Who Doesn't Use a Cirriculum?

[sahm2three]

I feel like I am the only one here! I am not a preschool teacher, or a teacher of any kind! We do things like crafts, read tons of books, I print worksheets off of my computer (for the littles, learning the alphabet and coloring something that starts with that letter, etc), we take a few field trips. I try to use every moment I can for a teachable moment. I have kids who are in preK, and I don't want to teach them differently than they are learning. So for those who use a cirriculum, do your kids not go to preK? It just isn't really done in home day cares around here from what I have learned by asking around. Just curious.

[tenderhearts]

I don't use a curriculum. I buy learning books and just do my own. We learn a letter and color one week and a number and shape the following. We do opposites and just all different things. Its less expensive for me this way, more time consuming though.

[DCMom]

This is going to sound odd...I buy a prepackaged curriculum for ME. It keeps ME focused, gives ME ideas, has all the things the I need to keep the kids occupied. It motivates ME and makes my day go smoother~all about ME as my dh would say, !

I don't charge extra; if I don't feel like doing preschool stuff that day, I don't feel obligated to. When interviewing, I stress that I use the curriculum because of the themes and the ideas and that I am NOT a preschool teacher. But you know what? My little daycare darlings pick things up pretty quickly in the routine of the days and are usually are more than ready for Kindergarten, despite their daycare lady not being a teacher and not having the formal preschool experience. In 21 years and many, many children the only ones who have gone to preschool were my three own kids

Don't stress over it~do what feels right for you and your clients. It sounds like you are doing fine!

[Jenjo]

I don't do a curriculum, We just play, paint, color, read, explore and play some more. Some of the kids do go to a preschool down the street from me.

[Lilbutterflie]

I don't use curriculum, though I am thinking about doing it. I do a lot of the same things everyone else is posting.

[jenh171]

I don't have a curriculum, but I have always done crafts and activities. However, this summer I sort of sketched out a plan for what I am doing this upcoming school year. I am going to have a different theme and letter each week, and our plans will have to do with that theme. It is just a way to have a little structure/seasonal significance to our daily crafts, books and activities. Also, I'm starting to do a lot more readiness activities this year because the babies I started out caring for are now approaching 3, and I have one little girl who is 4.

[GretasLittleFriends]

I don't do a curriculum, We just play, paint, color, read, explore and play some more.

Same here. I teach the dck's the same things I teach my own children. Nothing is structured. As a matter of fact, my contract states:

This is not a pre-school, but, we do learn new things everyday. I believe young children learn best through play, not a structured school-like environment. They will get that soon enough when they enter the school system. However, I do believe it is important for children to have early pre-school knowledge prior to entering the school system. Therefore, we spend our days learning through play, artwork and books. We will learn among other things: our colors, numbers, shapes, our names, our ABC's and some basic handwriting skills, along with some important fine motor skills, which include the proper way to hold a pencil and cut with scissors, through age appropriate activities. Your child will not be pushed to do anything that he/she is not capable of doing, all children will learn these things at their own pace. Early learning should be a fun and enjoyable experience to help ensure a life long love of learning.

[melskids]

curriculum doesnt have to mean expensive prepackaged programs or sheet after sheet of worksheets, flashcards, and rote memorization. from what many of you are explaining, you are already "doing" curriculum!!!

i absolutely believe children learn best through play, and thats what i base my "curriculum" on. (i personally use the creative curriculum) i offer many hands on open ended activites throughout the day. (creative art, dramatic play, blocks, small manipulatives, etc.) i ask alot of open ended questions to get the kiddos thinking. the purpose of my "lesson plans" is like DCmom said, it helps ME stay focused and keeps ME organized. i dont puposely advertise as a "preschool". i'm not a teacher, nor pretend to be. the whole reason i started in home daycare was because i hated the institutional feeling of centers, and wanted to offer a cozy home-like atmosphere. but i explain to parents that they will be given many of the same opprotunities as they would get in a preschool. (just like gretasfriends explains) i like to think of myself as a surrogate mom who homeschools preschoolers...

i think as long as you are offering opportunities for the children to learn through engaging activites throughout the day, then youre already doing a great job!!!! keep up the good work!!!

[Lucy]

Same here. I teach the dck's the same things I teach my own children. Nothing is structured. As a matter of fact, my contract states:

This is not a pre-school, but, we do learn new things everyday. I believe young children learn best through play, not a structured school-like environment. They will get that soon enough when they enter the school system. However, I do believe it is important for children to have early pre-school knowledge prior to entering the school system. Therefore, we spend our days learning through play, artwork and books. We will learn among other things: our colors, numbers, shapes, our names, our ABC's and some basic handwriting skills, along with some important fine motor skills, which include the proper way to hold a pencil and cut with scissors, through age appropriate activities. Your child will not be pushed to do anything that he/she is not capable of doing, all children will learn these things at their own pace. Early learning should be a fun and enjoyable experience to help ensure a life long love of learning.

LOVE it!!! I may even use similar wording in the next version of my handbook. Thanks!!

[GretasLittleFriends]

LOVE it!!! I may even use similar wording in the next version of my handbook. Thanks!!

Thanks... I found it online.

[Crystal]

If you are drawing, painting, writing, EXPLORING, dancing, singing, PLAYING, you are using a curriculum.....it's called Developmentally Appropriate Practice, or DAP....and it's the BEST curriculum you can use! All of the boxed curriculums that send homea finished "product" are what I call Parent Pleasers.

[SilverSabre25]

If you are drawing, painting, writing, EXPLORING, dancing, singing, PLAYING, you are using a curriculum.....it's called Developmentally Appropriate Practice, or DAP....and it's the BEST curriculum you can use! All of the boxed curriculums that send homea finished "product" are what I call Parent Pleasers.

Well said!

[DCMom]

If you are drawing, painting, writing, EXPLORING, dancing, singing, PLAYING, you are using a curriculum.....it's called Developmentally Appropriate Practice, or DAP....and it's the BEST curriculum you can use! All of the boxed curriculums that send homea finished "product" are what I call Parent Pleasers.

I totally agree Crystal, but sometimes we have to please the parents, it makes for good business~!

My kids love doing the projects and honestly I don't care how much or how little the do with them, it's process not the product. I have a few real out of the box thinkers and I just can't wait to see what they come up with some days. I keep all the 'leftovers' from previous days in a bin and they are forever in there creating~so a 'boxed', 'canned', whatever you want to call it curriculum can be used as part of a DAP curriculum at least at my house

I just need a starting point and the boxed curriculum does that for me.

[Crystal]

I totally agree Crystal, but sometimes we have to please the parents, it makes for good business~!

My kids love doing the projects and honestly I don't care how much or how little the do with them, it's process not the product. I have a few real out of the box thinkers and I just can't wait to see what they come up with some days. I keep all the 'leftovers' from previous days in a bin and they are forever in there creating~so a 'boxed', 'canned', whatever you want to call it curriculum can be used as part of a DAP curriculum at least at my house

I just need a starting point and the boxed curriculum does that for me.

Oh, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean any offense about the boxed curriculums....and I agree that they can be turned in to DAP curriculums, so long as they aren't used just to get a cutesy little end result to give to the parents. I LOVE that you point out that you make it about the process, not the product.

My main point was that, for those who don't feel like they are using a curriculum because they don't buy the boxed curriculums, that they really are implementing a curriculum, they're just doing it without spendning the extra money, and they are practicing DAP....I hope that makes sense! :confused:

[DCMomOf3]

I totally agree Crystal, but sometimes we have to please the parents, it makes for good business~!

My kids love doing the projects and honestly I don't care how much or how little the do with them, it's process not the product. I have a few real out of the box thinkers and I just can't wait to see what they come up with some days. I keep all the 'leftovers' from previous days in a bin and they are forever in there creating~so a 'boxed', 'canned', whatever you want to call it curriculum can be used as part of a DAP curriculum at least at my house

I just need a starting point and the boxed curriculum does that for me.

This is me too.