Are popular in community-based programs like local community centers or the YMCA. It focuses on academic learning by providing children opportunities to learn academic skills such as counting and telling time.

Started in the town of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy, this preschool program focuses on making good citizens. Children learn through exploring ideas and through project-based activities. For instance, these programs may incorporate gardening so students can work together to learn about how plants grow and how food nourishes the

Are a blend of creative learning and structure. Children learn in mixed-age classrooms through play-based learning with regular routines (such as music class, art class, and so on). There is a substantial emphasis on creativity and the outdoors in Waldorf schools rather than traditional academics. In fact, there is no

One of the most well-known preschool programs is the Montessori program, which started in Rome by Maria Montessori. Montessori education is child-centered with the teachers merely acting as learning guides. Each child learns at his/her own pace through play and manipulatives. This philosophy also means children of various ages may

A movement in the U.S. that wants to make preschool available to all children, regardless of their ability level or their families level of income.  It received a lot of attention during the Obama years, but the universal preschool train has lost a lot of its steam since he left office.

Is an institution of learning that offers an education to children before they enter kindergarten.

CBE is self-paced, mastery-oriented programs that often include the use of technology. Students must master and demonstrate competency in various tasks and skills, to obtain their degree. CBE offers an alternative to traditional courses, whether held in-person or online, for a set amount of time with the goal of earning

Is similar to problem or project-based learning. While these models have existed for decades, challenge-based learning was created more recently and aims to incorporate 21st-century skills into problem-based learning. With challenge-based learning, students are again asked to develop solutions to a complex problem. However, challenge-based learning incorporates technology into the

Is often confused with problem-based learning. This may be partly because both methods are sometimes referred to by the acronym PBL. Though they are similar, there are a few key differences between problem and project-based learning. Both PBLs involve students working to answer questions or solve problems. In both models,

Starts, as the name, suggests, with a problem. In this model, students are presented with an open-ended problem. Students must search through a variety of resources, called trigger material, to help them understand the problem from all angles. In problem-based learning, there is no one right answer to the problem.