Current through September 24, 2024
(1) Educational
activities shall be based on developmentally appropriate educational practices.
(a) Infant/Toddler classrooms ages six (6)
weeks-twenty-four (24) months must show evidence that children are provided the
opportunity to: (See TNELDS standards for Birth-48 months)
1. Sit and listen to teacher read aloud to
him/her individually and in a group daily;
2. Engage in interactive play that includes
activities such as movement, dance, musical games, and pretend play that
encourages the use of both large and small muscles;
3. Engage in meaningful conversations with
teachers;
4. Engage in touching,
feeling, and identify a variety of known and unknown objects;
5. Explore a variety of culturally diverse
books that encourage early literacy skill development and increase children's
knowledge about the world around them. These books should represent different
genres, i.e. poetry, nonfiction, fiction, informational texts, etc.;
and
6. Experience daily tummy
time.
(b)
Preschool/Pre-K classrooms ages twenty-four (24) months to five (5) years must
show evidence that children are provided the opportunity to: (See TNELDS
standards for 48 months to kindergarten)
1.
Sit and listen to teacher read aloud to him/her individually and in group
daily;
2. Engage in pretend
play;
3. Engage with
developmentally appropriate educational and open-ended materials, i.e. blocks,
clay, sand;
4. Engage in meaningful
conversations with peers and teachers;
5. Write, create books, and engage with print
rich materials;
6. Engage with a
variety of culturally diverse books and materials that encourage early literacy
skills in concepts about print, genres, letter identification, beginning
sounds, etc.;
7. Engage in a
variety of activities that support number sense, mathematical thinking, and
understanding; and
8. Help with
daily classroom and self-care routines.
(c) Children enrolled in any LEA
pre-kindergarten program must participate in an educational curriculum that is
aligned with the Tennessee early learning developmental standards.
(d) Staff shall plan ahead for
developmentally appropriate activities and written lesson plans shall be
provided for children of each age group.
(e) There shall be a balance between child's
choice and adult-directed activities.
(f) A daily program shall provide
opportunities for learning, self-expression, and participation in a variety of
creative activities such as art, music, literature, dramatic play, science, and
health
(2)
Non-educational program activities shall be stimulating and developmentally
appropriate.
(a) Any technology children
engage in shall be developmentally appropriate, previewed by staff for content,
approved by parents, and shall not exceed two (2) hours per day.
(b) There shall be alternating periods of
vigorous activity and rest throughout the day.
(c) Children shall not be left in restraining
devices such as swings, car seats, or high chairs (in excess of thirty (30)
minutes). Stimulation shall be provided to children in those
settings.
(d) Opportunities shall
be provided for children to interact with one another.
(e) Opportunities shall be provided for
children to be by themselves to play alone or do homework, if they choose, in a
small quiet area away from other activities.
(f) Youth ten (10) years and older shall be
encouraged to participate in the planning of their schedules and
activities.
(g) Indoor physical
activities, requiring children to use both large and small muscles, shall be
provided for children of each age group.
(h) For infants and toddlers, a portion of
the day shall include floor time for activities that develop physical, social,
language and cognitive skills.
(i)
Infants and toddlers shall have language experiences with adults on a daily
basis.
(3) For ages
three (3) through school-age, the program curriculum shall include instruction
in personal safety.
(a) The personal safety
curriculum shall include a Department-recognized component on the prevention of
child abuse, based upon Department curriculum guidelines. The program may
choose terminology and instructional methods for this curriculum with a goal of
providing clear, effective and appropriate instruction to the children in
personal safety, including the prevention of child abuse.
(b) The personal safety curriculum used by
the program shall be made available to the parents and legal guardians for
review.
(c) The record of each
enrolled child shall include a copy of the signed notification form
acknowledging that parents/legal guardians have been provided an opportunity to
review the agency's personal safety curriculum, and have been notified of the
sexual abuse/personal safety curriculum for their child.
(d) If parents/legal guardians have questions
regarding the personal safety component of the curriculum, a representative of
the program shall meet with the parent/legal guardian to discuss the personal
safety component of the curriculum.
(e) For school-age children, the personal
safety curriculum is integrated in the Health and Wellness curriculum during
the school day for K-12 students. The school-age children enrolled in the
program shall be provided information on reporting physical, verbal or sexual
abuse to the students.
(f)
Children, enrolled in a school-administered pre-kindergarten program, shall
participate in an educational curriculum, aligned with the Tennessee Early
Learning Developmental Standards as required by T.C.A. §
49-6-104(b)(5).
(4) An opportunity for outdoor
play shall be extended to children of all ages who are in care more than three
(3) daylight hours; provided, however, for programs where outdoor play is
prohibitive or dangerous, as determined at the discretion of the Department,
unoccupied indoor space providing fifty (50) square feet per child is
acceptable.
(a) Children shall be provided an
opportunity for outdoor play when the temperature range is between thirty-two
(32) degrees and ninety-five (95) degrees Fahrenheit and not raining.
(b) Teachers shall be alert for signs of
dehydration, heat stroke, frostbite, etc., dependent upon the season.
(c) Each agency shall develop a set of age
appropriate playground rules that uses positive language. Rules shall be posted
in each play area.
(5)
Programs shall meet the following behavior management criteria:
(a) Discipline shall be reasonable,
appropriate, and in terms the children can understand.
(b) Discipline that is shaming, humiliating,
frightening, verbally abusive, or injurious to children shall not be
used.
(c) Discipline shall not be
related to food, rest, or toileting.
(d) Spanking or any other type of corporal
punishment is prohibited.
(e)
Praise and encouragement of good behavior shall be used.
(f) Time out shall be reasonable and
developmentally appropriate.
1. Time out shall
take place in an appropriate location based upon the development of the
child.
2. The length of each time
out session shall be based on the age of the child and shall not exceed one (1)
minute per each year of age of the child; provided, however, that in no event
shall any child below the age of thirty-six (36) months be placed in time-out
for more than three (3) minutes, and no child between thirty-six (36) months
and sixty (60) months of age shall be place in time-out for longer than five
(5) minutes.
(6) Toilet training shall never be started
until a child has been in the program long enough to feel comfortable and is
able to communicate their need to use the bathroom. Children shall not be made
to sit on the toilet for more than five (5) minutes.
(7) Children shall not be in care for more
than twelve (12) hours in a twenty-four (24) hour period except in special
circumstances (e.g., acute illness of or injury to parents, severe weather
conditions, natural disaster, and unusual work hours). In such cases every
effort shall be made to minimize the amount of time spent in the program by
exploring and documenting alternatives (i.e., part time care, care with a
relative, etc.) Individualized plans for the care of a child in excess of
twelve (12) hours due to special circumstances shall be signed by the parent
and the director/ administrator and must be approved by the Department. Plans
shall be updated annually.
(8) When
more than twelve (12) school-age children in first
(1st) grade and above are present, a separate group,
a separate space, and a separate program type shall be provided for
them.
(9) Routines such as snacks,
meals, and rest shall occur at approximately the same time each
day.
Authority: T.C.A. §§
4-5-201,
et seq.; 37-1-403; 37-1-601; 37-1-603; 49-1-302(l); 49-1-1101 through
49-1-1109; and 49-6-104.
