Play-Based

Fisher Early Learning Center utilizes research-based curricula as the foundations for our practices: Program for Infant Toddler Care (PITC), Creative Curriculum (CC), and Connect for Learning (C4L). 

PITC is used with children aged 0-3 and emphasizes building strong relationships between the child and the teacher through care routines. Additionally, PITC invites the teachers to incorporate careful observations and assessment of the child during play and routines to plan intentional interactions and experiences to build the child’s skills. 

CC incorporates developmentally appropriate practices that consider the child's developmental level and provides opportunities for teachers to work with children who have various skills and abilities. The curriculum is delivered within a play-based format and integrates all areas of development including social-emotional, physical, language, cognitive, literacy, mathematics, science and technology, social studies and the arts within the daily classroom routine and structure. CC is used in all ages. 

C4L uses two fundamental academic domains - math and science - to provide rich content which builds children's classroom experiences. Social-emotional and language-literacy learning domains are supported by focused fundamental academics. These four domains are woven together to ensure that each subject is addressed meaningfully and comprehensively with each child. It is an interdisciplinary, holistic, playful, digitally supported curriculum designed around learning trajectories. C4L is used in our PreK classrooms.

Along with CC and C4L, the teachers and children engage in a project-based approach to learning and exploration, which incorporates the children's interests and their individual needs when planning short and long-term activities. Using a combination of teacher- and child-directed explorations, learning opportunities are embedded into daily routines where children can be active explorers of their environment as individuals, and in small and large groups. Teachers are there to promote the children's unique interests and to facilitate opportunities for a more in-depth acquisition of knowledge and skills.