Above: Components of the Focus Curricula

Instructional Practices

Focus on Early Learning focuses on alignment that creates success. We create opportunities and close opportunity gaps by aligning instructional practices with professional development and coaching from Pre-K through second grade. Our curricula are informed by research showing that high-quality, developmentally appropriate early learning produces the best results for all children. Focus on Early Learning is designed to engage children and empower them to develop language, math, critical thinking, and socioemotional skills that prepare them for long-term academic and life success. Read more below, and/or download a brief overview.

Guiding Principles

The Guiding Principles of the Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood Pre-K to Grade 2 are that children:

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  • construct meaningful knowledge through robust interaction and high engagement;

  • aspire to be visible and valued;

  • experience, process, and interact with the world in unique ways; and

  • are experienced and capable agents of their own learning.

In our classrooms, children simultaneously develop social-emotional and academic skills, guided by engaged and reflective adults. Teachers strive to frame cultural, linguistic, and developmental diversity as assets, rather than barriers, to quality experiences. Children gain the confident disposition of critical thinkers and flexibly use creative skills to meet the challenges and opportunities of 21st century citizenry.

The Focus on Early Learning curricula, as well as the coaching and professional development that support its implementation, articulate the implicit messages of the Guiding Principles through the following explicit instructional practices:

  • discourse, facilitation, and feedback; (in action)

  • experiential learning across disciplines; (in action)

  • address variance of development, processes, and perspectives; (in action)

  • active agency and autonomy; (in action) and

  • documentation of teaching and learning. (in action)

Our Curricula

Focus on Pre-K includes Focus on 3s (K0) and Focus on 4s (K1), our curricula for three- and four-year-olds, with guidance for mixed-age classrooms.

Focus on 3s Focus on 4s

Kindergarten students learn through our Focus on K2 curriculum. In BPS, we use the term K2 to signify kindergarten, referring to five-year-old learners.

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Focus on First is our integrated, content-based approach for first grade.

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In the second grade Focus on Second curriculum, students are guided by their teachers to deeply analyze meaningful topics.

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Resources

Focus on Early Learning