Principles of Development drawn from NAEYC (2009), & Berk (2010) by Josh Thompson, Ph.D. http://faculty.tamuc.edu/jthompson/313 JOSH: Hi, this is Josh Thompson. There are many tools that teachers use in observing how young children develop.   ZLATA: I am Zlata Stancović-Ramirez. Among these tools, an overview of domains of development is useful in capturing richness in all areas of a child’s life.

Developmentally appropriate practices result from the process of professionals making decisions about the well-being and education of children based on at least three important kinds of information or knowledge:

Developmentally appropriate practices First, what is known about child development and learning — knowledge of age-related human characteristics that permits general predictions within an age range about what activities, materials, interactions, or experiences will be safe, healthy, interesting, achievable, and also challenging to children;

Developmentally appropriate practices Next, what is known about the strengths, interests, and needs of each individual child in the group – to be able to adapt for and be responsive to inevitable individual variation;

Developmentally appropriate practices Finally, knowledge of the social and cultural contexts in which children live – to ensure that learning experiences are meaningful, relevant, and respectful for the participating children and their families.

1a. Domains of children's development are closely related to each other Physical Language Aesthetic Cognitive Emotional Social Development in one domain influences and is influenced by development in other domains.

1b. Domains of children's development are closely related to each other Physical Language Aesthetic Cognitive Emotional Social Development in one domain influences and is influenced by development in other domains.

2. Development occurs in a relatively orderly sequence, with later abilities, skills, and knowledge building on those already acquired.

3. Development proceeds at varying rates from child to child as well as unevenly within different areas of each child's functioning.

4. Early experiences have both cumulative and delayed effects on individual children's development. Optimal periods exist for certain types of development and learning.

5. Development proceeds in predictable directions toward greater complexity, organization, and internalization.

6. Development and learning occur in and are influenced by multiple social and cultural contexts

7. Children are active learners drawing on direct physical and social experience as well as culturally transmitted knowledge to construct their own understandings of the world around them.

8. Development and learning result from interaction of biological maturation and the environment, which includes both the physical and social worlds that children live in.

9. Play is an important vehicle for children's social, emotional, and cognitive development, as well as a reflection of their development.

10. Development advances when children have opportunities to practice newly acquired skills as well as when they experience a challenge just beyond the level of their present mastery.

11. Children demonstrate different modes of knowing and learning and different ways of representing what they know.

12. Children develop and learn best in the context of a community where they are safe and valued, their physical needs are met, and they feel psychologically secure.

Infant Toddler PreSchooler Kindergartner Primary School age Tweener Stages of Development Infant Toddler PreSchooler Kindergartner Primary School age Tweener

Infant begins at birth ends as the child gains movement and language (begins to walk and talk)

Toddler movement and language are hallmarks of this period emerging independence is capped by potty training, self-managing toiletries

PreSchooler independence crafted during toddler times becomes the basis for exploring the world, expanding the awareness of the world around

Kindergartner a unique creature in all the universe – this child is typically dependent on caregivers, while simultaneously being wholly independent of others

Primary where the pre-schooler is motivated by a sensory exploration of her world, the school age child is engaging her intellect

School age early primary school is about acquiring intellectual tools (learning to read, learning to count), later school age objectives take prior mastered tools and use them for application (reading to learn, counting to manipulate numbers and solve problems)

Tweener this pre-pubescent young adolescent is shaped by enormous forces within and without

Domains of Development Physical Language Aesthetic Cognitive Emotional Social

Physical Physical development can be divided into two components: 1) Motor Development, and 2) Health, Safety & Nutrition. High-quality learning environments provide opportunities for children to develop fundamental motor skills and to engage in healthy lifestyles. Dasol sought any way possible to make learning PHYSICAL. Once outside, this active, impetuous learner could be still for an extended period when it fulfilled his play narrative. Knowing this, the observant teacher crafted meaningful, physical engagments in and out of the classroom.

Language Human language is a built-in genetic predisposition that is hard-wired into the brain. We are wired to connect. Language provides multiple important functions for children. The development and association of print with meaning, should begin early in a child's life. Eighteen-month old Jake was playing at home when frightened by a loud noise. Comforted by reading, he grabbed a favorite book and turned the page until he found a picture of a scared sheep. Unable to describe his experience, he understood there was a book where his feeling was written down.

Aesthetic Aesthetic education refers to the teacher's ability to create opportunities for children to appreciate natural beauty, appreciate the arts (art, music, dance, drama), and make judgments and preferences based on all the exposure and discovery provided to every child in the classroom. A teacher took her children on a nature walk when the leaves were turning yellow, red and brown. One child suggested collecting leaves. The teacher utilized classroom resources as storage options to collect leaves. Once back in the classroom, the children were encouraged to find different ways to use their new treasures.

Cognitive Asking children open ended questions about topics that interest them fuels their enthusiasm for learning. As children develop their cognitive abilities, they will be able to solve complex problems. Educators should strive to teach children, not curriculum. A child asked his teacher "Where do trees come from?" This question grew within the class as they developed an abundance of activities, lessons, and circle time conversations for the entire class. Studying science was rooted in the real world the children were experiencing.

Emotional Understanding one's own emotions and developing compassion for other's feelings are key parts of child development. Helping children modify difficult behavior, without hurting their self-perception, and helping them become effective problem solvers are crucial factors in the development of Emotional Intelligence. The classroom parakeet funeral was over the top for most of the kindergartners. But for one set of girls, this was just the right way to relate to one another, and to manage their collective loss. Deciding to hold a proper funeral for the parakeet created a social interaction that utilized rituals to express solidarity.

Social The development of personal relationships and appreciating the similarities and differences among people are typical social skills a child must acquire. Children need adults to guide them in acquiring these skills. Social skills are best taught during situations that arise in the classroom organically. Two-year old Gabriella encountered difficulties joining children during open-ended play. As the school year progressed, Gabriella learned how to ask her friends to join them. At the end of the school year, the teacher observed and documented that Gabriella was showing emergent leadership skills.

A simple liberating thought came to our aid, namely that things about children and for children are only learned from children. Follow the child Malaguzzi (1998) p. 51

Principles of Development drawn from NAEYC (2009), & Berk (2010) by Josh Thompson, Ph.D. http://faculty.tamuc.edu/jthompson/313