Developmentally Appropriate Practices A review… Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

What we will review… Overview of DAP components Importance of using research Principles of development Weaving together standards, assessment, and curriculum Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Developmentally Appropriate Practices: Three Components Let’s go on a ski trip! Age appropriateness Individual appropriateness Cultural appropriateness Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Developmentally Appropriate Practices Let’s go on a ski trip! Age appropriateness Individual appropriateness Cultural appropriateness Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Let’s go on a ski trip Guess what!!!! I won the Texas lottery! I won millions of dollars!!! With all that money, I’ve decided to take this entire class on a ski trip! Here’s what I want you to do  Buy new ski clothes, luggage, etc.  Arrange for babysitters (I’ll pay)  Meet me at the airport Friday evening Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Ski trip… Great! Now we’ve arrived at the ski resort Go to your (private) room, change into your ski clothes, and we’ll ALL go to the highest mountain and ski down together! What’s wrong with this picture? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Ski trip… Yes, you are all adults, so it’s appropriate for me to assume you can go shopping, get to the airport, etc, right? But is it appropriate for me to assume you all can or even want to ski down the highest mountain? NO!!! I need to take into account your individual skill levels and interests And there might even be some cultural issues I haven’t considered! Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

DAP… Now translate this into DAP for young children… Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Source for the following information on DAP Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Revised Edition Sue Bredekamp and Carol Copple, Editors NAEYC, 1997 Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Age Appropriateness What do we know about child development and how young children learn at different ages and stages? We use this knowledge to  plan activities  interact with children  insure safe and healthy environments  make sure what we plan is interesting and achievable, but challenging Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Age appropriateness What does it look in your classroom? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Age Appropriateness What does it look like in YOUR classroom? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Individual Appropriateness What do we know about individual children in our group?  Strengths?  Interests?  Needs? We use this information to  Adapt for individual children  Be responsive to individual variations in children Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Individual Appropriateness What does it look like in your classroom? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Cultural Appropriateness What do we know about the social and cultural contexts in the children in our classrooms live? We use this knowledge to  Plan meaningful learning experiences  Plan relevant learning experiences  Be respectful to all children and their families Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Cultural Appropriateness What does it look like in your classroom? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Quote Having children makes one no more a parent than having a piano makes you a pianist. Michael Levine Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Why is research so important? Medical analogy Other analogies? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Principles of Development “Principles are generalizations that are sufficiently reliable that they should be taken into account when make decisions.” Katz & Chard quoted in Developmentally Appropriate Practice, p. 9 These principles are empirically based Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Principle #1 Domains of development are closely related Development in one domain can limit or facilitate development in another domain When a teacher knows this, how does it affect how she plans curriculum and activities? How she interacts with children? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Principle #2 Development is orderly Development is predictable Development builds on past development When a teacher knows this, how does it affect how he plans curriculum and activities? How he interacts with children? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Principle #3 Development proceeds at varying rates from child to child Development in different domains proceeds at varying rates in individual children When a teacher knows this, how does it affect how she plans curriculum and activities? How she interacts with children? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Principle #4 Early experiences have cumulative effects Early experiences have delayed effects Optimal periods exist for development and learning When a teacher knows this, how does it affect how he plans curriculum and activities? How he interacts with children? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Principle #5 Development proceeds from the concrete to the abstract Development proceeds from the simple to the complex When a teacher knows this, how does it affect how she plans curriculum and activities? How she interacts with children? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Principle #6 Social and cultural contexts influence, shape, and form development and learning  Family  Community  Broader Society When a teacher knows this, how does it affect how he plans curriculum and activities? How he interacts with children? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Principle #7 Children are active learners Children construct their own knowledge When a teacher knows this, how does it affect how she plans curriculum and activities? How she interacts with children? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Principle #8 Development and learning are influenced by both heredity and the environment When a teacher knows this, how does it affect how he plans curriculum and activities? How he interacts with children? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Principle #9 Play is an important vehicle for development and learning in all domains When a teacher knows this, how does it affect how she plans curriculum and activities? How she interacts with children? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Principle #10 Development advances when children have the opportunity to practice new skills and abilities Developmental advances when children experience a challenge just beyond their level of present maturity When a teacher knows this, how does it affect how he plans curriculum and activities? How he interacts with children? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Principle #11 Children have individual learning styles Children have individual ways of showing what they know When a teacher knows this, how does it affect how she plans curriculum and activities? How she interacts with children? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Principle #12 Children develop and learn best within the context of a community  Safe  Valued  Physical needs are met  Psychological needs are met When a teacher knows this, how does it affect how he plans curriculum and activities? How he interacts with children? Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Curriculum Continuum Everything that happens A detailed book of instructions Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

A curriculum is a framework of teaching practices and activities (both planned and spontaneous) that are… based on the age of the learner, the individual characteristics of the learner, and the culture of the learner focused on all areas of development, including physical, social-emotional, cognitive and language based on each learner’s prior learning and experiences play-based and in which learners are actively involved with real objects in the real world meaningful and relevant to the learners Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Assessment (both formal and informal) is… based on the age of the learner, the individual characteristics of the learner, and the culture and language of the learner used for purpose(s) for which it is designed based on multiple sources of evidence gathered over time authentic is based on appropriate standards and is used to improve teaching and curriculum Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Standards are… a formalized set of benchmarks and milestones generally set up by age range or grade generally issued by an educational agency (such as Head Start), a state board of education, or a similar entity Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.

Relationships What is the relationship between curriculum, assessment, and standards? Weaving the tapestry… Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe- Dickerson, Ph.D.