Our Curriculum
Joy's Children's Learning Center Inc. implements activities that respond to the individual child and the whole group needs of children. We implement Creative Curriculum and lesson themes to support children with disabilities and supports children on all developmental levels and age groups. Through these hands-on learning opportunities, the enrolled children can explore their environment and learn through play. Joy’s Children’s Learning Center strives to help infants, toddlers, and preschoolers learn through a variety of ways, such as visually, tactilely, and auditory. Teachers will focus on creating a JOY for learning by carefully and intentionally planning activities that are fun and inviting inclusive for all of the children in the program.
The activities are set up daily to support each child's social and emotion development, speech and language development, and fine and gross motor skill development. At the completion of the DRDP-IT assessment periods, the teaching staff, with support from the Program Director use the data to plan indoor, outdoor, and at home activities tailored to each child's ability level. Parents are also involved by sharing ideas and experiences that work for the children at home.
The teachers use a relationship-based approach to identify individual and group needs of the children in the program by observing and listening to the children. The teachers engage in the practice of observation as an ongoing cycle which includes, observing, listening, and documenting notes; reflecting; responding; and asking questions. Purposeful observations allow teachers and other adults learn more about the children as individuals, as well as groups of children.
Teachers document observations by writing anecdotal notes, taking photos and videos, and collecting work samples that provide meaningful documentation for the purpose of planning activities. Observations of individual children allow teachers opportunities to determine what the children are ready to learn and how they will learn it. Observation of groups of children allow the teachers opportunities to determine how the children approach learning in the presence of other children. Teachers will be able to observe and identify the development of dual language learners and children with exceptional needs.
As teachers collect the data and continue to observe, they will use the Creative Curriculum® Foundation set and Daily Resources: Mighty Minutes™, Intentional Teaching Cards™, Book Conversation Cards™, and Highlights Hello™ to guide their planning (lesson plans) and learning activities. As the children's needs are met, and the teachers are responsive to the children's needs, the children will build trusting relationships with the teachers. The teachers will work in partnership with the families to share information about the children's activities and inquire about what the families have noticed or seen at home. The information gained from the families will also support the teachers' decisions about individual and group activities. Through the cycle of ongoing observations (DRDP), intentional teaching strategies, and implementing changes in the activities and experiences for the children, the program will ensure responsive caregiving for the children as individuals and in groups.
Joy’s Children’s Learning Center currently uses the ITERS and ECERS assessment tool to improve the indoor and outdoor environment and the daily activities that respond to the individual child and the whole group needs of children. This tool enhances opportunities for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers so they can explore their environment and learn through play. Joy’s Children’s Learning Center strives to help all children enrolled learn through a variety of ways, such as visually, tactilely, and auditory.
