Teaching Practices

Clear guidelines that enable teachers to promote learning during every part of the program day.
The HighScope Preschool Curriculum includes defined teaching practices that enable adults to create effective early childhood programs. These practices are discussed in detail in HighScope training and publications. Three topics are particularly important for teachers who want to strengthen their programs  —  adult-child interaction,  classroom layout and materials, and the daily routine. These areas are briefly discussed below. For additional information and related resources, see the links at left and right. 

Adult-child interaction is the process of working alongside children and communicating with them both verbally and nonverbally to encourage learning. One of the most important HighScope's strategies for adult-child interaction is sharing control with children: creating a balanced climate where adults and children are partners in the learning process. Additional strategies include focusing on children's strengths, forming authentic relationships with children, supporting children's play, using encouragement instead of praise, and taking a problem-solving approach to conflict. During HighScope training, teachers and caregivers learn a host of specific techniques for carrying out each of these strategies.

The classroom in HighScope settings is divided into interest areas stocked with a stimulating range of materials designed for specific types of play, for example, house area, art area, block area, small toy area, computer area, reading and writing area. Materials are arranged in consistent places and the shelves are tagged with child-friendly labels so that children can get out and put away materials themselves. The classroom's organization also helps children understand how the world is organized, and concepts like more, less, same, different, large, small, in, out, in front of, etc. The outdoor play area is considered part of the learning enviornment and is arranged and equipped to support all areas of child development, including cognitive, social, and physical abilities.

The daily routine in HighScope programs is a consistent framework for the day that provides a balanced variety of experiences and learning opportunities. Children engage in both individual and social play, participate in small- and large- group activities, assist with cleanup, socialize during meals, develop self-care skills, and exercise their small and large muscles. The most important segment of the daily routine is the plan-do-review sequence, in which children make choices about what they will do, carry out their ideas, and reflect upon their activities with adults and other children.