A Quick Guide to High/Scope Implementation

Learning Environment

This is High/Scope:

• The classroom is divided into interest areas.
• Interest areas have names children can understand.
• Materials are labeled with tracings, pictures, photographs, actual objects, or words.
• All materials are accessible to children.
• Most of the materials are open-ended.
• Many “real” items are available in place of toy replicas.
• Children’s artwork, photos of block structures and/or samples of emergent writing is displayed on the walls.

This is not High/Scope:

• No interest areas are defined or apparent.
• Interest areas have names that are abstract to children (e.g., manipulates, fine motor, dramatic play)
• Some materials are stored in a teacher cupboard and children must ask to have them taken out.
• Most of the materials lead to prescribed outcomes like art cut-outs, lotto games, worksheets, coloring books, commercial and battery-operated toys.
• Materials include many toy replicas.
• Most displays consist of adult-directed projects and/or commercially produced materials.

Adult’s Role Throughout the Day:

This is High/Scope:

• Adults interact with children in calm, respectful tones.
• Adults show positive attention to children by smiling, making eye contact, getting down to children’s level, listening attentively.
• Adults converse with children in a give-and-take manner.
• Adults ask questions sparingly; questions are open-ended.
• Adults encourage children by repeating their ideas, commenting on what children are doing and playing with children.
• Adults treat conflict situations matter of factly and use a problem-solving approach to involve children in finding a solution.
• Adults take anecdotal notes to that reflect what children do and say.
• Adults plan daily.
• Adults use Key Experience (content goals) to understand the child’s knowledge and level of development and to plan for individual children.
• Adults use the Child Observation Record® (COR) to assess children’s growth and development.

This is not High/Scope:

• Adult sometimes use shouting, shaming, or harsh words or actions.
• Adults primarily talk to one another or maintain the classroom instead of focusing on children.
• Adults give directions.
• Adults ask many questions, especially closed ended questions.
• Adults use praise and/or stickers to reward children’s accomplishments and behavior.
• Adults shame, scold or punish children and fix problems with no input from the children.
• Adults plan weekly or monthly.
• Adults create plans based on themes.
• Adults do not assess children’s growth and development.
• Adults do no use the Child Observation Record® (COR)

Daily Routine

This is High/Scope:

• Each segment occurs daily: planning time-work time-recall time, small-group time, large-group time, and outside time.
• Greeting time, meals and/or rest times may be added depending on program needs.
• A daily routine chart with pictures and words is posted so children are aware of the sequence.

This is not High/Scope:

• Some segments of the High/Scope Daily Routine are omitted.
• A consistent routine is not followed.
• Children depend on adults to tell them what they are doing next.

Planning Time (about 10 minutes)

This is High/Scope:

• Children plan with an adult in a small groups.
• Adults encourage individual children to plan in ways consistent to their developmental level.
• Adults talk individually with each child in turn.
• Each child shares an idea for work time by pointing, getting materials and showing an action, speaking, drawing or writing.
• Each child gets started on a plan right after he or she has planned.

This is not High/Scope:

• Whole-group planning.
• Adults assign children areas to play in and/or set out materials for children to play with.
• Adults close certain areas so children can’t play in them.
• Adults play with all children in a rote way (i.e., asking every child, “Where are you going to work today?”).
• Planning boards require children to move their nametags to each area when they change their plans.

Work Time (about 45-60 minutes)

This is High/Scope:

• Work time occurs right after planning time.
• Children carry out their own initiatives by choosing their own materials and people to work with.
• Children are free to invent activities and use materials creatively.
• Adults supervise, interact and play with children on the child’s physical level (e.g., on the floor, at a table).
• Adults talk conversationally with children about what they are doing.
• Adults support children’s ideas and learning.
• Adults assist children’s problem-solving attempts when needed.

This is not High/Scope:

• Activities are pre-set for children to do.
• Adults limit the number of children who can play in each area.
• Adults bring children over to do a project designed by adults.
• Adults direct children on how to use materials and carry out activities.
• Adults do classroom paperwork or management tasks.
• Adults only supervise children or passively observe them.
• Adults impose their own ideas of what children should be doing.
• Adults solve children’s problems with no input from children.

Recall Time (about 10 minutes)

This is High/Scope:

• Recall follows work time or clean-up time.
• Children recall with an adult in small groups.
• Adults encourage children to recall in ways consistent with their developmental levels.
• Children share something about their work time experiences by showing, re-enacting, describing in words, making drawings, or writing.

This is not High/Scope:

• Recalling with the whole class in a large group.
• Recalling at the end of the day (that is, not as part of the planning-work time- recall sequence).
• Adults ask each child to recall in a rote manner (e.g., asking each child, “Where did you work today.”).

Small-group Time (about 15-20 minutes)

This is High/Scope:

• Adults plan open-ended activities.
• Adults prepare materials for each child ahead of time.
• Individual children explore and use materials in their own ways.
• Children and adults stay with the same small-group time for several months.

This is not High/Scope:

• Adults expect all children to use the materials in the same way.
• Pre-cut art projects with a teacher model to follow.
• Worksheets.
• New groups of children and adults are formed each day.

Large-Group Time (about 10-15 minutes)

This is High/Scope:

• All adults participate with children.
• Individual children can add their own ideas or try out others’ ideas by suggesting new verses to a song, trying out a way of moving, or taking turns leading.
• Adults sit on the floor with children.
• Adults let the children be leaders.
• Adults use children’s ideas and imitate the children’s actions.

This is not High/Scope:

• Not all adults are present or do not participate by singing or moving with the children.
• Adults direct the activities, not asking children to contribute ideas.
• Adults expect all children to sing to a recording or move in the same way.
• Calendar time rather than message board.
• Children sit passively while adults handle the materials or lecture.

Outside Time (about 30 minutes)

This is High/Scope:

• Children and adults go outside daily, except when extreme weather conditions prohibit it.
• Children climb, pour, jump, run, pretend, swing, ride, play alone or with others.
• Adults supervise children for safety and also join in their play.

This is not High/Scope:

• Replacing outside time with play in a gym space when children could go outside.
• Adults only supervise children for safety.
• Adults direct children’s activities (e.g.,all children must play a game or run races).