The Comprehensive Infant Curriculum

Based on the view that curricula for young children should involve thinking and planning for everything that can contribute to child development and the teacher's relationship with the child and the family, this book details a comprehensive, interactive curriculum for infants from birth to 18 months. Following an introductory chapter presenting the curriculum model, Chapters 2 through 7 each address a major developmental challenge: separating from parents, connecting with school and teacher, relating to self and others, communicating with others, moving around, and expressing feelings. Within each chapter, the book presents innovations in: (1) observation/assessment, including suggestions for ensuring developmentally appropriate practice and giving feedback to parents about developmental growth; (2) child development, explaining the underlying theory of principles or content knowledge; (3) interactive experiences, listing the types of experiences that teachers must observe, plan, support, and provide; (4) teaching, including the teacher's role in supporting parents, suggestions for self-evaluation, and suggested readings; (5) parent partnerships, giving examples of school-initiated possibility and parent participation possibility; (6) environments, focusing on providing an environment to meet infants' unique needs; and (7) related curriculum activities plans, called Possibilities Plans, including a concept web, concepts learned, and suggested resources. Activities are included in the following areas: dramatic arts, sensory/arts, curiosity, literacy, music, movement, outdoor, projects, and parent participation. (Contains approximately 150 references.) (KB)