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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Creative Curriculum - do you like it?
Unregistered 07:29 AM 08-22-2014
I am in Maryland, and in order to have a 5-star rating for the EXCELs system, we have to have the Creative Curriculum. Luckily, there is a grant for home providers, so I do not have to pay the $200 or so.
My question to those of you out there who have used it - do you like it? What are some of the pros and cons? Do the kids enjoy it?
They don't allow Mother Goose as some aspects of it are too developmentally challenging. This is the only one for family daycares....
My question to those of you out there who have used it - do you like it? What are some of the pros and cons? Do the kids enjoy it?
They don't allow Mother Goose as some aspects of it are too developmentally challenging. This is the only one for family daycares....
AmyKidsCo 08:41 AM 08-22-2014
I "use" Creative Curriculum, but CC for FCC isn't a curriculum like you expect - with activities, art, songs, etc. It's more of a guidebook for setting up thoughtful routines and an educational environment.
You can also buy Study Starters, which help you plan for project-approach units. I downloaded the Balls one for free and bought the Clothing one, but never really used them. I attended a CC workshop because I was having a hard time implementing the project approach with my group (they were all 3 and under at the time) and the presenter told me the Study Starters were intended for preschool age and older - younger than that it's all about caregiving routines.
Balls Study Starter download: http://teachingstrategies.com/content/pageDocs/Study-Starter-Balls-02-2012.pdf
Bottom line - I like CC for FCC but you'll be disappointed if you expect it to be a bunch of themes and activities like Mother Goose, etc.
You can also buy Study Starters, which help you plan for project-approach units. I downloaded the Balls one for free and bought the Clothing one, but never really used them. I attended a CC workshop because I was having a hard time implementing the project approach with my group (they were all 3 and under at the time) and the presenter told me the Study Starters were intended for preschool age and older - younger than that it's all about caregiving routines.
Balls Study Starter download: http://teachingstrategies.com/content/pageDocs/Study-Starter-Balls-02-2012.pdf
Bottom line - I like CC for FCC but you'll be disappointed if you expect it to be a bunch of themes and activities like Mother Goose, etc.
Shell 08:46 AM 08-22-2014
We used this in 2 of the corporate centers where I worked, so I just use it here, too. Pros: the developmental continuum is great for showing skills that kids should have as infants/toddler/preschoolers and you assess where a child is: mastered or developing the skill and you work off do that. It's also nice that it is child directed- your themes are based off of the children's interests- dinosaurs, books, etc. The only negatives I can think of are that you have to think up your own lessons and activities. I know some programs give you suggested activities and supplies, materials, etc.
Annalee 08:50 AM 08-22-2014
Originally Posted by AmyKidsCo:
I "use" Creative Curriculum, but CC for FCC isn't a curriculum like you expect - with activities, art, songs, etc. It's more of a guidebook for setting up thoughtful routines and an educational environment.
You can also buy Study Starters, which help you plan for project-approach units. I downloaded the Balls one for free and bought the Clothing one, but never really used them. I attended a CC workshop because I was having a hard time implementing the project approach with my group (they were all 3 and under at the time) and the presenter told me the Study Starters were intended for preschool age and older - younger than that it's all about caregiving routines.
Balls Study Starter download: http://teachingstrategies.com/content/pageDocs/Study-Starter-Balls-02-2012.pdf
Bottom line - I like CC for FCC but you'll be disappointed if you expect it to be a bunch of themes and activities like Mother Goose, etc.
I "use" Creative Curriculum, but CC for FCC isn't a curriculum like you expect - with activities, art, songs, etc. It's more of a guidebook for setting up thoughtful routines and an educational environment.
You can also buy Study Starters, which help you plan for project-approach units. I downloaded the Balls one for free and bought the Clothing one, but never really used them. I attended a CC workshop because I was having a hard time implementing the project approach with my group (they were all 3 and under at the time) and the presenter told me the Study Starters were intended for preschool age and older - younger than that it's all about caregiving routines.
Balls Study Starter download: http://teachingstrategies.com/content/pageDocs/Study-Starter-Balls-02-2012.pdf
Bottom line - I like CC for FCC but you'll be disappointed if you expect it to be a bunch of themes and activities like Mother Goose, etc.
Creative curriculum offers developmentally appropriate ways to "facilitate" children's learning by setting up the child care environment....I was privileged to attend a workshop at the NAFCC conference in Baltimore with Diane Trister Dodge and Sherrie Rudick whom actually signed my CC book...pretty cool training! 
AmyKidsCo 09:06 AM 08-22-2014
Originally Posted by Shell:
We used this in 2 of the corporate centers where I worked...
BTW. I bought CC for Infants/Toddlers & CC for Preschool & they're all different. IMO the preschool one is more focused on activities than the FCC one, while the Infant/Toddler one is more about relationships & routines.We used this in 2 of the corporate centers where I worked...
Annalee 09:15 AM 08-22-2014
Originally Posted by AmyKidsCo:
BTW. I bought CC for Infants/Toddlers & CC for Preschool & they're all different. IMO the preschool one is more focused on activities than the FCC one, while the Infant/Toddler one is more about relationships & routines.
I have the FCC one! BTW. I bought CC for Infants/Toddlers & CC for Preschool & they're all different. IMO the preschool one is more focused on activities than the FCC one, while the Infant/Toddler one is more about relationships & routines.
KidGrind 04:45 PM 08-22-2014
I use Creative Curriculum/Teaching Strategies Gold.
It is not a choice. Yet, I admit it is a learning & growing experience. It helps me push myself. I look out things differently.
For example: Letter A Recognition
Painting Ants would normally be a art/craft project. After working with Teaching Strategies Gold, it is also a math project.
We count out the body parts as we are painting:
1. Head
2. Thorax
3. Abdomen
Then the antenna:
1-2
Then the legs:
1-2-3-4-5-6
Before Teaching Strategies Gold I would’ve never though of a “painting project” doubling as a math activity unless we were painting numbers.
It is not a choice. Yet, I admit it is a learning & growing experience. It helps me push myself. I look out things differently.
For example: Letter A Recognition
Painting Ants would normally be a art/craft project. After working with Teaching Strategies Gold, it is also a math project.
We count out the body parts as we are painting:
1. Head
2. Thorax
3. Abdomen
Then the antenna:
1-2
Then the legs:
1-2-3-4-5-6
Before Teaching Strategies Gold I would’ve never though of a “painting project” doubling as a math activity unless we were painting numbers.