Hillary Wilson

EDEC 4020
Curriculum Short Paper
I discussed with my teacher last week what their curriculum or standards were. She
informed me that they have objectives as a pre-school as well as a curriculum, but that they did
not look to that curriculum when planning weekly activities as much as a teacher would for K
5th. Ayers said, teachers can expose, offer, encourage, and stimulate they should not dictate
(page 87). I agree with that statement and think that is the approach Mrs. Jessica takes at Athens
First as well. However, I took it upon myself to go on the Athens First Weekday Preschool
website and look for these standards and curriculum. The objectives are listed out: AFUM Pre-K
strive to provide a spiritual foundation for children, to encourage the development of children
spiritually, socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually, to help children know themselves
as unique individuals, to help children develop trusting and responsible relationships with other
children and adults, to provide developmentally appropriate curriculum designed to meet the
individual needs of every child, to provide time for social interaction with other children, to
provide activities designed to develop large and small motor skills, to provide opportunities for
children to develop basic learning skills for pre-reading, pre-writing, math and science integrated
in the days activities, and to provide opportunities for children to succeed at the tasks suitable to
their developmental level. I see these in the building every day. We take time in our morning
opening, before we eat snack, and after reading a bible story to pray to God. Each child has the
opportunity to say what they are thankful for when praying in the morning and when praying
after the bible story. The children are encouraged to use their words when they get upset about
something, and they are encouraged to play with kids in the other classrooms while at recess.
They work on writing, cutting, coloring, and drawing daily during small groups. They learn

letters and numbered and are assessed on these. I was able to do one of the number/letter
assessments having each student say the letter and produce the sound as well as say the number.
They also use a certain subject as the daily or weekly topic and then incorporate reading, writing,
or math. A few weeks ago we read books on space and discussed the sun and the other planets,
then we had the students write in their journal where they would go on their space ship. They
also make sure to give the students positive praises and corrections so that they are
constructively helping them. The parent handbook says that the preschool follows the Georgia
Early Learning Standards as well as their Christian curriculum Bright Beginnings. After
reviewing these standards I found many that fell into what I have seen in my classroom, but for
the sake the length of this paper I will list three or four! P3F2: The student shows hand eye
coordination. I see this weekly when the students go to centers. They have blocks that they use to
build towers, and they also have a section with puzzles that the kids love! P3S: The child will
begin to acquire self-help skills. The kids can feed themselves at snack, go to the restroom on
their own, and wash hands with the help of a step stool. S3A: The student will begin to develop
personal relationships with adults. I noticed the relationships that the students had with Mrs.
Jessica and Mrs. Ashley from day one, but now they have been able to develop relationships with
me and they strengthen that every week. S3P: The student will begin to develop relationship with
peers. I love to listen to the kids talk to each other when they do not think I am. You can learn so
much more about a student by watching them interact with others and that can help you while
teaching them. A3L1: The student shows curiosity in learning new things. This brings to mind
one student in my class who never fails to surprise me with the interesting facts that he knows.
You can tell that he loves learning and he is always eager to hear the new information or story we
are discussing. L3FR: The students will begin to develop foundations for reading. This standard

covers learning story sense, book awareness, print awareness, and phonological awareness. I
think that this standard is what drives the plans that Mrs. Jessica makes. Each day they take time
reading stories, writing, and working on certain letters. The book awareness stands out to me
because each time they read the story at snack time they sing a song about the front cover, back
cover, spine, author, and title of a book that the kids, and now I, love! The last standard that
jumped out at me was C3S3: The student asks questions about the environment. Each day they
look at the weather and one student goes to the window and descries what the sky looks like and
how it felt when they went outside. Just today at recess a student found a HUGE grasshopper on
the wall. They all eagerly came over asking us to come look and tell them what the bug was.
Then they spent the next ten minutes trying to find other bugs and comparing them. They found a
smaller grasshopper as well as a granddaddy long-legs. It is so inspiring to me to see their little
minds expanding and working. I never realize how many standards we are able to cover just by
letting them lead the conversation or play. One thing from Ayers is when he says, it is the
interaction of teacher and student, of immediate interest and larger purpose, that a living
curriculum can be forged (page 89). That really hung in my mind because of how true it rings.
As teachers we are responsible for the learning and skills that our kids acquire, and if we simply
focus on the curriculum and nothing else then we will not fulfill our goals and our kids will
suffer.