Curriculum
UC Riverside’s Center for Early Childhood Education provides high quality child development programs in a safe, nurturing environment that promotes the social, emotional, cognitive, linguistic and physical development of each child. Our developmentally and culturally competent programs are implemented by professional and credentialed staff, which are actively supported by our parents, the community and UCR volunteers.
The Creative Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers adheres to the belief that a quality and developmentally appropriate curriculum concentrates on what is most important for children’s whole development, which includes developing warm and responsive relationships with children and families. The Creative Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers goal is to help programs and teachers provide quality services, which includes developmentally appropriate care, meeting individual needs, and supporting children’s home culture.
The Creative Curriculum gives teachers a framework to provide children with developmentally appropriate care and instruction. This approach suggests that children learn best through hands-on interactions in a well-organized environment. The Creative Curriculum gives emphasis to the different learning areas throughout the classroom Classroom arrangement has a huge impact on how children learn and as a result, teachers organize materials/equipment in separate interest areas. Providing interest areas, which subdivide the classroom into spaces, allows children to work in small groups. In smaller groups, children are able to focus on their work and their play becomes more elaborate and complex. Clearly defined learning centers allow children to concentrate on their activity without being interrupted by other activities.
The “thematic based” curriculum and its integrated approach has been carefully designed to challenge early learners, without overwhelming them. Students have the opportunity to engage in whole group, small group, and individual pursuits as they move between six to eight learning centers each day. Areas of study includes Language Arts (reading, writing, and listening); Math and Science; Music and Art; Geography and Social Studies; development of Large and Small Motor Skills; lessons in diversity and multiculturalism, and more. In addition to hands-on demonstrations, there are regular field trips related to each month’s theme. The curriculum is also designed to take advantage of a myriad of our university’s resources through guest presenters and visits to various campus functions.