The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, 4th edition

The Preschool I work at does not use the Creative Curriculum, but I wanted to see what it was, so I ordered the book. It is an excellent book, and I plan on using several of the ideas in my classroom this year. Although it is the size and content of a college textbook, it is easy to understand and read through. Ideas and examples, both written and illustrated, are given throughout the book. This would be a great resource to have in the classroom for the beginning teacher to refer to. Also would be an excellent resource for a teacher to use with her classroom aide.

The first chapter offered the sort of thing I like to read: technical terms and names of theorists. I had never heard the word “resiliency” and I had never heard of Smilansky.In the second chapter, though, it started to offer common sense advice, with little impressive documentation or impressive terminology. At first, I rejected the advice as truisms. But then I started to wonder: if these ideas are so obvious, why didn’t I apply them on my last day care job?One of the most valuable nuggets is the suggestion to discuss disciplinary problems at circle time. I have never tried that, but I’m sure it’s better than what was done on my last job. We weren’t allowed to hit the kids, so we tended to practice what another writer calls “pheasant posturing.” That is, we screamed and yelled at the kids and tried to scare them. The worst threat we could think of was “Wait until your mom gets here!”My teaching assistant never had a kind word for the children. If she spoke to the children, it was only to scold them or bark orders at them. I could think of no solution except to treat her like she treated the kids. But if I held the meetings suggested by Dodge et al., she would have seen me discussing problems, discussing rules, and discussing activities in the interest centers, she might have followed my example.That’s only one of the valuable suggestions given in the book. At present, I’m not even halfway through the book. I hope that I will be even better prepared for my next job by the time I finish the book. Pages 91-92 offers suggestions on administering afternoon naptime. I got fired from my last job for not administering naptime right. If I had just read those two pages, I might still be working that job today.

I am a teacher heading back to pre-k after teaching gifted children and this book seems to have everything I need to let me go back into pre-k with everything I need to know.

This is a good book, but it would have been nice to receive a hardback book like I ordered. This was the second time ordering a HARDBACK book and getting a paperback copy. Very upsetting. I have sent it back twice now.

This is a good resource to help set up a preschool classroom and it has great ideas for each learning area. It was a great addition for me. It probably will help anyone taking classes to become an early childhood education.

Purchased for a class, has some good ideas and pointers.

Few signs of wear. Some highlighting, so it was in better condition than I expected. Quick shipping.

The breakdown of this book is easy to follow and it has information about developmentally appropriate activities as well as breakdown of milestones for each age group. This book is great for preschool teachers.

Great resource for any preschool teacher!!

Excellent resource!

Book met all the criteria I was looking for. Buying a slightly older generation text books will save hundreds of dollars. The book took a little longer than I expected probably hung up at the border as it shipped out right on schedule. Being from Canada I have found buying items from Canadian sources seems to be quicker.