“Right from birth a healthy child is an active participant in growth, exploring the environment, learning to communicate, and, in relatively short order, beginning to construct ideas and theories about how things work.” National Academy of Science “Eager To Learn” p.1 Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes.

CULTURE & LEARNING The cognitive process is inherently cultural.The cognitive process is inherently cultural. Intellectual development comes from participation in socio-cultural activitiesIntellectual development comes from participation in socio-cultural activities Human intellect cannot be separated from the cultures technology of learning.Human intellect cannot be separated from the cultures technology of learning. Tradition and tools of previous generations become the base technology of learning.Tradition and tools of previous generations become the base technology of learning.

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. Sources of Home-Program Conflict INDIVIDUALISM Child as individual Independence Praise Cognitive skills Oral expression Parents’ role is to teach Personal property COLLECTIVISM Child as part of group Helpfulness Criticize Social skills Listening to authority Teacher’s role is to educate Sharing

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. Individualized Care Provides a style of care for infants & toddlers that matches their inborn capacities and needs. This type of care is grounded in loving relationships and is responsive to infants’ needs and interests.

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. Individualized Care Considers: No two infants are alike—they each have unique temperaments and learning styles. Caregivers need to adapt their caregiving strategies to meet the needs of each child.

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes.

With Individualized Care The child gets the message that she is important, her needs will be met, and her choices, and interests are respected. By responding promptly and appropriately to a child’s individual needs, a caregiver supports the infant’s ability to self-regulate.

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. Individualized Care Promotes the infant’s development of a healthy sense-of-self and well-being. Honors a child’s abilities, needs, temperament, and the family’s cultural preferences.

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. Individualized Care Recognizes: The Three Ages of Infancy Each Child’s Temperament Traits & Style Abilities and Special Needs Learning Styles and Interests Family’s Culture and Home Language

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. Ages of Infancy Young, mobile, and older infants require different caregiving strategies. Young Infant SECURITY (Birth to 6-8 months) Mobile Infant EXPLORATION (6 to 18 months) Older Infant INDEPENDENCE (16 to 36 months)

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. Developmental Differences: Each child’s development unfolds along individual pathways. Developmental trajectories in each domain are characterized by continuities and discontinuities as well as significant transitions.

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. Temperamental Traits & Styles Researchers have identified 9 temperamental traits. These 9 traits cluster into 3 Temperamental Styles

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. Other Important Factors to Consider: Home language and culture are critical contributors to a child’s developing identity. Early care must be linked with family caregiving strategies, home language, and culture.

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. PITC Curriculum Approach: Recognizes loving relationships, as essential to intellectual development, Has as the starting point, the child’s interests, motivations, & developmental level. Caregivers act as facilitators of the child’s natural interests & urges to learn, not as a “teacher” of specific lessons.

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. In A Responsive Curriculum: Both the infant and the caregiver play a role in selecting curriculum content. The curriculum should move and flow on a daily basis with the infants’ changing development, interests, and needs.

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. A Responsive Curriculum Recognizes That: Infants learn holistically. Curriculum must be broad enough to respond to all developmental domains. Infants are active, self-motivated learners. Curriculum that keeps motivation & curiosity alive facilitates infant learning.

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. In Summary The infant’s development in all areas is dependent on close, caring relationships. Infants develop best with a few trusted caregivers who read their cues & respond to their needs.

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. FALSE DICHOTOMY Child’s Interests vs. Curriculum Content

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. DRIVE TOWARD MASTERY Practice/Repetition to gain mastery Pleasure in mastering a challenge or making a discovery

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. Infants rely on contingent interactions with caring adult(s) to:  Learn  Organize Behavior  Regulate Emotions

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. “Ideal ‘teaching’ occurs in dyadic relationships that are mutually contingent and adaptive.” Hauser-Cram, P., Warfield, M.E., Shonkoff, J.P., & Krauss, M.W. (2001). Children with disabilities.

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes.  ADAPT  SUPPORT PRACTICE & REPETITION  EXPAND LEARNING FACILITATING EARLY LEARNING

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. “Thus, both developmental theory and empirical evidence suggest that learning to persist in the face of challenge guides the participation of young children with developmental disabilities in their own cognitive growth as it does other children.” Hauser-Cram, P., Warfield, M.E., Shonkoff, J.P., & Krauss, M.W. (2001). Children with disabilities.

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. SELF REGULATION COMPONENTS 1.Emotional and Physiological Regulation 2.Other Oriented Regulation 3.Impulse Control 4.Attention Maintenance

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. EMOTIONAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL REGULATION (FACILITATION)  Predictability of Caregiver’s Actions  Consistency of Routines  Communication about Routines  Cues in Environment that help Child Anticipate What’s Going to Happen

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. OTHER ORIENTED REGULATION (FACILITATION)  Cue Reading by Caregiver  Responsiveness of Adult  Communication Matches Child’s Developing Ability to Communicate  Help Given in a Way that Allows the Child to be a Partner

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. IMPULSE CONTROL (FACILITATION)  Predictable Routines with Appropriate Cues for Child  Responsiveness of Adult  Communication Matches Child’s Developing Ability to Communicate

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. ATTENTION MAINTENANCE (FACILITATION)  A Calm Environment that Allows the Child to Focus on Learning and Interaction  Attentiveness and Pace of Caregiver  Caregivers Who Avoid Interrupting Child Who Is Engaged in Learning or Discovery

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. Two Ways of Looking at Planning Plans “set in stone” Plans that flow in a continuous course, sometimes veering in unexpected directions VS.

Child interestChild interest Child progress on their own curriculumChild progress on their own curriculum Your emotional approachYour emotional approach Your facilitation approachYour facilitation approach Setting rearrangementsSetting rearrangements Use of special materialsUse of special materials Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes.

Teachers must leave behind an isolated, silent mode of working, which leaves no traces. Instead they must discover ways to communicate and document the children’s evolving experiences. Loris Malaguzzi

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. In a curriculum that is not set in advance, we can use documentation to construct our understanding of the children’s actions and thoughts. Documentation, interpreted and reinterpreted with other educators and children, gives the option of drafting scripts for action that are not arbitrary but instead respectful of all involved.

Developed by Peter Mangione. © WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. This document may be reproduced for educational purposes. Documentation Tools Audio Records / Video Records Note Pads Kept in Pockets Note Books Left in Various Locations Palm Pilots Drawings / Sketches Photos Children’s Work