Curriculum
Creative Curriculum
At AIM Academy, we utilize The Creative Curriculum by Teaching Strategies for our core curriculum. The Creative Curriculum is backed by decades of child development research and is consistent with our core value of purposeful play. The learning activities and objectives are designed to foster children’s holistic development and instill a love for learning as follows:
- Play is Central: Extensive research supports the notion that play is children’s primary way of learning. Through play, children develop essential cognitive skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity. They also build social-emotional skills like cooperation, communication, and empathy. The Creative Curriculum leverages the power of play to create meaningful learning experiences.
- Whole-child Focus: The Creative Curriculum addresses all domains of development, aligning with research that shows the interconnectedness of cognitive, social-emotional, physical, and language development. By nurturing all these areas, it supports children’s well-being and sets the stage for future academic success.
- Individualized Learning: Research emphasizes the importance of tailoring instruction to individual children’s needs and interests. The Creative Curriculum allows our teachers to use their ongoing observations and assessments to plan activities that challenge and engage each child, fostering a sense of competence and promoting optimal learning. See more information below regarding our assessment process.
- Teacher Guided Exploration: The Creative Curriculum strikes a critical balance between providing structure and allowing for child-led exploration, echoing research findings that highlight the importance of both. Our teachers act as facilitators, creating stimulating environments and offering guidance while encouraging children to actively discover and construct their own understanding of our daily lessons and activities.
- Parent Partnership: Studies consistently show that family involvement is a key factor in children’s success. The Creative Curriculum provides tools to facilitate collaboration between our teachers and your family. By communicating regularly and providing ideas for extending learning at home, we create a supportive network that maximize your child’s potential.
Learning Beyond’s developmentally appropriate activities are aligned with Alabama’s early learning standards. The standards are integrated into each activity with an intentional focus on physical development, social-emotional skills, early mathematics, language, and literacy, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).
Our teachers are facilitators in your child’s individualized learning journey. Their intentional and targeted activities through Learning Beyond are planned to build upon your child’s existing competencies. Developmental skills are broken down into smaller steps to challenge them but also build confidence through practice. Through trial and error, questioning, and exploration, your child will develop the skills necessary to become a successful, life-long learner.
Assessment
Teaching Strategy GOLD Assessment (“GOLD”)
Understanding that all children develop at their own pace, we believe on-going, observational assessments are critical to meet each child’s developmental needs. Our teachers utilize GOLD to observe and document your child’s skills and progress in different areas of learning. These observations occur throughout the day during planned activities, play, and interactions with others. The observations are recorded to create a picture of your child’s unique strengths and interests over time.
GOLD focuses on several critical areas of early childhood development including:
- Social-Emotional Development: How your child interacts with others, manages their feelings, and develops friendships.
- Physical Development: How your child moves, uses their large and small muscles, and coordinates their body.
- Language and Literacy Development: How your child communicates, understands language, and develops early reading and writing skills.
- Cognitive Development: How your child thinks, learns, solves problems, and explores the world around them.
- Mathematics Development: How your child understands numbers, shapes, patterns, and early math concepts.
The information our teacher’s gather on your child using GOLD helps us personalize your child’s learning, monitor their progress over time, and share their assessment results with you and your family.
You might see your child’s teachers taking notes or using a tablet to record observations.
We may ask you to share information about your child’s skills and interests at home. Twice a year, we will schedule a voluntary conference with you to discuss your child’s progress and goals. We believe that the GOLD assessment is a valuable tool that helps us create a nurturing and stimulating learning environment for your child.
Age and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ)
In addition to our teachers’ ongoing, observational assessments of your child, we also utilize the Age and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). Unlike GOLD which is a continuous, ongoing assessment, the ASQ is completed for a point in time. During the defined assessment period, parents and teachers answer a series of simple questions regarding your child’s abilities. If your child’s development appears to fall significantly below their peers, we will recommend the potential need for further evaluation. The ASQ will not establish a specific diagnosis but helps determine whether a more in-depth assessment may be necessary. In most cases, the ASQ provides parents with greater confidence that their child’s development is within the normal range. The ASQ is initially complete within the first 30 days of enrollment then twice per year.
Backed by almost 40 years of rigorous research and testing, the ASQ is highly accurate in identifying children with developmental delays with excellent sensitivity and specificity. High validity and reliability have been consistently demonstrated through detailed, peer-reviewed studies and evaluations.
During the defined assessment period, parents and teachers answer a series of simple questions regarding their child’s abilities. A voluntary parent and teacher conference is held to discuss the results. Children whose development appears to fall significantly below their peers are flagged for further evaluation. The ASQ will not establish a specific diagnosis but helps determine whether a more in-depth assessment may be necessary. In most cases, the ASQ provides parents with greater confidence that their child’s development is within the normal range.
Our Commitment
At AIM Academy, we are committed to providing your child with the highest quality educational experiences that will prepare them for kindergarten and beyond by instilling them with confidence and a love for learning.
