A Model of Excellence
CLC Preschool Curriculum
Ready To Advance Early Learning (RTA)
The preschool curriculum implemented at TAMU CLC is named Ready to Advance (RTA). RTA is a comprehensive early learning program that includes instructional support and teacher resources that blend social-emotional and play-based experiences with academic learning in a collaborative classroom. The research-based curriculum integrates developmental and educational best practices that establish strong foundational skills for early learning and school readiness.
Authored by Vicki Gibson, Ph.D.
Ready to Advance was authored by CLC’s Executive Director, Vicki Gibson, Ph.D. and reviewed by national experts Dr. Karin Hess and Dr. Elsa Cardenas-Hagan. Dr. Gibson taught in public school for 10 years, was an Adjunct Professor at Texas A&M University, and owned and directed three preschools from 1984-2009. She began designing effective preschool curriculum while teaching kindergarten and serving as a learning disability specialist in Bryan Independent School District. More information about Dr. Gibson can be found here.
Ready To Advance Meets All Requirements For:
- 50 state preschool standards and guidelines for PreK
- Texas Infant and Toddler Guidelines for 3 year old children (revised, 2014)
- Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines (revised, 2015)
- Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Kindergarten (TEKS, revised 2017)
- Head Start Outcomes Framework, (revised 2015)
- Position Statements by National Education for Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
- Evidence from neuroscience and educational research that identifies best practices for developmentally appropriate social-emotional and educational learning experiences
- RTA was approved by a state review committee and added to the Texas Education Agency’s List of Approved PreK Curricula for use with young children.
Ready To Advance Early Learning Components
Daily schedules that include Interactive and interesting whole- and small-group activities with a rest period after lunch
Instructional support for explicit instruction and feedback to enhance children’s understandings and develop emergent social, emotional and academic skills
Play-based activities in learning centers where children direct their own discoveries and participate with peers with less direct supervision by adults
Mathematics and science exploration to develop skills for analyzing, comparing, and problem solving
Active participation in class and outdoors to promote physical development and health
Ready To Advance Components
Click on each box to learn more about the preschool curriculum materials in RTA
Big Books
Big Books
RTA’s big books include literature and informational text for learning about themes that include social studies and unique similarities and differences in people, cultures, habits and habitats. Children engage in shared read alouds and collaborative conversations to develop language and literacy skills, concepts of print, oral grammar and expression.
Technology
Technology
RTA includes digital components for enhancing understandings and using resources to expand knowledge about concepts.
Technology is also used to demonstrate unique characteristics in cultures and celebrations, and fine arts and music appreciation.
Use of digital devices will be carefully monitored and limited as recommended by the American Association of Pediatrics’ Position Statement.
More information about the AAP’s position statement regarding use of technology may be accessed here.
Teacher Support
Teacher Support
RTA includes teacher guides that provide lesson plans that guide instruction and practice, and offer suggestions for learning centers.
Social-Emotional Lap Books
Social-Emotional Lap Books
Lap books are used to reinforce concepts and vocabulary words during small group activities where children engage in discussions about empathy, emotions and feelings, and age-appropriate behaviors, expectations, and manners.
Monthly Home-School Communications
Monthly Home-School Communications
RTA includes monthly activity calendars, newsletters, and unit skill checklists to communicate frequently with caregivers to keep them informed about children’s learning and classroom activities.
Announcements, notifications and updates on current events at CLC are available on the TAMU CLC website, www.tamuclc.com.
Fine Arts and Creative Dramatics Manipulatives
Fine Arts and Creative Dramatics Manipulatives
RTA includes materials for active participation in story retell, music, arts, dance and creative movement, healthy hygiene habits and nutrition, and cooperative games.
Emergent Language and Literacy Materials
Emergent Language and Literacy Materials
RTA includes materials for activities that develop foundational skills for listening, speaking, reading and spelling to write by developing alphabetic knowledge and phonological and phonemic awareness, helping children understand the relationships of sounds and alphabet letters and how they are manipulated in language and for reading and spelling to write.
Assessment
Assessment
RTA includes multiple options for closely monitoring and reporting children’s progress using observational data from whole- and small group activities. Teachers use curriculum-based measurements in the form of monthly unit checklists to inform parents and caregivers about children’s learning and progress on concepts and skills introduced in classrooms. The checklists are not assessments for mastery, since children are developing skills required in Texas prekindergarten guidelines.
Learning Centers
Learning Centers
Children choose learning centers to participate in interactive activities with their peers and apply what they are learning in preschool during productive play.
Mathematics and Science Lap Books
Mathematics and Science Lap Books
Mathematic lap books are used to teach emergent skills for numeracy by developing number sense, concepts for counting and comparing quantities, and measurement.
Multilingual Instructional Components
Multilingual Instructional Components
RTA includes materials to support activities that develop conceptual understandings and word knowledge in three languages: English, Spanish, and American Sign Language (ASL) that includes gesturing (children’s first form of communication).
Mathematics and Science
Mathematics and Science
Guided learning activities that develop numeracy and measurement concepts and teach counting and basic operations. Scientific discovery experiences that invite inquiry-based learning, creative experimenting and problem solving.
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Afterschool Tutoring and Summer Reading Program
The Wonders Reading Program
Afterschool tutoring and supplemental instruction for students attending public school in grades K-5 (available Fall 2020) will utilize the Wonders Reading Program published by McGraw Hill Education.
Wonders is a nationally sold reading curriculum that includes a comprehensive set of resources used by CLC staff to develop vocabularies, build oral grammar and differentiate instruction as students’ needs change.
