have enough time and inspiration make my own again. So would you recommend it for short term when there's no time to make up your own? Did you have any other complaints about it or just the repetition?
In that case since you will be only using it for a year then yes I do recommend it. It was a great starter kit for someone who was inexperienced at that time (I was only 17/18 years old!). However as I grew and learned more and more myself, I felt that we weren't getting our moneys worth since it was repetition and I just didn't feel like it was challenging enough.

Long story short, yes I would recommend for short term use. No more than a year though
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Daycare Mommy 06:14 PM 05-19-2010
Originally Posted by Former Teacher:
In that case since you will be only using it for a year then yes I do recommend it. It was a great starter kit for someone who was inexperienced at that time (I was only 17/18 years old!). However as I grew and learned more and more myself, I felt that we weren't getting our moneys worth since it was repetition and I just didn't feel like it was challenging enough.

Long story short, yes I would recommend for short term use. No more than a year though
Great! Thanks Former Teacher!
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Former Teacher 06:19 PM 05-19-2010
Originally Posted by Daycare Mommy:
Great! Thanks Former Teacher!
No problem! Thats what we are for! *hugs*
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