How are these initiatives in curriculum and outcomes linked to staff development?
We’ve revisited child development because we knew that if the teachers could talk about that, it would help them reflect on their own practice. So we’ve set up on-site tailor-made courses through a community college. The courses, Applied Child Development and Early Childhood Education Curriculum Planning, use our curriculum as a foundation for planning, discussion, and analysis. One third of our teachers don’t have their AA degrees and they’re getting credit; other staff members are taking the course to ensure that everyone is at the same theoretical level. We’re also taking data from the research project and based on the children’s outcomes, giving curriculum support to our teachers where it’s needed.
