2.3 Program Approaches
Angela Blums, Ph.D.
Early childhood programs use child development theories to inform their practice. High-quality programs know that grounding program practices in sound theory leads to better outcomes for children. When programs use real, hands-on experiences to teach children about their world, it is due to the influence of the cognitive developmental model. Likewise, when programs include family involvement or community connections, we can thank the influence of the ecological systems theory. Program approaches may be dynamic based on the individual needs of the students or a specific student population. That is, they may change based on the families who are enrolled. The next section will take a look at some programmatic approaches which are combinations of theory and practice that create specific curriculum choices.
High Scope
High scope is a program model that is child-centered and provides children with hands-on experiences. Its roots are unique – it originated from a research-based preschool program in Michigan in the 1960s called the Perry Preschool Project. The goal of the Perry Preschool Project was to enroll low-income children in high quality preschool experiences to see if it would improve their life outcomes (Schweinhart, 2003; Schweinhart et al., 1993). The researcher David Weikart followed the children’s progress for decades to measure the results. Weikart chose to include low-income children because, in comparison to middle-income children, children in low-income households are at greater risk for lower academic achievement, have lower rates of high school graduation, higher rates of crime, and a higher likelihood of poverty later in life.
The goal of the Perry Preschool project was to counter the effects of poverty early in life. This was one of the first and most published pieces of scientific research to investigate how economic investments in early childhood education could have long-term benefits to the child, the family, and to society. What the researchers hoped for came true. Children who participated in the Perry Preschool Project had greater academic achievement, greater high school graduation rates, lower rates of crime, and higher adult earnings than their low-income peers who were not in the Preschool project. This study showed that access to high-quality preschool programs in the first few years of life can have long-term benefits for the child. This research highlighted the importance of the early years of a child’s life in influencing the course of their future.
So, what was the magic formula of the Perry Preschool Project? There were several components, but two main pieces stand out. The classroom system of plan-do-review and family involvement. Plan-Do-Review A learning process that helps children organize their activities through planning, action, and reflection] is a system that helps children organize their play activities. Children gather in a circle and the teacher asks them what a