Early Childhood

Comment

Comment by Sarah Jewell Leonard on April 25, 2015 at 4:17pm

Sara- I have taught in a younger preschool classroom and used a more emergent, self-directed approach to handwriting. We used some of the HWT materials but never worked straight from the curriculum.  

I am, however, very well versed in using emergent curriculum.  I have been teaching in an Early Childhood program for the last 15 years using this approach.  While I haven't used it in the early primary years, I am sure I could help.  Do you have a provocation that you are thinking of starting with?  Are you referring to a Cycle of Inquiry to examine documentation?  How are you gathering documentation?  Lots of questions I know but trying to see how I can help.

Comment by Sara Kucera on April 25, 2015 at 2:41pm

I am in the unique position of teaching Pre-K in the morning and 1st math, reading, spelling, and phonics in the afternoon.  Wondering if anyone can answer a couple of questions for me . . .

1. for Pre-K I teach Handwriting Without Tears handwriting and like the developmental sequence for that (I use many of their manipulative as well); however, I want to teach letters that are harder to master early in the year so they are reinforced over a longer period of time.  We have followed HWT sequence and done letter of the week; however, I am thinking of going more thematic (not letter oriented) and featuring a letter each week and a different letter for handwriting.  Does anyone approach letters like this (or in another way)?

2.  Is anyone using emergent curriculum in early primary?  Where did you start?