Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP)
What are we really practicing?
As an instructor, I teach a child abuse class to child care providers and teachers and during my session on emotional abuse, we discuss the unreasonable demands that are placed on children, however everyone always think of the parents as the abuser. As we talk about what is emotional abuse and how it frequently occurs as verbal abuse, but can also include the following: rejection, terrorizing, shameful forms of punishment withholding physical and emotional contact; developmentally inappropriate expectations. Emotional abuse is usually not an isolated incident, but instead it is a pattern of behavior that occurs over a period of time.
My "aha" moment reflects on how many educators demonstrates developmentally inappropriate expectations on young children and call it advancement. I encountered early child care educators putting inappropriate demands on children as young as two to write their names, color in the lines, count to 100, and know their alphabets and bragged about it. I am aware that there are some children that could develop a high intellectual level of knowledge, however all children are not alike. When educators tell me that their newly turned two year all could do those things, I can't help to ask the question "what did it take for them to do or know those things"?
Children are being forced to advance into learning levels that are not within their age or capability. I do believe that educators need to provide children opportunities to scaffold into the different learning domains, of physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional skills only if the child was assists and observed. To some educators, developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) means academics and less play time, on the contrary DAP promotes play into children's daily learning. Educators need to stop using children as their bragging rights and concentrate on the children's emotional well being.
In my blog you will see some early childcare associations and resources that reflects on the importance of implementing developmentally appropriate practice in children's daily learning and developmentally appropriate materials in the childcare environment to provide children with open-ended play.
*What are you practicing in early childhood education and why?
Bredekamp, S. &
Copple, C. (2009). Development
appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving
children from birth through age 8. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children
Hi Susan McKoy,
ReplyDeleteI teach pre-k three-year-olds with Head Start in the San Antonio, Texas. I agree with you about (DAP) in how children are stressed to learn to write their names, letter recognition, sounds, rhyming, and syllables. YES. Teachers constantly brag about how their 3's know the skills of language arts domain. The issue that I am trying to persuade to illuminate is the testing on three-year-olds. We are mandated to test a timed test of language arts that includes rhyming, alliteration, sounds, and syllables at the beginning of the year, middle, and end. Administrators wants to see baseline and I usually express to them that they are all always going to be zeros, because they were never exposed to alliteration, sounds, syllables, and rhyming. I could barely get my behavioral structure into place and I am being ordered to test these type of testing that is extremely NOT (DAP). The testing is called MCLASS CIRCLE. We have another test that is called LAP3. LAP3 appears to be much more developmentally appropriate, because the questions ask if the child can hold a book and it is not timed. LAP3 questions are very simple and common sense. In my classroom regarding writing, I expose my students to journals and writing materials. If students tell me that they can't do it, they just can't do it. I usually believe them, because they are not developmentally there yet in writing their names. Some young learners are very eager that they go over and beyond with writing skills and learning. Those students I usually challenge them up the next level of learning. Pre-K should only be learning all about play with social and behavioral skills. Teachers should only expose the materials but not pressure them to learn it immediately. Thanks Vianey Garcia
Vianey,
DeleteI just think all of these state test are more focused on what the adults accomplish than what's best for young children in order for them to successes. I was never a fan of state test, much less timed state test and to have them introduced to children as young as three years old is so not developmentally appropriate.
I'm testing to make sure this comment goes through
ReplyDeleteGreetings Susan Mckoy! I post a comment to your blog from my son's account, "Redleter!"
ReplyDeleteIt is very important to implement developmentally appropriate practice within the early childhood community. As an individual who has been involved in learning about and enacting various measures to implement early childhood education, I have entertained several different philosophies and methodologies on this subject. What I have learned from my experience within the early childhood field is that principle objectives of this particular discipline are to provide the foundation for children to effectively shape and mold their immediate future in a positive way. I have learned that my implementing some core values and guiding principles to these children at an early age can actually help to foster positive social change for the long-term results and the betterment of our society. Implementing the following core values and guiding principles:
Core Values:
1. Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8.
2. Early learning standards: Creating conditions for success;
3. Early childhood mathematics: Promoting good beginnings:
4. Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practice;
5. Screening and assessment of young English Language Learners;
6. Promoting positive outcomes for children with disabilities: Recommendations for curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation;
7. Responding to linguistic and cultural diversity: Recommendations for early childhood education;
Guiding principles:
1. Early childhood encompasses children from birth through the early primary grades.
2. Early learning foundations and common core standards are the framework for children's learning.
3. The early childhood system ensures families have access to the knowledge and resources to support their children's development and well-being.
4. A system for continuous monitoring of children's health, development and learning is essential for ensuring services are developmentally appropriate and individualized for each child.
5. Effective curriculum and instructional practices are scientific and/or evidence based (intentional, individualized, with appropriate scope and sequence) for all young children.
6. Early childhood programs and schools are engaged in systematic approaches to continuously improve quality. Quality rating of programs and schools are shared with families and the public.
7. The early childhood system is in place to ensure programs and schools are ready, willing and able to meet the needs of young children and their families.
8. The early childhood system supports successful and seamless transitions for children and their families.
9. A system is in place that ensures professional development, for data collection and evaluation to measure the impact of services on child's outcomes and to guide the continuous improvement of the early childhood systems.
Reference:
National Association for the Education of Young Children (2009).
Profoundly, C. Johnson
Dear Susan,
ReplyDeleteI love your Blog! It is very professional and informative. Thank you for sharing about your latest post on Developmentally Appropriate Practice. I also enjoy reading about your "aha" moments. Your comments are very powerful about the inappropriate practices in early childhood programs. I also appreciate your resources that you have listed on your Blog. They will come in handy as I share them with my college students.
Thank you very much your Blog!
MyTra Nguyen-Vu