Programs

At Generations Early Learning & Family Center, we believe in providing children the opportunity, resources and guidance to expand their natural curiosity, resulting in the development of a unique learning style. We believe each child should have access to experiences, activities and interactions that support individual learning styles as well as personal developmental needs.  We believe it is essential to partner with families to meet our collective goals of supporting children’s learning and development throughout their early years. We implement curriculums and assessment tools that allow our teachers and administration to uphold these beliefs while supporting each child’s learning and development.   

Curriculum & Daily Structure

Our classrooms use The Creative Curriculum, an award-winning and research-based curriculum that is fully aligned with the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework. The Creative Curriculum is based on 38 learning and development objectives across 10 areas of development, including: social-emotional, language, physical, cognitive, literacy, science and technology, mathematics, social studies, the arts, and English language acquisition. This curriculum allows teachers to bring their own creativity and expertise into the classroom while ensuring they meet early learning standards every day. Our commitment to ensuring our children develop skills needed for success is seen in our consistent structure of routines and transitions.

Our daily activities include small group instruction, large group activities, 1:1 time with an adult, socialization, playtime, movement opportunities, and exploration of the arts and sciences.  It is our goal that by using The Creative Curriculum, we can offer a complete, developmentally appropriate program to our families so children can succeed in both school and community. This curriculum allows teachers the flexibility to individualize the care of children with specific needs.

Our classrooms integrate other early education curriculums, including Letter People, I am Moving I am Learning (IMIL), and Kiddikins, allowing for additional literacy and movement activity opportunities. Our Center is a print-rich environment that promotes early literacy skills. Quality children’s literature is shared every day between children and staff members in a variety of ways. 

Assessment

Students in all classrooms are assessed using Teaching Strategies GOLD. Teachers develop lesson plans for the class based on results from individual assessments, observations and input from families. We share these plans with our parents on a regularly-scheduled basis through newsletters, by always having activity and lesson plans posted in classrooms, and quarterly conferences. Parents are encouraged to visit and volunteer in their child’s room to ensure transparency between what we present and what we implement.    

It is an expectation that families participate in developmental assessments for their child in order to best meet children's developmental needs at home and at school. The CDC Developmental Milestone Screening is used at enrollment to assess children’s development when entering our care. This serves as our first collaboration with parents in assessing and addressing potential early intervention needs. This tool has been designed to pinpoint developmental progress and educate parents about typical developmental expectations—paving the way for meaningful next steps in learning, intervention, or monitoring goals and learning objectives.

If you have any questions or concerns about our assessments, please do not hesitate to contact our administration team.   

Implementation

As early childhood educators, we believe it is our responsibility to create an atmosphere where children feel safe, emotionally secure, and have a sense of belonging. We strive to provide surroundings where children can experiment and explore according to their own interests. Our curriculums allow us to set up the environment and interact with children in meaningful ways. Our teachers facilitate children’s learning by engaging with them in play and encouraging them to develop new interests and persist with challenges.  In our living and learning space, children find specific areas to play, to learn, and to socialize. Supplies and materials are stored in easily accessible spots and children quickly learn to get out and clean up materials independently. We offer a rich variety of gender-neutral toys and materials as well as traditional games, books, manipulatives and equipment.  Children are encouraged to visit different areas of the learning room where they can develop their own awareness of what interests and attracts them as individuals.  Children become active participants in development of their own learning process .  

We believe children learn social values such as cooperation, respect, negotiation, and the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behavior through their play activities and interactions with others. Our curriculum empowers children to engage in creative and meaningful interactions. Learning to compromise, make decisions, and problem solve are all taught through naturally occurring interactions. In the process, children discover their own interests and strengths. By thoughtfully observing children who are playing and learning together, our teachers assess the specific needs of the those in their groups and use strategies to introduce and reinforce positive behavior. Social skills are not taught in isolation. Rather, we try to engage our children in thinking socially and encourage them to see their own behavior through the eyes of others. Through observations and upon completing the assessments offered by the Teaching Strategies Gold, teachers develop objectives and activities based on results, observations and input from families.   

Intergenational Inclusion

Our center has consistently strived to provide a unique early childhood education program within a residential care facility, benefitting the residents, children, families, and staff members through mutual interactions and continuing relationships. These intergenerational interactions between children and residents support the child by providing a “grandparent” or grand-friend for daily contact and reinforcement. Encouraging a child’s sense of self-worth through our extended family concept, the Intergenerational program helps us achieve our mission of nurturing growth, furthering education, and developing a sense of community for all ages.  

Progression & Outcomes

We track children’s progress throughout their time at Generations using a portfolio system. Your child’s portfolio will follow them as they grow and move onto the next classroom. Families are welcome to look at their child’s portfolio at anytime. We ask that you review your child's portfolio at least three times a year. A review and signature log is located in the front of your child's portfolio. Please sign and date it anytime you look at your child's portfolio. Our staff will provide opportunities for portfolio review throughout the year.  

By providing a curriculum that takes into account developmental milestones and individual needs, an environment open to exploration, and meaningful interactions across generations, we have built a program that offers every child the opportunity to feel valued and successful. 

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