How to Choose a Preschool Curriculum

As a preschool teacher, it is up to you what is taught and how. This is a big responsibility. Whatever curriculum you choose will be the foundation for your preschoolers’ learning and growth through the developmental domains. Before you can even begin to research your options though, you need to know what teaching style aligns with you. Are you more of an academic or play based teacher? Once you can answer that, these are some questions to ask yourself when considering a curriculum for your preschool classroom.

1. IS IT DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE?

If a curriculum is not developmentally appropriate, it is dead in the water. There is no need to give it any further consideration. A developmentally appropriate curriculum will build on the strengths of each preschooler through play-based activities.

2. WILL MY PRESCHOOLERS FIND IT INTERESTING?

In order to keep your preschoolers engaged and learning, they must find the curriculum of interest. Preschoolers will not learn just because you spout off the same information over and over again. They need to be actively involved and seeking more. If the curriculum has the flexibility to allow for extended time on a specific topic, even better.

When preschoolers are truly interested in what they are learning they can stay with a topic for weeks. This is when you know they are benefiting the most out of the curriculum. Your preschoolers will be excited for curriculum that is hands-on, uses nature, and provides plenty of opportunities to engage in sensory play.

3. DOES IT INCLUDE A VARIETY OF LEARNING STYLES?

Preschoolers require a variety of methods of taking in information to learn at their full capacity. All too often, adults think of learning in preschool as workbooks and worksheets. This is highly inappropriate though because it does not focus on the whole child or their strengths. Most preschoolers are not ready to hold a pencil, much less to be working on writing skills. Preschoolers need activities that allow them to learn by doing, seeing, and hearing.

4. IS IT CHILD-LED?

Child-led curriculums use the children’s interest to guide the curriculum. It also gives children the freedom to choose their own learning. The teacher, of course, provides different learning opportunities, but the children are able to choose what they engage with and how. When using a child-led curriculum the activities are open-ended, which allows the children the ability to take the activity in any direction they choose and even come up with something completely new.

5. WHO DEVELOPED THE CURRICULUM?

Knowing who the curriculum you are considering was developed by can tell you a lot. If the curriculum was not created by an early childhood professional, then chances are they do not have the knowledge required to create a developmentally appropriate child-led curriculum. Now, this does not mean that they have to have Ph.D. in early childhood education. However, it does need to be someone with a great deal of experience working with young children, preferably in a classroom setting.

6. DOES IT HELP YOU GROW AS A TEACHER?

A truly great curriculum will give you so much more than just what to do with your preschoolers. It will give tips and advice on how to scaffold your preschoolers to higher learning. It will teach you how to organize your classroom. It will even show you how to create an inclusive classroom and how to handle challenging behaviors. If your curriculum does not help you grow as a teacher, it is time to find a new one.

7. DOES IT OFFER LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM?

Preschoolers do not need to be inside the classroom to learn. In fact, some of the best learning happens outside in nature. Look for a curriculum that has children exploring nature and brings nature into the classroom, too.

There are a lot of curriculum options out there and it can be overwhelming when trying to choose the right one for you and your preschoolers. Knowing how to choose a curriculum and what to look for will help you a great deal though. Keep in mind, that once you do pick a curriculum, it is not set in stone. You can switch if or add your own touch to it as needed.