Research indicates that an effective teacher or family child care provider chooses a strategy to fit a particular situation. It’s essential to consider what the children already know and can do, as well as the learning goals for the specific situation. By remaining flexible and observant, we can determine which strategy is most effective, and if one approach doesn’t work, we can try another.
NAEYC defines “developmentally appropriate practice” as methods that promote each child’s optimal development and learning through a strengths-based, play-based approach to joyful, engaged learning. Educators implement developmentally appropriate practices by recognizing the multiple assets that all young children bring to the early learning program, as unique individuals and as members of families and communities. Building on each child’s strengths—and taking care not to harm any aspect of their physical, cognitive, social, or emotional well-being—educators design and implement learning environments to help all children achieve their full potential across all domains of development and in all content areas. Developmentally appropriate practice recognizes and supports each individual as a valued member of the learning community. As a result, to be developmentally appropriate, practices must also be culturally, linguistically, and ability appropriate for each child.
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