Making the Most of Curriculum in Any Early Childhood Environment
Apr 05, 2022
Children under the age of 5 are in an especially delicate stage of brain development. They benefit so much from a structured learning environment, and yet it’s equally necessary for young children to explore the world freely with their hearts and their hands. Finding the balance between learning their own way and learning important content can be difficult with this age group, continually causing two patterns to emerge. Daycare centers tend to prioritize free play and engagement, without making the best use of developmentally focused activities, while preschool environments often become too rigorous and academic, leaving play for last. With the Origins approach to structured curriculum, that balance becomes not only possible, but celebrated.
The term “structured curriculum” in the early education field is often met with distrust, and for good reason. Structure is often attributed to rigor, which insinuates an unyielding approach to education. When done properly, “structure” does not mean inflexibility, but reliability. It’s a steady, organized approach to delivering information, ensuring all important milestones are met. And when done exceptionally well, a structured curriculum can and should incorporate all of the most beautiful parts of learning, too!
Origins is founded on the belief that education should be both reliable and beautiful, and there are three major ways our structured curriculum could enhance your early education center.
An Organized Approach to Fun
Children tend to follow their own path when it comes to learning, and that’s the most infectious part about teaching them. Providing structure and guidance to the way they learn should never inhibit their curiosity, it should facilitate it! In our programs, lessons are written with a child’s natural interest in mind, encouraging inspiration and inquiry without deviating from the developmental objectives.
Age Appropriate Methods
In education, the requirements of child development are often overlooked for the sake of achievement, causing more problems for children than solutions in the long term. By putting developmentally appropriate methods at the forefront, Origins aims to provide the most well-rounded education possible, with social emotional wellness, eco-literacy, and mindfulness as top priority. In our program, children learn who they are as people and how they relate to the world around them, and teachers are given the tools to guide a passion-driven education without ever losing sight of the developmental milestones that need to be met.
Teacher Support
In addition to finding balance between structure and curiosity, teachers are often caught between reading from a pre-printed script or making every single resource in their free time. With Origins, we provide a full library of materials; daily lessons, hand crafted items, and a variety of media to supplement every topic. Teachers are not bound by a “boxed” method of teaching, nor are they expected to fashion every activity from scratch. As with everything we do, beauty is a priority, and we want teachers to remain present in their students and enjoy the expressive nature of their craft. By giving them the tools they need to understand and recognize growth through non-traditional measurements, teachers are able to see their students for who they are without becoming hyper-focused on what they can do.
When people know how to express themselves, advocate for their own needs, and find their own voice as children, they grow into healthy, happy adults who are able to define their own measurement of success. Even with our youngest children, there is a way to navigate structure without losing the fun, play-based nature of early education. Through Origins, your daycare could become more than just a childcare center, it could be an educational facility that inspires a love for both teaching and learning; one that gives a child (and their teachers!) everything they need to become who they want to be.
