The Content of Early and Middle Childhood Education

Abstract

A considerable range of content is currently included in the elementaryschool curriculum. For example, a recent report on elementary education in California (5) noted that the state education code requires that reading, writing, language study, spelling, arithmetic, civics, geography, history, music, art, health and physical education, morals and manners, fire prevention, public safety and accident prevention, and the nature of alcohol and narcotics and their effects upon the human system be included in the curriculum. Local school systems may make additions to this list, as have the Los Angeles public schools, by requiring instruction in science, industrial arts, and Spanish (6). Fogler (14) reported that the New York City elementary-school curriculum reflects much the same breadth of content. Thirty-five elementary-school systems recognized for their excellent programs were recently surveyed by Shane (39), who described their enriched curriculums with the inclusion at all grade levels of art, music, and physical education programs; and at the intermediate level, of home economics, woodshop, and science experiences. Attention is also given in the literature to the treatment of this content as far as emphasis and time allotment is concerned. The California report (5) noted that the state education code requires that 50 percent of the school week be devoted to reading, writing, language study, spelling, arithmetic, and civics in Grades I thru VI. Givens (18), speaking before the American Association of School Administrators, cited evidence to the effect that the Three R's have first place in time and importance in every elementary-school program. Calling attention to present emphasis on the Three R's, Gray (20) reported a study of weekly time allotments to various content areas for Grades I thru VI that was included in the 1950 report of the superintendent of the Milwaukee public schools. The weekly amounts of time devoted to certain content areas in 1900 as compared with 1950 revealed decreases of approximately 10 percent in the amount of time devoted to language arts, 33 percent in the time devoted to arithmetic, and 55 percent in the time devoted to special help for pupils having trouble in any area. Comparing the same periods, the report noted