Developmentally Appropriate Practice

EDUC 380 Introduction to Preschool and Kindergarten Education

Objective
The purpose of this section is to provide links to a variety of information that will enable Early Childhood Education students and teachers to develop a deeper understanding of developmentally appropriate practices.

Developmentally appropriate practice

The concept of developmentally appropriate practices refers

Environment Content Materials Activities Methodologies

INDIVIDUAL NEEDS!!! -Age appropriateness -Individual appropriateness -Cultural Appropriateness -Social Appropriateness

Major Development Skills Areas

Physical:
Height, weight, general motor coordination, visual and auditory

Emotion:
Feelings, self-perception, perception of others related to selfself, confidence, security

 Social:
interactions with peers, elders and youngers both one to one and in a group

Cognitive:
Reasoning, problems solving, concept formation, abstraction, imagination, creativity

INFANTS
Actively involved with their world
Explore with all their senses
Seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and feeling

Learn about their surrounding

Moving around, through sensory exploration and social interaction

Emotional Attachment
Feeds, holds and comfort

Toddlers (2 years Old)

Full of energy, full of life
Curiosity and enthusiasm Mobility, autonomy, self-help selfskills (trial and error) Safety of the environment is critical Repeating skills Speech is limited but understanding is beyond their speech

3-4 years old

Anxious, enthusiastic and full of energy

More extensive conversation

Play is important
Problem in play with others

Curiosity
Asking questions

5 years old
More social
Enjoy playing with small group Use of language (vocabulary) and several meaning More self controlled Family and teacher have the most influence on how they behave Exploration Learn about rules, limits and cause and effect

6-8 years old

Slower growth but steady Physical strength and ability is important for them More games Think and learn in more complicated ways Language and communication develop dramatically Oral to written Concentration developed More emphatic yet sensitive of their own feeling

The developmentally appropriate classroom environment is one where children most often:
Lead...rather than follow the teacher. Create...rather than duplicate. Move...rather than wait. Make the lines...rather than color in the lines. Speak...rather than listen passively. Initiate...rather than imitate. Raise questions...rather than answer the teacher's questions.

 Solve their own problems...rather than the teacher's problems. Emphasize the process...rather than the product. Use authentic skills...rather than drill and practice. Make books...rather than fill in workbooks. Choose wisely...rather than being told. Make a plan...rather than follow the teacher's plan. Try again...rather than fail.

The Role of the Teacher

In a developmentally appropriate classroom, the teacher's role is that of facilitator and enabler. According to Kostelnik (1992), "...developmentally appropriate classrooms are active ones in which both teachers and students learn from one another." Creating a classroom which follows the interests of the children builds a community of learners and permits the children to see that their teacher enjoys learning new things, too!