Developmentally Appropriate Practices                                                                                      

Five Guidelines For Developmentally Appropriate Practices

1. Creating a Caring Community of Learners 5. Establishing Reciprocal Relationships with Families 2. Teaching to enhance development and learning 4. Assessing Children’s Learning and Development 3. Constructing Appropriate Curriculum

5. Establishing Reciprocal Relationships with Families

Establishing Reciprocal Relationships with Families Reciprocal Relationships require mutual respect, cooperation, and shared responsibility. DAP Example: Caregivers listen carefully to what parents say about their children and seek to understand parents’ goals and preferences. DIP Example: Teachers communicate only with parents about problems or conflicts, or they avoid difficult issues rather than resolving them.

Establishing Reciprocal Relationships with Families Teachers establish and maintain regular, frequent contact with parents. DAP Example: Teachers solicit and incorporate parents’ knowledge about heir children into ongoing assessment, evaluation, and planning procedures. DIP Example: Teachers plan all curriculum and activities without the input of parents. All lessons are planned without having contact with them.

Establishing Reciprocal Relationships with Families Parents are welcome to come and participate in the program as well as decision making. DAP Example: Parents are welcome in the program, and home visits by teachers are encouraged. DIP Example: Teachers view parents’ visits to the program as intrusive and discourage parents from visiting by saying such things as, “He’d be better behaved if you’d leave.”

Establishing Reciprocal Relationships with Families Teachers respect parents decisions and choices for their children. DAP Example: Teachers listen to parents, seek to understand their goals and preferences for their children, and respect cultural and family differences. DIP Example: Parents view teachers as the only experts and feel isolated from their child’s experiences.

Establishing Reciprocal Relationships with Families Teachers work with parents, programs, social service, health agencies and consultants who may have educational responsibility for the child. DAP Example: Teachers and administrators view parents, social service, and health agencies as partners in the educational process. DIP Example: Subtle messages convey that schools are for teachers and children, not parents or other support.

Puppets and Dramatic Play Class Activity for Establishing Reciprocal Relationships with Families Puppets and Dramatic Play Create a paper sack puppet Choose a group of 5 students. Pick a fairy tale or well known story. Using the supplies provided, create the characters in the story. Perform with your group Find another group from the class and perform your puppet show for them, using your paper sack puppets. All pictures were found on this website: http://www.acclaimstockphotography.com/search_terms/children.html