Principles of Development drawn from NAEYC 2009 Berk
Principles of Development drawn from NAEYC (2009), & Berk (2010) by Josh Thompson, Ph. D. http: //faculty. tamuc. edu/jthompson/313
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: 2
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; 3
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; 4
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. 5
1 a. 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. 6
1 b. 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. 7
2. Development occurs in a relatively orderly sequence, with later abilities, skills, and knowledge building on those already acquired. 8
3. Development proceeds at varying rates from child to child as well as unevenly within different areas of each child's functioning. 9
4. Early experiences have both cumulative and delayed effects on individual children's development. Optimal periods exist for certain types of development and learning. 10
5. Development proceeds in predictable directions toward greater complexity, organization, and internalization. 11
6. Development and learning occur in and are influenced by multiple social and cultural contexts 12
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. 13
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. 14
9. Play is an important vehicle for children's social, emotional, and cognitive development, as well as a reflection of their development. 15
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. 16
11. Children demonstrate different modes of knowing and learning and different ways of representing what they know. 17
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. 18
Stages of Development Infant Toddler Pre. Schooler Kindergartner Primary School age Tweener 19
Infant begins at birth ends as the child gains movement and language (begins to walk and talk) 20
Toddler movement and language are hallmarks of this period emerging independence is capped by potty training, self-managing toiletries 21
Pre. Schooler independence crafted during toddler times becomes the basis for exploring the world, expanding the awareness of the world around 22
Kindergartner a unique creature in all the universe – this child is typically dependent on caregivers, while simultaneously being wholly independent of others 23
Primary where the pre-schooler is motivated by a sensory exploration of her world, the school age child is engaging her intellect 24
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) 25
Tweener this pre-pubescent young adolescent is shaped by enormous forces within and without 26
Domains of Development Physical Language Aesthetic Cognitive Emotional Social 27
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Physical Dasol sought any way Physical development possible to make learning can be divided into two PHYSICAL. Once components: 1) Motor outside, this active, Development, and 2) impetuous learner could Health, Safety & Nutrition. be still for an extended High-quality learning period when it fulfilled his environments provide play narrative. Knowing opportunities for children this, the observant to develop fundamental teacher crafted motor skills and to meaningful, physical engage in healthy engagments in and out of lifestyles. the classroom. 29
Language Eighteen-month old Jake Human language is a was playing at home built-in genetic when frightened by a predisposition that is hard loud noise. Comforted by -wired into the brain. We reading, he grabbed a are wired to connect. favorite book and turned Language provides the page until he found a multiple important picture of a scared sheep. functions for children. Unable to describe his The development and experience, he association of print with understood there was a meaning, should begin book where his feeling early in a child's life. was written down. 30
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. 31
Cognitive A child asked his teacher Asking children open "Where do trees come ended questions about from? " This question topics that interest them grew within the class as fuels their enthusiasm for they developed an learning. As children abundance of activities, develop their cognitive lessons, and circle time abilities, they will be able conversations for the to solve complex entire class. Studying problems. Educators science was rooted in the should strive to teach real world the children, not curriculum. were experiencing. 32
Emotional Understanding one's own The classroom parakeet emotions and developing funeral was over the top compassion for other's for most of the feelings are key parts of kindergartners. But for one set of girls, this was child development. Helping children modify just the right way to relate difficult behavior, without to one another, and to manage their collective hurting their selfperception, and helping loss. Deciding to hold a them become effective proper funeral for the parakeet created a social problem solvers are interaction that utilized crucial factors in the rituals to express development of Emotional Intelligence. solidarity. 33
Social Two-year old Gabriella The development of encountered difficulties personal relationships joining children during and appreciating the open-ended play. As the similarities and school year progressed, differences among Gabriella learned how to people are typical social ask her friends to join skills a child must acquire. them. At the end of the Children need adults to school year, the teacher guide them in acquiring observed and these skills. Social skills documented that are best taught during Gabriella was showing situations that arise in the emergent leadership classroom organically. skills. 34
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 35
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Principles of Development drawn from NAEYC (2009), & Berk (2010) by Josh Thompson, Ph. D. http: //faculty. tamuc. edu/jthompson/313
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