What is the High Scope Approach, What are the Event Examples?
Childhood is a productive period in which personality begins to form. For this period, approaches that support children to reflect their personality and reveal their talents have been put forward. One of these approaches is the High Scope approach, which is based on child-centered and active learning.
The High Scope approach is a school that emerged in the United States in the 1960s and focuses on activities in which students implement their own plans. We have compiled for you those who are curious about the High Scope approach, which aims to take learning out of the traditional process by supporting children's confidence, independence and creativity.
What is the High Scope Approach?
The high scope approach, based on the active learning principle, aims at a developmentally consistent education. The approach aims the child to gain gains in all developmental areas with active learning and adult support. In addition, in the high scope approach, there are activity corners organized by considering the needs, interests and wishes of children. These corners can be increased and changed as needed throughout the year.
In the high scope approach, the basic belief is that children actively realize their own learning with the help of materials, people and ideas. With this student-centered approach, the child's self-confidence, entrepreneurship, independence and sense of responsibility develop. The desire to try new things increases and problem-solving skills increase.
Benefits of the High Scope Approach for Children
- With the high scope approach, children choose and organize their own work.
- The child can easily relate to people, events and materials.
- Becomes ready for life in a responsible and self-confident manner.
- With the High Scope approach, children develop their ability to make choices and make decisions.
- Gains the ability to solve problems and produce new information as it is based on active learning.
- Adapts to the social order by gaining effective communication and social skills.
High Scope Approach Activity Examples and Points of Interest
In the active learning process, which is based on the High Scope education program, the child first decides what to do in line with his personal interests. Then he chooses which of the educational materials suitable for his age and abundantly available to use and uses it freely. However, during active learning, the child gives information about what he is doing. Thus, language development and the ability to express oneself also improve. In the face of any problem, he receives adult or peer support. This whole process supports the child's self-expression, cooperation and communication.
In the high scope approach, the learning environment is an important element that affects everything children do. Classes are divided into various activity and interest corners. Interest and play corner materials have been selected within a certain logic. Thus, children have the opportunity to make choices and decisions and can act independently.
High Scope points of interest form the main element of this approach. The activities in these corners are diversified according to the interests and needs of the children, and the children move freely from one corner to the other in the various activities.
Some of the corners and necessary materials created for the High Scope approach activity examples are as follows;
- Model items for the house corner, kitchen sets, dolls, cars
- Lego, jigsaw, and wooden blocks for the block and building corner
- Crayons, painting supplies for the art corner
- Various fairy tales and story books in the book corner
- Musical instruments for kids in the music corner
- Various hand, finger or stick puppets for the puppet corner
- Fairy tale books for the fairy tale corner and various toys to enliven
- Various plants for children to take care of in the plant corner
The materials and toys used in the activity examples, which can be changed and diversified according to the child's interests and needs, constitute an important part of the High Scope approach. Based on the plan-do-evaluate process in the high scope approach, the activity is completed with the child planning the day, doing the activities and verbally expressing what they have done.
The high scope approach includes a process in which children make, implement and evaluate their daily plans in the learning area they are in. In this approach, the proper design of the learning space is an important part of the process. The child should have sufficient material and learn in a comfortable environment.