Program and Curriculum Planning

The word “program” in early childhood education refers to “the planning of the curriculum, which also includes the instructional practices, the daily schedule, the routines for caring for children, and the recreational activities, such as outdoor play” (Gadikowski, 2013, section 4.1). Early childhood administrators are the instructional leaders of their schools and oversee the planning of curriculum. For this assignment, you will choose a particular age group (infants, toddlers, or preschoolers) and outline a program that is developmentally appropriate.

Please review the following website for an example of an early childhood program: Primrose School at East Lake

In your paper:

1. Explain how the role of the administrator is different from that of the teacher in program and curriculum planning.
2. Describe the learning and developmental needs of your chosen age group.
3. Analyze how your program will address the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development of children in this age group (give specific curricular ideas for each area of development) as well as classroom management and the daily schedule.
4. Explain how your program aligns with the philosophy, vision, and mission statements you created in Week One.
5. Discuss how your program aligns with NAEYC’s indicators of effective curriculum, as outlined in Chapter 4 and found in the article, “Where We Stand on Curriculum, Assessment, and Program Evaluation.”

The paper should be five to six pages in length, in addition to the title page and the reference page. Use at least one scholarly source in addition to your text and the NAEYC article. Your paper should also be formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.