Early Learning: Your Child's Classroom

Developmentally Appropriate Practices consider a child's age, needs, differences and interests when planning activities. Additionally, Developmentally Appropriate Practices respect the cultural, social and linguistic backgounds of each child and family.

Today, the developmentally appropriate classroom environment, must also look forward to the workplace of the future in which children will need to be culturally aware, flexible, adept at setting and meeting goals and be skilled lifetime learners.

A devlopmentally appropriate classroom environment is one where children most often are encouraged to:

• Create...rather than duplicate.

• Move...rather than wait.

• Make the lines...rather than color in the lines.

• Speak...rather than just listen passively.

• Initiate...rather than imitate.

• Attempt to problem solve

• Make choices

• Create art...rather than do pre-planned crafts.

• Emphasize the process...rather than the product.

• Explore their interest

• Write their own books...rather than fill in workbooks.

• Ask Questions...then figure out the anwers

• Learn through and experiences

• Try again

Works Cited:

• Mahaffie, "Nine Skills That Will Help Make Our Children Future-Ready" http://www.wise-qatar.org/john-mahaffie-learning-future-job-skills

• Cross, Sandra. "The ButterflyGarden". http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?articleID=115