The Head Start/Early Head Start Program is based on the premise that all children share certain needs and children of low-income families, in particular, can benefit from a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate program designed to meet those needs.
In our full-day/full-year Head Start / Early Head Start centers, each child is provided with experiences that maximize his/her total development. Each child’s learning style is nurtured in an environment of trusting exploration. These traits are reflected in his/her ability to use persistence, initiative and motivation to acquire new skills. By providing a physical environment conducive to learning and reflective of the different stages of development, children receive a variety of learning experiences that foster intellectual, physical as well as social and emotional growth appropriate to their age and stage of development. Children participate in indoor and outdoor play and are introduced to the concepts of words and numbers. There is an enhanced emphasis on language and literacy skills and on experiences designed to meet the individual differences and special needs of all enrolled children.
Classrooms have a high teacher to child ratio (one teacher to ten children in Head Start and one staff to four infant/toddlers in Early Head Start), which provides children with the extra adult guidance necessary to facilitate positive relationships. Children are screened to determine their overall level of development and also receive an ongoing assessment to monitor their progress while in the program. In addition, our program requires that individual children's cultures be embraced throughout the program's activities and environments. Evidence of cultural awareness can be found in classroom materials and in the hiring of staff who are diverse in age, ethnicity and gender.
The program implements the Creative Curriculum for Preschoolers, which individualizes the services for each child, to prepare the children for the future and focuses on the developmental domains which have been identified as necessary to ensure healthy and productive growth. Teachers create a classroom atmosphere in which children are physically safe, emotionally secure, and have a sense of belonging. The curriculum helps teachers look across all areas of development and build on the strengths of the child and family in order to support important school readiness objectives. By integrating the other Head Start service areas, and involving parents, staff, and other community members, the program ensures children are set upon a clear path to success for today and in future years. |
