Final
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In the cognitive developmental domain a child uses his or her thinking skills, problem solving and
memory. When a child plays with play doh they expand creative knowledge on how to build something out
of the dough. Its is logicalmathmatical knowledge also. The relationship of all he different pieces to
develop a new structure out of a blob. During the preoperational stage children continue to iexplore their
surrounding through interactions with people and contact with objects. Working with children of all ages
they will be thinking and developing everyday. A young a child's mind never shuts off. They are constantly
trying to figure everything out. Whether it be with play-doh, blocks, colors or any other object they come in
contact with they will turn it into something. Their own masterpiece. To be able to use their problem
solving skills, thinking skills, and memory to solve problems. We as teacher will be there to help guide and
push them in the right direction. The importance of the cognitive developmental domain focusing on
intelligence, cognitive development and language development are the stepping stones for children to
grow.
Home-School Partnerships
An important role an early childhood educator will be to foster home-school partnerships. The key to
building a collaborative relationship between families and schools, like any relationship, is positive and
open communication. Teachers need to communicate via e-mail, phone, texting or mail. One of the most
important relationships a teacher can develop is with the families. If a child sees an open communication
between parents and teachers they will feel more comfortable themselves. The open communication
keeps everyone on the same page. When a collaborative relationship exists between the home and
school there is likely to be continuity within the two environments. One of the most effective ways to
promote student growth academically, behaviorally, and socially is through a partnership that bridges the
school and home together. When parents and teachers are able to openly communicate about a student,
there are more opportunities for student growth between the two environments. This development will
help the child succeed when they are older themselves from seeing the involvement their parents had in
their daily lives. Hopefully they would carry this trait on. Children from families that are regularly and
constructively involved in their education attain higher levels of academic and social competence. When a
child feels support from their parents they want to strive to do their best. Research indicates that schools
can play a crucial part in ensuring a positive, ongoing relationship with family members. Clearly,
familyschool partnerships require effort and flexibility, but the potential benefits for children and their
families, as well as the school as a whole, are worth it. My children attended a Co-op preschool. The
parents had to volunteer to work in the classroom every week. This program was one of the best in the
neighborhood. The parent involvement in the class, at home and in the community taught the children to
be close to each other. They would stick together and help each other out. I believe this was from the role
models they had in the classroom. They loved the days the fathers came in a helped. But the biggest
winners are the children. When we walk into a school and see parents and teachers working together, in
all sorts of roles, it's a sure sign that the school challenges the very best in students and helps all,
regardless of race,
class, or culture, realize their fullest potential. http://www.edutopia.org/home-school-team.
Trends/Issues
A trending subject is the Ipad or tablets in the classroom. As of early 2013, half of the nations school
districts were using some sort of tablet or eReader (this figure includes a vast range, from a few tablets at
a single high school in a district to entire districts where most students have a tablet). Apple reports there
are seven million iPads in U.S. schools, and more than 10 million iPads in schools around the world.
(http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/ipad-technology-in-the-classroom/) I like the ideal of the
electronics in the classroom as long as they are used properly. The hard part intergrating them into the
classroom right now is that the students are more knowledgable about the devices than the teachers. I
believe it is a step in the right direction since our society lives and breathes technology. I just fear
students are stepping away from physical activity to hide behind a screen. I want to use these devices in
the classroom but want to stress there is a time and a place for them.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Developmentally appropriate practice, often shortened to DAP, is an approach to teaching grounded in
the research on how young children develop and learn and in what is known about effective early
education. Its framework is designed to promote young childrens optimal learning and development. I
have to agree with what was written in an article by Alicia Bayer, In America, we currently have this
idea that our children are struggling academically so the answer lies in pushing them more and
more, at earlier and earlier ages If our children are struggling academically, it does not make
sense to make them do more of the same things that are failing them and from a younger age.
http://notjustcute.com/2013/10/29/what-is-developmentally-appropriate-practice/ Children are being
pushed more and more reading and math and no play. With the NAEYCs DAP more play needs to be
allowed in the classroom. This activity allows the child to develop physical and cognitively while playing.
According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developmentally_Appropriate_Practice Guidelines for
developmentally appropriate practice includes five complex principles.
The first is to create a caring community of learners. When creating this community each member
must feel valued by others. Each member is given respect and is held accountable for their learning and
wellbeing. The teachers set clear and reasonable expectations. Teachers listen to and acknowledge
children's feelings and respond in ways children understand to guide and model problem-solving.
Teachers design and maintain a physical and psychological environment that is positive and feel safe for
all children.
The second principle is teaching to enhance development of learning. Teachers make it a priority to
know each child well and also the most significant people in a child's life. Teachers know what desired
goals for the program are and how the programs curriculum is intended to achieve those goals. Teachers
plan for learning experiences by implementing a comprehensive curriculum so that children can achieve
goals in key areas. Teachers know how to scaffold children's learning with just enough assistance for
them to master the skill and begin to work on the next skill. Teachers draw on many teaching strategies to
foster learning for the group and each child individually. Educators include all children regardless of
special needs into all classroom activities with their peers.
The third principal is to plan with state standards and other mandates in place using the
curriculum to achieve important goals. Teachers use their extensive child development knowledge to
identify and plan goals for the classroom that align with state standards and other mandates. Teachers
utilize curriculum framework to ensure proper attention is given to learning goals. While planning teachers
integrate experiences across several domains such as physical social emotional cognitive which include
language literacy mathematics social studies science art music physical education and health.
The fourth complex principle assessing children's development and learning includes assessing
the children's progress and achievements in ongoing strategic purposeful way. Assessment must
focus on children's progress towards goals that are developmentally and educationally significant. There
must be a system in place to collect analyze and use assessment data.
The fifth principle is establishing reciprocal relationships with families. In relationships between
teachers and families there must be a mutual respect. Corporation and shared responsibility including
negotiation of conflict toward achievement of shared goals. Teachers work in partnership with families
establishing and maintaining two-way communication with families. Teachers and families work as a team
to share information about children's goals progress and daily life. Family members are encouraged with
multiple opportunities for family participation within the classroom setting.
Many preschool parents will walk into a developmentally appropriate classroom and exclaim, "But they
are just playing!" Developmentally appropriate practice can best be observed when there is an active
learning environment. In active learning, children come to understand concepts by playing, hypothesizing,
experimenting, and doing. Most activities in a developmentally appropriate preschool classroom are not
teacher directed.