Jumpstart Program Overview

The fundamental element's of the Jumpstart programs curriculum include Jumpstart's philosophical foundation in developmentally appropriate practice, it's belief that the family is the child's first and most important teacher, its respect for early childhood programming, and the role that teachers play in children's lives. Corp Members use a session plan to prepare and facilitate each session with the students impacted.  Jumpstart sessions provide children with the balance of individual and group learning, quite and active learning, and child- and adult-initiated learning. Every aspect of these sessions and session plans link to the above domains and skills and allows customized learning opportunities for individual children. The following concepts are integrated into Jumpstart's curriculum:

• Session activities are targeted and intentional. Research supports that certain kinds of learning require more explicit explanations and instruction (Schickedanz, 2008). All components, from the organization and flow of the session to the core storybook selections to materials used, are chosen to support an overarching sequence of skill development related to the key language and literacy domains of oral language, books and print knowledge, and phonological awareness. 
• Skill development occurs in a deliberate sequence so that children continually return to and build upon concepts and ideas introduced earlier in the year. The opportunity to revisit new knowledge even occurs within each session plan. For example, in Center Time, children have the opportunity to experiment with and refine skills introduced earlier in the day during adult-initiated activities at Circle Time. 
• Each session plan revolves around a core storybook. The core storybook directly connect to the overall unit theme and serves as the inspiration for many of the learning activities included in the session plan. One book serves as the focus for two sessions. All children read and experience the core storybook. One copy remains in the Jumpstart session library so that children have the opportunity too return to favorite books again and again. 
• Session plans scaffold instruction to meet the needs of all children. Ideas for how to provide additional support, as well as how to extend learning, are included. 
• Teacher's and Jumpstart Corp Members collaborate to engage an entire classroom of children in structured activities and play that support children's development in the Jumpstart curriculum's target language and literacy domains. 

Every Jumpstart session follows the same routine, which supports the participation of children and adult in the following elements:

• Welcome: Children transition to Jumpstart from their previous activity and are welcome to the Jumpstart session. Children build alphabet knowledge through exploration of name cards with other children and adults. Over time, children develop an understanding of meaning and use of print. Adults review the elements of the Jumpstart session and what comes next.
• Reading: Adults read defined core storybooks with the same small groups of children they met with for Welcome. Children develop an interest in and enjoyment of stories, developing and deepening understanding of selected vocabulary and comprehension of the story multiple readings of the same book.  
  • Circle Time: Children participate in whole-group learning time that builds a sense of community among children and adults. Adults engage children in oral language, books and print knowledge, and phonological awareness practice as they sing songs, play word and letter games, and read poems.
• Introduction of Center Time Activities: At the end of Circle Time, adults introduce and demonstrate Center Time activities. Adults use rich language and set children up to make choices. 
• Center Time:  Centers are set up with materials and activities that support children's language and literacy skill development. Activities are inspired to unit theme and core storybook, deepening children's understanding of the book and providing opportunities to use story vocabulary. Children actively engage with materials, make choices, explore, and play with peers and adults. Center Time activities include Writing, Books, Dramatic Play, Puzzles and Manipulatives, and Art or Science. Children choose the activities in which the will participate and direct their own movement between activities, space permitting. 
• Sharing & Goodbye:  During this large group time, adults engage children in a dialogue about children's favorite session activities, using objects or examples of children's work from Center Time and rich vocabulary to support the conversation. Adults also tell children what they can look forward to in the next session and conclude the session with a song. 

Roles of Adults in the Sessions

During Jumpstarts, adults implement a consistent session routine and act as partners in play with children. "Teachers should respect young children's curiosity and eagerness to learn and not be afraid to introduce information, model and coach on specific skills, use unusual vocabulary words, or challenge children to solve complex problems" (Epstein, 2007, p.130). Corp Members are trained to engage children in active learning, to promote literacy through play and to individualize and scaffold individual children's learning. Corps Members observe individual children's skills, abilities and interests and engage children in conversations to stimulate new ideas and to build vocabulary and comprehension skills. 

Jumpstart Fosters Social-Emotional Development

Social-emotional competencies allow children to learn from the world around them, overcome challenges, and form meaningful relationships with peers and adults. Children with high levels of social-emotional competence are equipped to face challenges in their academic and personal lives. 

Elias et al (1997) define social-emotional development as "The ability to understand, manage, and express the social and emotional aspects of one's life in ways that enable the successful management of life's tasks such as learning, forming relationships, solving everyday problems, and adapting to the complex demands of growth and development"(p.2) 

Jumpstart fosters children's social-emotional development. Relationships between children and Corps members are central to Jumpstart's program model. Through ongoing adult support and positive interactions between children and Corps members during two Jumpstart sessions per week for six to eight weeks, children develop secure relationships with caring adults. In addition, the themes and activities in Jumpstart's curriculum provide children with opportunities to experience important social-emotional lessons. Jumpstart creates a caring learning community that allows children to thrive. 

Jumpstart's dedication to fostering social-emotional development is evident in the relationship between children and caring adults, which provides the framework for delivering Jumpstart's curriculum. Jumpstart's training and preparation for Corps members include in-depth review and practice of the curriculum along with approaches and strategies for delivering curricular elements that are consistent with strategies shown by current research to support children's development of social-emotional competence. Corps members gain an understanding of how young children think and learn, how to create a supportive learning environment, and adult-child interactions that build relationships with children and engage them in positive learning experiences. Through this and other trainings, Corps members learn the importance of being consistent in their behavior and their expectations for children, and of establishing routines and modeling transition strategies that help children move smoothly from regular classroom activities to the Jumpstart session and through the session elements. They learn to apply strategies that allow children opportunities to respond to and ask questions and to make connections to children's personal lives and experiences that allow for meaningful back-and-forth exchanges. In addition, Corps members use a problem-solving approach to conflict that engages children in defining the problem at hand, encourages children to share perspectives, and prompts children to create a solution to the problem. During the Jumpstart session learning activities are carefully designed to facilitate children's engagement in the learning process and allow them to explore new ideas and information. 

At Jumpstart, we believe in a full-circle approach to early childhood education that recognizes the role of: 

• Preschool children, their families, and their communities
• Early educators
• College students and other aspiring early educators
• Volunteers in preschool classrooms

Jumpstart believes in and advocates for the following: 

• Accessible, high-quality early education
• A professional, stable, and well-compensated early education workforce
• Affordable higher education that incorporates valuable workforce training opportunities
• A commitment to national service. 

We know we can't accomplish these goals on our own. In addition to support form our alumni and network of leaders and champions, we benefit from our partnerships with Voices for National Service and America Forward to advance a public policy agenda that champions innovative and effective solutions to our country's most pressing social problems.