Understanding and Applying Developmentally Appropriate Practices

1. Understanding and Applying Developmentally Appropriate Practices Chapter 3

2. Developmentally Appropriate Practice Basic framework for organizing basic knowledge about early childhood education Evolved over time Defining principles and guidelines

3. What is DAP? • Developmentally appropriate practice is teaching that is: • Attuned to children’s ages, experience, abilities and interest • That helps them attain challenging and achievable goals • Focus on how children develop and learn optimally: • Age-related • Individual human variation

4. Position Statement Summary of the field’s best thinking A defense of its valued practices An advocacy tool for improving programs for young children

5. Meeting Children where they are Continuous Observations Decision making: Plan curriculum and adapt teaching strategies Continual progress Reaching Challenging and Achievable goals

6. Intentional teachers • Have a purpose for everything that they do • Are thoughtful and prepared • Can explain the rationale for their decisions and actions to other teachers, administrators, or parents

7. Making Informed Decisions • Consider what is known about development and learning of children within a given age range ~ Age appropriate • Consider what is known about each child individually ~ personality, strengths, interests, abilities ~ each child takes away something different • Consider what is known about the social and cultural contexts in which children live ~ Culturally appropriate Knowledge is substantial and changes over time!

8. Role of the ECE Teacher Five interrelated dimensions: • Creating a caring community of learners • Teaching to enhance learning and development • Planning curriculum to meet important goals • Assessing children’s learning and development • Establishing reciprocal relationships with families

9. “Widening the Lens” • Move beyond either/or thinking • To BOTH/AND THINKING when solving problems or making decision about practice • Rejects simple answers to complex questions • Requires diverse perspectives • Consider several possible correct answers • Complexity and interrelationship among the principles that guide ECE practice

10. Research base • Well grounded research forms the basis of NAEYCs position statements on developmentally appropriate practice • Provides a solid guidance for early childhood educators • DAP Research show gains in: • Social-Emotional Development • Learning

11. Knowing children +Knowing how to teach +Knowing what to teach + = EFFECTIVE PRACTICE