What Does Developmentally Appropriate Practice Look Like in a Preschool Classroom?
If you've ever wondered how effective teachers actually do DAP, this is the book for you. Here, you can peek into classrooms to see teachers making intentional decisions in the six key areas of practice that form the six guidelines for DAP in action:
1. Building a community of learners where everyone is welcomed and supported to grow
2. Facilitating respectful partnerships with families
3. Observing, assessing, and documenting children's development and learning
4. Using teaching strategies that enhance learning for each child
5. Implementing curriculum tied to meaningful learning goals
6. Demonstrating professionalism
You'll discover
- More about what each guideline means for preschool teaching
- Chapters that showcase articles from Young Children and Teaching Young Children-plus brand-new content-illustrating excellent teaching strategies related to each guideline
- Examples you can model, adapt, and implement in your own practice
Your teaching will be richer and deeper, and children's learning will flourish!
Table of Contents:
About the Editors
Focus on Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Equitable and Joyful Learning Book Series
Developmentally Appropriate Practice: An Introduction
Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Preschool
Part 1: Creating a Caring, Equitable Community of Learners
Chapter 1: The Power of “Good Morning” | Sarah Calzone
Chapter 2: Every Child Belongs: Welcoming a Child with a Disability | Pamela Brillante
Chapter 3: Will You Pass the Peas, Please? | Nikki Waldron
Chapter 4: Instead of Discipline, Use Guidance| Dan Gartrell
Chapter 5: Preventing Exclusionary Discipline Practices in Early Childhood | Sarah C. Wymer, Amanda P. Williford, and Ann S. Lhospital
Part 2: Engaging in Reciprocal Partnerships with Families and Fostering Community Connections
Chapter 6: 5 Rs for Promoting Positive Family Engagement | Bweikia Foster Steen
Chapter 7: Many Languages, One Community: Engaging All Families | Lorraine Cooke
Chapter 8: Integrating Families’ Funds of Knowledge into Daily Teaching Practices | Iliana Alanís and Irasema Salinas-González
Chapter 9: Building Relationships: The Key to Engaging Fathers | Lindsey L. Wilson and Holly S. Schindler
Chapter 10: Learning with Families About the Contexts of Young Bilingual Children with Disabilities | Cristina Gillanders and Sylvia Y. Sánchez
Chapter 11: Promoting Linguistic Diversity and Equity: Teaching in Multilingual Learning Spaces | Carola Oliva-Olson, Linda M. Espinosa, Whit Hayslip, and Elizabeth S. Magruder
Part 3: Observing, Documenting, and Assessing Children’s Development and Learning
Chapter 12: Practical Approaches to Informal Assessment of STEAM Experiences | Angela Eckhoff and Sandra M. Linder
Chapter 13: Anecdotal Records: Practical Strategies for Taking Meaningful Notes | Celeste C. Bates, Stephanie Madison Schenck, and Hayley J. Hoover
Chapter 14: Developmental Moments: Teacher Decision Making to Support Young Writers | Kathryn F. Whitmore and Lori Norton-Meier
Chapter 15: Authentic and Meaningful Developmental Screening in Early Childhood | Marisa Macy and Stefano J. Bagnato
Chapter 16: Learning Stories: A Framework for Authentic Assessment and Critical Pedagogy | Isauro M. Escamilla, Linda R. Kroll, Daniel R. Meier, and Annie White
Chapter 16 Appendix: Ellie’s Learning Story: “種植 Planting”
Part 4: Teaching to Enhance Each Child’s Development and Learning
Chapter 17: The Power of Science: Using Inquiry Thinking to Enhance Learning in a Dual Language Preschool Classroom | Leanne M. Evans
Chapter 18: A Guided, Exploration-Based Visual Arts Program for Preschoolers | X. Christine Wang, Keely Benson, Corinne Eggleston, and Bin Lin
Chapter 19: Supporting Positive Racial Identity with Literacy-Based Math | Toni Sturdivant
Chapter 20: Meaningful Talk: The Importance of Using Sophisticated Language at Preschool | Tracy Weippert
Chapter 21: Using Nature Contact to Support Children Under Stress | Becky L. DelVecchio, Susan Ferguson, and Wesley Knapp
Chapter 22: Timing Is Everything: Understanding the Importance of Timing, Length, and Sequence of Activities | Monica Lesperance
Part 5: Planning and Implementing an Engaging Curriculum to Achieve Meaningful Goals
Chapter 23: Never Too Young to Champion a Cause: Supporting Positive Identity Development Through Social Justice Curriculum in Preschool | Veronica Benavides, Roxanne Ledda, and Maimuna Mohammed
Chapter 24: Diverse Children, Uniform Standards: Using Early Learning and Development Standards in Multicultural Classrooms | Jeanne L. Reid, Catherine Scott-Little, and Sharon Lynn Kagan
Chapter 25: Preschool in the Park: Place-Based Learning in Unexpected Spaces | Rachel J. Franz
Chapter 26: Metamorphosis: Life Cycle in a Box | Sara Starbuck
Chapter 27: Listen to What We Hear: Developing Community Responsive Listening Centers | Emily Brown Hoffman and Kristin Cipollone
Chapter 28: Walk with Us: Indigenous Approaches to Developmentally Appropriate Practice | Trisha L. Moquino, Joshuaa D. Allison-Burbank, Rebecca Blum-Martinez, and Katie Kitchens
Part 6: Demonstrating Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator
Chapter 29: Becoming Your Best: Building Professional Competencies | Meghann Hickey
Chapter 30: Personalized Professional Development: How Teachers Can Use Videos to Improve Their Practice | Rachel E. Schachter and Hope Kenarr Gerde
Chapter 31: Leading with LOVE: Leveraging Our Value Every Day | Chaz Simmons
Chapter 32: Beginning (or Continuing) the Journey to a More Equitable Classroom | Janis Strasser and Llariley Coplin
Chapter 33: Incorporating Anti-Racist Approaches for Asian American Children | Shu-Chen “Jenny” Yen
About the Author :
Volume editors:
Iliana AlansEarly Childhood Advisory Board member for Scholastic Education. As a member of the Dual Language Training Institute, she facilitates professional development for teachers in dual language classrooms across the country. Dr. Alans is coauthor of The Essentials: Supporting Dual Language Learners in Diverse Environments in Preschool and Kindergarten.
Toni Sturdivantis the vice president of early education at Camp Fire First Texas. She earned a PhD in interdisciplinary learning and teaching with a cognate in early childhood education. In addition, she has a master's degree in early childhood and elementary education with a specialization in child development. She earned a BA in linguistics with a minor in African and African American studies. Dr. Sturdivant has taught prekindergarten in both an urban school district and a center- based setting, as well as kindergarten. She has served as a trainer for practicing early childhood teachers and taught preservice teachers in various institutions of higher education. Her research, which focuses on issues of racial learning and racial identity with young children and culturally relevant teaching practices, has been published in several scholarly journals, such as Early Childhood Education Journal, The Journal for Multicultural Education, International Journal of Early Childhoodand Young Children.
Series editor
Susan FriedmanIn this role, she leads the content development work of NAEYC's books and periodicals teams. Ms. Friedman is coeditor of Each and Every Child: Teaching Preschool with an Equity LensShe has extensive prior experience creating content on play, developmentally appropriate uses of media, and other topics for educators and families. She has presented at numerous educational conferences, including NAEYC's Professional Learning Institute and Annual Conference, the South by Southwest Education (SXSW EDU) Conference & Festival, and the School Superintendents Association's Early Learning Cohort. She began her career as a preschool teacher at City and Country School in New York City. She holds degrees from Vassar College and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Review :
For early childhood educators, there are very few concepts as profound and far reaching as DAP. For me, it has long served as a north star and a measuring stick for program quality. But educators are always eager to have more insight into what it really looks like in day-to-day decisions, curriculum experiences, and teaching practices. That’s why I was so excited to read this new book! There is a great need for resources that translate research into practice in accessible ways, and this book does just that. Teachers will see themselves in these pages as they read about the real-life application of DAP through stories told by other teachers doing the same important work, examples that highlight challenges and opportunities, and ideas that spark new thinking. This book is a must-have addition to any early educator library!
—Rachel Robertson, Vice President, Learning and Development, Bright Horizons Family Solutions
Focus on Developmentally Appropriate Practice brings together a diverse collection of articles to highlight the many ways early childhood teachers can engage with the six guidelines of DAP. Voices from practitioners, researchers, and administrators weave together powerful narratives that expand our understanding of the role of DAP in teaching, curriculum, assessment, and work with families.
—Denisha Jones, Executive Director, Defending the Early Years, and Guest Faculty, Sarah Lawrence College
This book is a perfect introduction to what it means to work proactively to support young children through an equity-based lens. Children come to learning experiences with their own languages, identities, and approaches to learning. As educators, it is important to embrace these. This book provides tangible supports to assist teachers in doing so.
—Cecilia Scott-Croff, Executive Director, Early Childhood Center, Borough of Manhattan Community College
The trust that children and their families put in us is enormous. This book ensures each teacher’s success by supporting educators to use their understanding of how each child is developing, model developmentally appropriate expectations, and provide intentionally designed experiences and interactions to create joyful learning environments. Children deserve nothing less.
—Sherry Cleary, Retired University Dean, City University of New York
The guiding principles and best practices shared throughout the book deepened my understanding of effective teaching in preschool and inspired me to be more intentional in creating a classroom community where everyone is valued, heard, and seen. I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to create a harmonious community using DAP.
—Ashley Harrell, Accreditation Facilitation Project Coordinator, 4C For Children
