The Creative Curriculum® approach has been used widely in Head Start programs throughout the United States. An array of resources may be reviewed and purchased directly from the parent company, Teaching Strategies Inc. Teaching Strategies, Inc. was founded in 1988 by educator and author Diane Trister Dodge. Its stated mission is "to enhance the quality of early childhood programs by offering the highest quality curriculum materials, training programs, parenting resources, and staff development services that are practical, developmentally appropriate, responsive to the needs of the field, and reflect the most innovative thinking". The Creative Curriculum materials are directed to programs for infants and toddlers, preschool age children (3 to 5 years) and children in the primary grades. A brief summary of the curriculum content relative to the these three age groups follows, but a more comprehensive review of the available materials and the approach is available via the Teaching Strategies Inc. web site (see link at the end of the page)

The Creative Curriculum® for Infants & Toddlers --provides a comprehensive framework that emphasizes that relationships between caregivers/teachers and children and their families form the basis of curriculum for very young children.

The Creative Curriculum® for Early Childhood--describes and demonstrates how to plan a developmentally appropriate program focusing on ten well-organized interest areas. Its underlying philosophy draws from Jean Piaget's work on cognitive development, Erik Erikson's stages of socio-emotional development, and accepted theories of how children learn best. The approach is practical, easy-to-understand, and immediately applicable to a variety of settings.

Part I of Building the Primary Classroom describes six strategies that form the framework: Knowing the Children You Teach, Building a Classroom Community, Establishing a Structure for the Classroom, Guiding Children's Learning, Assessing Children's Learning,and Building a Partnership with Families. Part II of Building the Primary Classroom presents an expanded definition of the content areas taught in the primary grades, based on current research and includes Language and Literacy, Mathematical Thinking, Social Studies, Scientific Thinking, Technology, and The Arts.

Visit programs using this curriculum:

• Bright Futures Preschool
• White Elementary

Resources:

Web site:

Teaching Strategies, Inc.