The following four principles are central to the High/Scope approach:

• Children construct knowledge through their involvement with people, materials, events, and ideas, a process that is intrinsically motivated.

• While children develop capacities in a predictable sequence, adult support contributes to children's intellect, social, emotional, and physical development.

• Consistent adult support and respect for childrcn⁹s choices, thoughts and actions strengthen the child's self-esteem, feelings of responsibility, self-control, and knowledge.

• Careful observation of individual children's interests and intentions is a necessary step in understanding their level of development, and in planning and carrying out appropriate interactions with children.

BASIC LONG RANGE GOALS OF THE HIGH/SCOPE PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM

1. Develop each child's ability to make choices and decisions about what to do and how to do it and how to use his or her own time and energy.

2. Develop each child's self-discipline and ability to identify, pursue, and complete self-chosen goals and tasks.

3. Develop each child's ability to work with other children and adults in group planning, cooperative effort, and shared leadership.

4. Develop each child's knowledge of objects, skill in the arts, and comfort with physical movement.

5. Develop each child's ability to express thoughts, ideas, and feelings; to speak, dramatize, and graphically represent experiences in order to communicate to others.

6. Develop each child's ability to comprehend other's spoken, written, dramatic, and graphic representations.

7. Develop each child's ability to apply his or her reasoning abilities to a wide range of situations using a variety of materials.

8. Develop each child's creativity, initiative, spirit of inquiry, and openness to knowledge and other people's view points.

In keeping parents as partners, two home visits and two center conferences are done each year. At these visits staff and parents discuss children's goals and progress.

To enrich children's educational learning experience, two field trips are planned each month. One of these field trips includes the library the other field trip is related to the theme for that particular month.