WV Family Literacy Initiative: Children's Education

2. Children's Education

The children's education component is designed to promote the growth and development of young children and to engage parents in their child's educational program in order to foster meaningful involvement that will be maintained throughout the child's educational career.

This component uses a developmentally appropriate curriculum that focuses on the whole child and emphasizes the development of literacy. The child's cognitive, physical, social and emotional skills develop through:

Active exploration and investigation

Personal discovery

Reorganization of the physical environment

Verbal interaction with peers and adults

Support from adults

With the purposeful guidance and support of teachers and parents, children learn and develop their views of the environment. They are provided opportunities to make decisions and solve problems, thereby creating a feeling of success and self-confidence, as well as a positive view of themselves and their abilities.

Active learning forms the foundation for all activities and instruction. The classroom environment is equipped with a wide variety of materials that are of interest to children and provide meaningful learning opportunities. Materials are culturally appropriate and accessible to children.

Throughout each class day, under teachers' supervision, children have the opportunities to work individually, in small groups, in large groups, and with adults. Routines are predictable and students understand them. Parents are involved in meaningful activities each day with their children in the children's classroom.

Assessment of the children's development by the teacher occurs through a systematic and ongoing process that includes observations of children during the regular, daily activities. Parents are encourages to participate in the process through observation of their own children and communicate with teachers about their children's progress.

All of these aspects work together to set the stage for children's continued success throughout their lives.