Raquel Munoz

Tuesday 3/31/15
HD 400
Susan Bernheimer
Multicultural Curriculum

Welcome to
Creative Little Minds
Preschool

Parent Handbook

A Note To The Parent

Dear Parents,

I am pleased that you have chosen Creative Little Minds Preschool as your child's base of
learning. We value all our students and recognize that each child is a unique individual who
needs a secure, caring, and stimulating atmosphere in which to grow. It is our desire as educators
to help students meet their full potential by providing an environment that is safe, supports risktaking, and invites a sharing of ideas. There are three elements that we believe are conducive to
establishing such an environment:
(1) The teacher acting as a guide
(2) Allowing the child's natural curiosity to direct his/her learning
(3) Promoting respect for all things and all people
"Encouraging children's experiential learning, developing personal relationships in the
classroom, attending to each child's emotions, ideas, questions and actively engage within a
learning environment will strive to cultivate a sense of community and belonging"(Miller. 2007
p.2).
With this statement, I want to invite the parents to visit their child's classroom and be part of the
learning community.

Thank You,
Creative Little Minds Preschool

Mission
Our mission is to provide a high quality program by promoting cultural values and
supporting positive interactions among parents and teachers. Creating teachable
moments that happen every day by fostering the intellectual, creative, social
emotional and physical growth of the children which inspires lifelong commitment
to learning.

Philosophy
Our philosophy is reflected in its mission to create an environment for children that
will promote a sense of self esteem and cultural identity. The center provides an
enriched environment that fosters wonder, curiosity and a genuine pleasure in
learning. The curriculum emphasizes multicultural similarities and instills respect
for differences in people and their customs. Our program provides experiences and
activities representing a variety of cultures; keeping in mind the primary emphasis
reflects the population of children presently in our program. We recognize that
parents are the primary teachers of their children and that parent education offers
families the opportunity to grow and develop.

Program
The center is open from 7am- 6pm. We serve a fulltime and a part time program for our 4 year
old students. We provide a healthy breakfast and lunch, for fulltime students, a pm snack as well.
We encourage and promote healthy eating habits by having "Family Style Dinning". Our ratios
are 8 children per 1 teacher with 16 children maximum in the classroom. Encouraging parent
volunteers to be involve in their child's learning environment. Our staff are fully qualified and
experienced with continuity trainings on multicultural inclusivity, curriculum, and promoting
hands on experiences.
Before children start our program, we want to make sure that our families get comfortable,
familiar, and be able to trust the environment where their child will be placed before they start.
By this, parents are to have "Play Days" meaning, they stay and observe in the classroom for a
week at different settings throughout the days so they can have a feel of the diverse environment
and get to know the teaching staff. Recognizing that parents work and have busy schedules,
family members are also welcome. Parents will be involve in our Multicultural Curriculum
Approach as we include them during our daily activities.
"Best practice in early childhood education is based on a deep respect and appreciation for the
cultures and beliefs of the children and families in our care. Culture is one way that we build
connections with one another" (exchange.Fabre.2005p.49).

Introduction
Ethnicity of students (but not limited to):
4 years old students;
16 students maximum in the classroom, from the 16 students:
7 Hispanic, 2 Caucasian, 4 African-American, 2 Philippines, and 1 Armenian
Religion of students:
As our families vary cultures, their religion vary as well. Religious backgrounds include:
Catholic, Christian, and Jehovah Witness
Special Needs:
1 student was diagnosed with speech delay
1 student was diagnosed with mild Autism

The importance of a Multicultural Curriculum

Our main purpose of integrating a multicultural curriculum is for the students to have respect,
appreciate and acknowledge other cultures around them that are not similar to theirs. By
promoting and teaching self- identity, having an anti- bias approach, having social justice, and
parent communication/involvement, the students will have a sense of uniqueness to them and
cultures of others. "Encouraging parent volunteering and making your center a comfortable and
welcoming place for parents creates endless opportunities for children to experience sameness
and difference. When children have the opportunity to form relationships with others, they come
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to know and value them for the ways in which they are the same as well as the ways in which
they are different" ( Exchange.Gelnaw.A.2005 p.44)

Description of Curriculum
"An environment that is rich in possibilities for exploring gender, race/ethnicity, and differentabledness sets the scene for practicing anti- bias curriculum" (Derman. NAEYC. 1989).
Children are engage in numerous experiences that allow them to explore and develop. The
classroom environment is based upon learning centers. The following centers are describe as
follow:
Science Area: Children have natural curiosity. As they explore natural and nature materials like
planting and how through time plants evolve, children will have an awareness and will develop
wondering, questioning, and problem solving. Having children print their thumb with an ink pad
in a paper and giving them magnifiers to explore and examine how each thumb is different will
allow them to recognize the differences among them.
Dramatic Play: The goal is for children to actively engage in using their imagination, creativity
and gaining social emotional behaviors by forming relationships with their peers. Different
cultural props will be included around the classroom for children to have a sense of
belongingness.
Library Area: Children have the opportunity to enhance their literacy skills by being expose to
print, books and pictures. Looking at different cultural backgrounds and diversities will open
their eyes to different ethnicities.
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Block Area: Children learn best through hands-on experiences. As children build, they develop
cognitive skills as they piece together shapes to create a bigger picture by using their
imagination. They also learn to balance, coordinate and organized as they play cooperatively
with others.
Art: Learning is influence through art. Children express themselves, practice fine motor and eye
hand coordination. Art is placed at child's level for recognition of abilities and self- identity.
Music: Music helps children use their brain simultaneously. They learn to develop language
skills, creativity, social skills, and explores adults role. They also get to hear the different types of
music around the world.

Identity
Each child is different and unique. We value all our families cultures and want to transition a
part of your home into the classroom by bringing to class something that represents your culture
or your family. All the children's items will be placed around the classroom so the children can
feel special and see how every child is different. We want the children to develop self confidence
and self worth. Every child will have an "All About Me" poster board. This will allow other
children and families to see the differences and or the similarities from others. Being respectful
of children's religions, we will celebrate a culture and or child every month. Pictures of people
and backgrounds, food, clothing, music, etc. will be exposed and played with while learning that
culture or learning about the student and their culture.

Identity Activity
In the fall, the children learn "All About Me" and as other children enroll through the year, they
will also have a chance to do it. They get to discover and develop an awareness of cultural
identity. The teacher will send out a poster board home to each child as part of a homework
assignment that will include parent/family involvement. As the teacher has open communication
with the parents, she will ask them to create a collage of "All About Me" including family, their
home town, food they eat, pictures and anything else they want to include in their board. Once all
the students have brought their boards to the classroom, the teacher will have them share and
discuss about their boards. Once every child has describe their board, the teacher will post them
on the wall at their eye level and will discuss how each child is unique, different and special.
This activity will also help with reflecting and comforting when a student feels sad and a need to
be with their parents.

Bias
Children are aware of differences in color, language, gender, and physical ability at a very young
age. Sometimes parents under estimate children and think because they are still young, they don't
see those differences. We are aware that children are curious and tend to ask questions or
comment inappropriately when they see something unfamiliar to them. As teachers, we are to
recognize and make awareness to children that we are all different. By having different types of
pictures around the classroom, talking to them/ having hands- on activities about different
cultures, the difference between a girl/ boy, and how some children have disabilities will make
them have a better understanding about others and their community. Reading books like "My
Brother Is Autistic" by Jennifer Moore, having mirrors for self reflection and allowing children
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to ask questions and giving them direct answers will make them fully understand those
differences.

BiasActivityMixing skin colors

The teacher will talk to the children and explain how we are all different in many ways. Because
we are different- we are unique and special. She will have the children compare to each other
with some having glasses, long/ short hair, skin tones, tall/ short etc. and children will be able to
compare and contrast. The teacher will than read "Here Are My Hands" by Bill Martin Jr. and
John Archambault and after reading the book, the children will have a variety of color paints and
they will mix colors to reflect on their skin tones.

Social Justice
It is very important for the students to also have a sense of connection to the community and how
important it is for them to be a part of. By creating such connections like taking a field trip to our
neighboring park and explore nature as well as the importance of littering and cleaning our
environment, they will also feel important as they have done something good. Having the
community visit the school as well. Some children admire and others are scared of the police. By
having them visit the school, they will have a clear understanding of what they do. The school
also having community events where the school doors open to the community. The school does a
yearly spring event where festivities and events are taken place. Families enrolled are able to
participate too.

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Parent Communication and Involvement

"A core value of developmentally appropriate practices is to create a caring community of
learners" (Copple & Bredekamp 2009) Just as warm teacher, child relationships predict
children's prosocial skills, being a member of a close-knit learning community in a classroom
can also support children's prosocial development (Young Children.Hyson.Taylor. p.77) A
parents role is very important in supporting the student's learning. We encourage parents to
volunteer as well as grandparents aunt's or uncles to those children that their parents can't
volunteer. Children get very excited and happy when they see their parents volunteering. We
understand that parents do work and some are not able, so we have weekly notes and monthly
newsletter, and menus, that get send out so the parents know what their child is doing at school.
Parents also have a parent board so they can see regulations, licensing requirements, curriculum
and our healthy meals. The school has an "Open Door" policy where parents are able to call, stop
by during their lunch break to see how their child is doing or if they need to speak to the teacher
in person.

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Reference
Miller, R. (2007, January 1). A New Culture Needs a New Education by Ron Miller. Retrieved
March 31, 2015, from http://www.wellspringcommunityschoolnj.org/2009/10/new-cultureneeds-new-education-by-ron.html

Copple, C.,& S.Bredekamp, eds. 2009. Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early

Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8.3rd ed. Washington,DC.
NAEYC

Hyson M.Taylor J., 2011. Caring About Caring: What Adults Can Do to Promote Young
Children's Prosocial Skills. Young Children NAEYC

Fabre B.,2005. Children In Need of Protection: Cultural Sensitivity, ChildCareExchange

Gelnaw.A.2005.Belonging: Including Children of Gay and Lesbian Parents- and All Children- in
Your Program, ChildCareExchange

Derman L.S. 1989 Anti- Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young Children, NAEYC

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