Have you ever wondered how pre-K teachers keep a classroom full of young children engaged for an entire school day? Do you feel exhausted just thinking about it? Well, fortunately, high-quality pre-K programs follow a specific curriculum that is designed to keep children engaged and learning all day, while leaving room for social time, play and discovery.
The Creative Curriculum®
MECK Pre-K uses The Creative Curriculum®, a hands-on, project-based approach to education that incorporates real life experiences into the learning process. Teachers use a variety of interactive activities to engage children in learning. In the course of a lesson, they will engage children in group conversations about what they already know, what they want to know, and what they have ultimately learned. These group conversations help children learn from their teachers and each other!
Children don’t just sit all day – they participate in fun, hands-on activities that integrate their learning objectives with other skills. For example, if they are learning about water, they might look for sources of water around the school and learn how water is used at each. Then they might conduct experiments on how water changes from liquid to gas, liquid to solid, and solid to liquid and learn the importance of water conservation.
How the Curriculum Works for Teachers
The MECK Pre-K curriculum is based on five fundamental principles that guide and support teachers in setting up and operating their classrooms. These principles are:
- Positive interactions and relationships with adults provide a critical foundation for successful learning.
- Emotional-Social competence is a significant factor in school success.
- Constructive, purposeful play supports essential learning.
- The physical environment affects the type and quality of learning interactions.
- Teacher-family partnerships promote development and learning.
The curriculum also helps teachers to establish a routine in the classroom, which helps the day progress smoothly. “I have noticed that students are really into our routine,” one MECK Pre-K teacher told us. “I can tell when they know what’s next, because as soon as the music plays or I say one thing, they know what the next thing is, and it just comes from repetition.”
How the Curriculum Works for Families
As mentioned above, one of the five fundamental principles of the MECK Pre-K curriculum is that teacher-family partnerships promote development and learning. As one of our teachers put it, “The thing I find most rewarding about being a MECK Pre-K teacher is not only do I leave an impression on my children, but I also leave that good impression on my parents, one teacher told us. “So my parents learn from the children and the children learn from me.”
Families also enjoy their interactions with teachers. One MECK Pre-K parent told us, “Francesca is much more confident now. She can thrive in a classroom environment with her other classmates and teachers. She is also reading at an advanced level! I am impressed she can read books and also answer questions which shows she comprehends what she’s reading. I credit this all to … her pre-K teacher, who identified Francesca was ready for these challenges!”
How the Curriculum Can Work for You!
If you have a young child who could benefit from a high quality pre-K education, visit MECKPreK.org! MECK Pre-K is open to all four-year-old children in Mecklenburg County. Classrooms are located in licensed child development centers and taught by licensed teachers and highly qualified assistant teachers. Your child must turn four by August 31 of that school year. If your child will not turn four in time, you can sign up to be notified when registration opens for their age group.
If you are interested in learning more about being a MECK Pre-K teacher, you can sign up for our Teacher Mailing List! We’ll send you information about working for MECK Pre-K and a link to current pre-K teacher openings on the Smart Start Job Board