ABSTRACT
Ms. Cunningham explained further that these beliefs were best accomplished because she viewed herself as a classroom facilitator. In this role she works with children alone and in flexible groups. She continually assesses . developing literacy growth through observations and, subsequently, plans the next steps in their instruction. In chapter 3 we share specific details about the classroom assessments that she and other teachers often use in their child-centered classrooms in which meeting individual needs children is the primary goaL
UNDERSTANDING PROGRAM CONTEXT As you plan a child-centered program this type, consideration must be given to the existing structures that directly affect what happens in your classroom. Although the operation of your classroom may be governed by your philosophy of education and your beliefs about how children learn, other factors such as school budget allocations, curricular requirements, and time schedules may be outside your range of authority and may have been established before you joined the faculty.
