About High/Scope®
General Information | Infant/Toddler Programs | Preschool Programs
Infant-Toddler Programs
- What is the role of staff in a High/Scope Infant-Toddler program?
- What is active learning in a High/Scope Infant-Toddler program?
- What are the building blocks of Infant-Toddler development?
- How is the playroom organized?
- How is the daily schedule organized?
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What is the role of staff in a High/Scope Infant-Toddler program?
The primary caregiver sees themselves as responsive professionals concerned about all aspects of children’s development. Infant-toddler primary caregivers develop close, supportive relationships with the children in their care.
Teaching practices: Guiding Principles
Based on child development theory and experience with infants and toddlers, High/Scope believes that:
* infants and toddlers learn with their whole body and with all their senses
* infants and toddlers learn because they want to
* infants and toddlers communicate what they know
* infants and toddlers learn within the context of trusting relationships
- What is active learning in a High/Scope Infant-Toddler program?
In a High/Scope infant and toddler care setting, caregivers lovingly, consistently, and creatively support children’s natural desire to be active learners. Creating an active learning environment for infants and toddlers means consciously considering all their needs:
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their social and emotional needs for security and companionship;
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their physical needs for nourishment, bodily care, rest, movement, and safety;
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their cognitive needs for opportunities to make choices, explore interesting materials, and try out a range of challenging experiences; and
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their needs to communicate their desires and discoveries to responsive caregivers and peers.
During this active learning process, infants and toddlers are encouraged to discover the world around them by exploring and playing. Learning and development are anchored by long-term trusting relationships with caregivers, who are close at hand to support the children as they play. Adults scaffold further learning as they interact with children throughout the day.
- What are the building blocks of infant-toddler development?
The educational content of High/Scope infant-toddler programs is built around 41 "key developmental indicators" (KDIs) in 10 curriculum content areas. The KDIs, formerly called "key experiences", are early childhood milestones that guide caregivers as they plan and assess learning experiences and interact with the children to support learning.
Each KDI is a statement that identifies an observable infant-toddler behaviour reflecting knowledge and skills in areas such as communication and language, social relations, exploring objects, and movement.
- How is the playroom organized?
The space and materials in High/Scope infant-toddler settings are arranged to promote active learning within a safe, comfortable and secure environment. Each center is divided into areas organized around specific kinds of play and care, such as small toy area, book area, movement area, and art area, spaces for diapering, meals and naps.
- How is the daily schedule organized?
High/Scope teachers give children a sense of control over the events of the day by planning a predictable yet flexible daily routine. The routine consists of arrivals and departures, choice times, group times, meals and outside times. These common daily events are scheduled to accommodate the eating, sleeping, and bodily care cycles of each individual infant or toddler.
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