The Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum Assessment System Allen Brook Preschool Patricia Casey, ECSE

Act 62 As part of the Preschool Act 62 an assessment tool is required to be used by publically funded preschools. The Creative Curriculum assessment was chosen to be used in all of Chittenden County. Allen Brook teachers received training in using the assessment in June 2009.

Theory and Research Behind The Creative Curriculum Maslow: Basic Needs and Learning Erikson: The Emotions of Learning Piaget: Logical Thinking and Reasoning Vygotsky: Social Interaction and Learning Gardner: Multiple Intelligences Smilansky: The Role of Children’s Play in Learning

Theory and Research The Learning Environment What Children Learn The Teacher’s Role The Family’s Role How Children Develop and Learn

Linking Curriculum and Assessment Collecting Facts Analyzing and Evaluating Facts Planning for Each Child and the Group Reporting on Children’s Progress Ongoing Process

Looking at Objectives on a Continuum It breaks down each objective so teachers can have realistic expectations as they plan. It helps teachers observe and plan for all children. It is strengths-based It reveals a wealth of information to share with families

Four Areas of Development Social-emotional Physical Language Cognitive

Social-Emotional Development Social-emotional readiness is critical to a successful kindergarten transition, early school success, and even later accomplishments in the workplace Characteristics include: confidence, friendly nature, can develop good relationships with peers, persists at challenging tasks, able to effectively communicate emotions, able to listen and be attentive

Goals Areas Sense of Self How children feel accepted and valued by the people who are most important to them. Responsibility of Self and Others Developing responsibility, independence, and self-direction and following rules and routines. Pro-social Behavior Traits that will help children get along in the world, such as empathy, sharing, and taking turns.

Physical Development Physical skills are important in their own right and for future tasks in reading, writing, scientific explorations, and math, as well as for the development of self-confidence . Movement wakes up the brain! Opportunities to move skillfully, manipulate objects, balance and control their bodies, and refine small muscle skills

Goal Areas Gross Motor Development (Big Muscles) Fine Motor Development (Small muscles)

Cognitive Development Cognitive and thinking skills are embedded within literacy, math, science, social studies, the arts and technology In the early childhood years, children are not only learning knowledge, skills and concepts, but also acquiring the “learn to learn” skills that are so important for future learning.

Goal Areas Learning and Problem Solving Being thoughtful about how they use information, resources, and materials Curiosity, persistence, applying knowledge, making predictions Logical Thinking Making sense of information Compare, contrast, sort, classify, count, measure, recognize patterns Representation and Symbolic Thinking How to use symbols Symbols stand for things such as objects, people Representational drawing and graphing

Language Development Children who have rich language and literacy experiences in preschool are more likely to develop strong language and literacy skills The skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing develop interdependently in children

Goal Areas Listening and Speaking Expressing oneself, vocabulary, understanding oral speech of others, participating in a conversation, using language to solve problems Reading and Writing Handling books, understanding the purpose of print and how it works, story comprehension

What to Expect 3 Progress Checkpoints October, January and May Parent Conference Child Progress and Planning Report

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