Core Knowledge Preschool vs. Traditional Preschool

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Core Knowledge Preschool vs. Traditional Preschool

Features of Core Knowledge Preschool	Features of Many Traditional Preschools
classroom experiences and activities are based on explicit guidelines that specify essential knowledge and skills for all preschool age children (Core Knowledge Preschool Sequence) Sequence goals build sequentially, step by step: current knowledge and skills become the starting point for subsequent experience and instruction explicit, sequential goals allow teachers to make knowledge and skills accessible to preschoolers in small manageable steps: children are always ready to learn if teachers know where to start balance of experiences and activities within all developmental areas: Physical Well-Being and Coordination, Social and Emotional Development, Approaches to Learning, Language Development, Knowledge Acquisition and Cognitive Development high expectations for all children, recognizing that rates and methods of learning may vary among individuals consistency in content and experiences presented to preschoolers; children entering kindergarten have a common base of knowledge and skills Sequence facilitates effective planning and monitoring to identify learning gaps and insure that important knowledge and skills are not omitted teacher assumes an interactive role in guiding and presenting experiences and instruction approaches the development of each child's autonomy within the context of the class group; encourages socially responsible behavior and respect for the group focuses on the "language of instruction," recognizing the importance of adult language models for developing a solid foundation in receptive and expressive language emphasizes linking concrete, manipulative experiences with beginning level abstract, representational learning based on cognitive psychology research and empirically validated practice with millions of preschool children internationally correlated to the highly respected Core Knowledge Sequence for grades K-8 to provide a smooth transition and insure ongoing learning from preschool to kindergarten	classroom experiences and activities are often spontaneous, based on child and/or teacher interest, with random coverage of essential knowledge and skills no goals or, at best, very global goals concerning curriculum and content lack of goals and sequential specificity means that learning is done in "all or nothing" terms; the acquisition of knowledge and skills is out of the immediate reach of many preschoolers: teachers must defer instruction until children are ready to learn experiences and activities are not necessarily representative of all developmental areas; extremes particularly in regards to academically oriented experiences: either total exclusion or excessive focus on one or more narrowly defined academic skills, such as letter names and numbers different expectations for children, given background and aptitude; special, compensatory programs with less challenging content frequently offered to children from low socioeconomic backgrounds no consistency in content and experiences presented to preschoolers; wide disparities in the knowledge and skills that preschoolers bring to kindergarten classes since experiences and activities occur spontaneously, planning and assessment of children's performance and accomplishments are often seen as unnecessary at this level teacher assumes the role of facilitator, providing materials and setting up the environment, but then standing back to let children lead the way the development of each child's individual (solitary) autonomy is of utmost importance; minimal or no whole group interaction and instruction emphasizes only concrete, manipulative experiences; abstract, representational learning is deemed beyond the grasp of preschoolers no planned correlation with kindergarten programs; expectations in kindergarten classes often differ dramatically from those of the preschool setting

Features of
Core Knowledge Preschool

Features of
Many Traditional Preschools

classroom experiences and activities are based on explicit guidelines that specify essential knowledge and skills for all preschool age children (Core Knowledge Preschool Sequence)
Sequence goals build sequentially, step by step: current knowledge and skills become the starting point for subsequent experience and instruction
explicit, sequential goals allow teachers to make knowledge and skills accessible to preschoolers in small manageable steps: children are always ready to learn if teachers know where to start
balance of experiences and activities within all developmental areas: Physical Well-Being and Coordination, Social and Emotional Development, Approaches to Learning, Language Development, Knowledge Acquisition and Cognitive Development
high expectations for all children, recognizing that rates and methods of learning may vary among individuals
consistency in content and experiences presented to preschoolers; children entering kindergarten have a common base of knowledge and skills
Sequence facilitates effective planning and monitoring to identify learning gaps and insure that important knowledge and skills are not omitted
teacher assumes an interactive role in guiding and presenting experiences and instruction
approaches the development of each child's autonomy within the context of the class group; encourages socially responsible behavior and respect for the group
focuses on the "language of instruction," recognizing the importance of adult language models for developing a solid foundation in receptive and expressive language
emphasizes linking concrete, manipulative experiences with beginning level abstract, representational learning
based on cognitive psychology research and empirically validated practice with millions of preschool children internationally
correlated to the highly respected Core Knowledge Sequence for grades K-8 to provide a smooth transition and insure ongoing learning from preschool to kindergarten

classroom experiences and activities are often spontaneous, based on child and/or teacher interest, with random coverage of essential knowledge and skills
no goals or, at best, very global goals concerning curriculum and content
lack of goals and sequential specificity means that learning is done in "all or nothing" terms; the acquisition of knowledge and skills is out of the immediate reach of many preschoolers: teachers must defer instruction until children are ready to learn
experiences and activities are not necessarily representative of all developmental areas; extremes particularly in regards to academically oriented experiences: either total exclusion or excessive focus on one or more narrowly defined academic skills, such as letter names and numbers
different expectations for children, given background and aptitude; special, compensatory programs with less challenging content frequently offered to children from low socioeconomic backgrounds
no consistency in content and experiences presented to preschoolers; wide disparities in the knowledge and skills that preschoolers bring to kindergarten classes
since experiences and activities occur spontaneously, planning and assessment of children's performance and accomplishments are often seen as unnecessary at this level
teacher assumes the role of facilitator, providing materials and setting up the environment, but then standing back to let children lead the way
the development of each child's individual (solitary) autonomy is of utmost importance; minimal or no whole group interaction and instruction
emphasizes only concrete, manipulative experiences; abstract, representational learning is deemed beyond the grasp of preschoolers
no planned correlation with kindergarten programs; expectations in kindergarten classes often differ dramatically from those of the preschool setting

Learn More About the Core Knowledge Preschool Sequence

Last updated: Fri, March 14 2008



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