Intellectual Integrity: Examining Common Rituals in Early Childhood Curriculum

Abstract

This article examines two constructs -ritual and intellectual integrity -as they might unfold in early childhood settings. The authors use the popular practices of closed-ended crafts, calendar exercises, and worksheets to highlight the difference between learning experiences that have become formulaic habits and those that reflect rich and potent opportunities for children's thinking, imagining, and reflecting. The authors then analyze the calendar ritual and suggest ways to modify these experiences to indicate intellectual integrity and curricular depth that early childhood educators can offer to children.

Analisa Pembelajaran Tematik Dalam Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini

“…Dalam hal ini, tema hanya menjadi hiasan dan berpusat pada guru. Kegiatan tersebut menunjukkan bahwa pembelajaran tidak berpusat pada karena kegiatan tersebut merupakan hasil pemikiran guru (Freeman & Swim, 2009). Oleh sebab itu penting bagi guru untuk untuk dapat mengerti cara berpikir anak, mengembangkan dan menghargai perkembangan anak sehingga anak dapat mengkonstruksi pengetahuan (Apriyanti, 2017) Pembelajaran tematik dirasa cocok untuk pembelajaran anak usia dini.…”

Reggio Emilia, Vygotsky, and Family Childcare: Four American Providers Describe their Pedagogical Practice

“…One participant found she preferred to ''just give [directions] to them stepby-step because they have to learn to listen or their picture won't turn out right''. All of the participants relied on ritualised activities (Freeman & Swim, 2009), that were familiar, preselected, and repeated from year to year. They ranged from number and letter black-line masters to paper-plate craft activities, which were correlated with holidays, seasons, and traditional themes.…”