An early childhood education curriculum should always be dynamic and align with state standards. With this vision, the experienced educators behind Procare Early Learning powered by Learning Beyond Paper have introduced exciting enhancements to our entirely digital ECE curriculum.
And with multiple state approvals that aid ECE programs and child care centers in securing grants and more, this curriculum offers your center the edge it needs to thrive and provide a high-quality education!
So, What’s New?
Procare Early Learning powered by Learning Beyond Paper is specifically designed to meet the unique developmental needs of children from infancy through pre-kindergarten.
It embeds Learning Beyond Paper’s early childhood curriculum, which was designed by educators with decades of combined experience, into Procare. This makes it easier and less time-consuming for busy teachers, caregivers and administrators to provide high-quality early learning experiences. It equips teachers with state-of-the-art online curriculum at their fingertips while dramatically reducing the amount of time spent on lesson planning each week.
This curriculum can be used in ALL child care center classrooms, with 52 weeks of lesson plans for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and pre-kindergarteners. Learning areas include STEAM, language and literacy, physical development, cognitive, music and movement as well as interactive reading. Plus, teachers get tips and tools they can use in real time!
The first version of Learning Beyond Paper offers educators hands-on, play-based activities designed to develop skills in a structured progression.
In the newest version, these activities got a boost by intentionally integrating them across multiple developmental domains and incrementally increasing their complexity throughout the year!
Plus, it includes similar activities across various age groups to better support mixed-age classrooms.
The content team rigorously reviewed the standards addressed by each lesson and refined them to more effectively target developmental skills that were previously underrepresented to ensure adequate developmental growth for all children.
Learning supports have also been enhanced to support diverse learners, including guided lesson support videos for teachers. These videos show the step-by-step implementation of each activity focusing on elevating quality with teacher-child interactions and serve as a virtual mentor and coach for teachers.
Centers that use Procare Early Learning also receive access to professional development and training for their staff!
Too Many ECE Classrooms Don’t Use Curriculum
The 2024 Child Care Management Software Industry Trends Report from Procare Solutions found that about 30% of survey respondents said each teacher spends between three and five hours a week doing lesson planning and a similar percentage noted their centers create their own curriculum.
This leads to stress among teachers and other staff, who already are dealing with more children with challenging behaviors.
Procare Solutions conducted a survey of more than 100,000 child care professionals to illustrate benchmarks and trends.
These questions included what curriculum child care centers are using, or not using. The responses varied widely:
Nearly one-third of respondents rely on a paper-based curriculum, which becomes outdated quickly and often is cumbersome to understand, especially for teachers with little experience. That number is similar for those creating their own curriculum.
At a time when cost savings rank as the biggest concern to child care programs, all-digital curriculum programs that include automatic updates (versus re-ordering sets of books and binders) typically are more affordable and easier to navigate.
Why State Approvals for ECE Curriculum Matter
When a curriculum gets a state’s stamp of approval, it’s a measure of quality that a child care center can be proud to offer to its families.
ECE state-approved curriculum programs provide consistency, quality assurance, comprehensive development and teacher support, all contributing to a strong educational foundation.
Aligning with state-approved ECE curriculum is also essential for securing grant funding and providing high-quality education.
Also, families are more likely to trust and feel confident in an educational program that follows a state-approved curriculum. This trust can lead to increased parental engagement, which is a vital component of a child’s educational success. When parents understand the curriculum and see its benefits, they are more likely to support and reinforce learning at home.
Remember that not all states require a curriculum to be approved by a governing body. Still, it’s important to align to state standards … and Procare Early Learning powered by Learning Beyond Paper aligns to state standards in all 50 states!
Reap the Benefits of Procare Early Learning in Your State!
One reason that early childhood education curriculum is important is because it “clearly describes what you want children to learn,” according to Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards.
It defines which child outcomes are being aimed for, and it describes the sequence: the “what comes next” for the child to learn and teachers to teach so the child moves closer to intended learning outcomes.
This is true everywhere, but guidelines vary by state. What do you want the children in your care to learn? And “what comes next” for your child care center?
When so many centers are not using any curriculum, or are creating their own, it’s vital that your program offers a curriculum that you know meets state standards. Visit our state resource guide to learn how Procare Early Learning satisfies or exceeds requirements where you live. This state-by-state guide also breaks down state agencies and grant resources!
