Head Start Observation Essay

I had the privilege to observe in a Capital Area Head Start program pre-kindergarten classroom. This was quite an eye-opening, and valuable learning experience because of the level of diversity that goes on in one of these classrooms. Head Start is a federally funded program that aids low socioeconomic status families in giving their children a safe, learning environment up to two years before they go into the public school setting. Capital Area Head Start (1998) mission statement is “to provide a comprehensive child development program, designed to give children a head start in life, so they can succeed at home, school, and in the community.” These classrooms are focused on the whole child; their physical, social-emotional, and cognitive development based on the “Social and Emotional foundations for Early Learning”. In my observations I see all aspects of development and growth occurring based on the daily routines that the teachers and students go through. All the students in the classroom have an equal chance to be interactive, and they all get to make decisions about what they want to do during the day. The way the classroom is set up allows for student-centered …show more content…
Dewey remarked (1898 p.78) “that school must represent present life, life is real and vital to the child as that which he carries on in the home, in the neighborhood, or on the playground.” Dewey and the Head Start program agree when it comes to that quote, and allow for the students to live, and go through daily lives and emotions in the classroom. They are not forced to sit down and learn, because at that age, it would be nearly impossible for them to sit, focus and understand anything that the teacher tried to teach them. This is not because they do not want to learn, these kids really enjoyed doing what they get to do throughout the day, it is because of who they are and where they come