y fundamental elements of the child's heritage.
Early childhood education begins with an understanding of the special nature of the individuals being taught. From this jumping-off point, teachers can introduce a wide range of subject matter. The entire package - the basic approach, the material being taught, and the ultimate objectives of the teaching process as a whole - makes up the curriculum. Jackman quotes the definition of curriculum devised by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education as "an organized framework that delineates the content children are to learn, the process through which children achieve the identified curricular goals, what teachers do to help children achieve these goals, and the context in which teaching and learning occur." She herself gives an even more succinct definition: "Curriculum is a multileveled process that encompasses what happens in an early education classroom each day, reflecting the philosophy,
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