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“… is grounded in the research on child
development and learning and in the
knowledge base regarding educational
effectiveness” (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009,
p.33)
Our knowledge base consist of how children
learn at different ages and what strategies
work best for each age
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Teachers exhibit this knowledge in every day
decisions like…
◦ Environment
◦ Plan curriculum to reach goals
◦ Teaching strategies for a group or individual
children
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Question “is this decision developmentally
appropriate?”
◦ It depends on children, families, context, purpose
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Creating a learning environment
Tailoring curriculum to individual children
Plan learning experience
Interacting with children
Interacting with families
Teachable moments
Community
of Learners
Families
Assessment
Teaching
Curriculum
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To create a classroom community
◦ Get to know children and the family
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Teacher plans cooperative play among
children.
◦ Bringing home culture into the classroom
◦ Inclusion of all children
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Teacher develops a warm, positive
relationship with each child
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Social and emotional competence are
essential curricular goals
Guidance is effective when teachers help
children learn
◦ Model problem solving
◦ Help children make better decisions next time
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An effective teacher makes use of the
strategy that fits a particular situation
She considers what a child already knows
Has different strategies and remaining
flexible
Observes children to see which of these
strategies might work
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Acknowledge what the children do or say
Encourage persistence and effort rather than
just praising and evaluating
Give specific feedback rather than general
comments
Model attitudes, ways of approaching
problems, and behavior towards others
Demonstrate the correct way to do something
Create or add challenge so that a task goes a
bit beyond what the children can already do
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Give assistance to help children work on the
edge of their current competence
Provides information directly giving children
facts
Give directions for children’s action or
behavior
Ask questions the provoke children’s thinking
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Teachers engage children in problem solving
and to generate ideas
As a child begins to acquire new skills the
teacher gradually reduces her support
(scaffolding)
Teacher use a variety of learning formats
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Large group
Small group
Play/learning centers
Routine of the day
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“The curriculum consists of the knowledge
and skills to be acquired in the educational
program as well as the plans for experiences
through which children’s learning will take
place” (p.41).
Curriculum has clearly defined goals
understood by all
Curriculum is much more than a collection of
activities
Activities need to be sequential
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Young children learn best when the concepts
they are learning about are related to
something they are already know
Each skill should be introduced when prior
learning has prepared children for it
Teachers adapt curriculum if necessary for
children to have sufficient time to learn a
topic
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Assessment is the process of looking at
children’s progress toward goals intended in
the curriculum
Assessment is essential to developmentally
appropriate practices in order to:
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Monitor children’s development
Guide planning and decision making
Identify children who need special services
Report and communicate with family
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How do you assess a child?
◦ Observation
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Appropriate for the child’s age
Individually appropriate
Culturally appropriate
By observing children’s interests, exploration,
and how they use the materials in their
environment is used to modify the classroom
routine
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Excellent teachers work hard to develop
reciprocal relationships with families,
communication and respect in both directions
(p.45)
Families are wealth of information and
knowledge regarding their child
Children feel more secure when they see the
adults who take care of them share trust and
respect
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Intentional steps to
build such
partnerships
◦ Making families feel
welcomed
◦ Open dialogue
◦ Two way communication
◦ Acknowledge parents’
choices
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Be aware of cultural
differences
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“Practice brings mastery; mastery brings the
pleasure and confidence to once again act on
curiosity. All learning-emotional, social,
motor and cognitive-is accelerated and
facilitated by repetition fueled by the pleasure
of play.” (Perry, Hogan, & Marlin 2000)