Posted Bybarbara on October 20, 1999 at 19:04:28:
In Reply to: EC Curriculum in Australia posted byDannielle Green on July 22, 1999 at 07:45:35:
: Hi :)
: In Australia we dont have a National or even State Early Childhood "Curriculum". Our closest thing to one would be our Accreditation system where we must meet certain standards in hygiene, child/teacher interactions and other early childhood related tasks. Sure we are taught at University how to teach science, enviro studies, maths etc, but there is no "manual" that tells us how or when we should go about teaching this.
: Each early childhood setting seems to have its own "curriculum". Australian teachers like myself seem to be pounded with "meeting the individual childs needs" first, then looking at the group. We are taught rather to first look at our children, and then to create our own curriculum, the "best" curriculum which will meet those childrens needs.
: If any other Australian EC Professionals out there, Id love your thoughts on this.
I am not Australian but I sure do agree with the practices you are describing. Unfortunately, in the U.S. "programs" are the big thing. In our county right now and our state (Georgia) the push is back to a heavy phonics approach. I am so totally against this. The approach I use to teach writing and reading in kindergarten was actually taught to me by a teacher from Oregon who taught kindergarten for a year in Australia under a master teacher. It has amazed me the progress my children now make in reading and writing. Fortunately, I am not at a school which has implemented the phonics program and my principal allows us to be professionals and teach our children the way we feel is best. I would sure like to hear more about what your day is like and how you teach.
barbara rouse