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The Preschool Years
Developmentally Appropriate PracticeBy Carol Copple and
Sue Bredekamp, Editors
The National Institute for Early Education Research-NIEER (5 minutes)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or10f-YcM8Q • NIEER's five-minute video, "Growing and
Learning in Preschool," shows the essential features of a high-quality preschool program. You'll see how a preschool curriculum based on solid research builds school and life-related skills, why well-qualified teachers are so important, and how play is integrated into learning.
An Overview• 3-5 year olds
• Over half preschoolers – enrolled
• Important period not kindergarten
• Optimal learning– positive & caring relationships
• Critical – developmentally appropriate – Share dev. appropriate observations of sites visited?– Reminder no site names, no children’s names
An Overview
• ALL Preschoolers – strengths & areas to improve
• Poverty– Children vulnerable– 4-year-olds, 18 months behind– 43% in US low income– 3.5 million affected– 16%-disability
• Summary-magical thinking years– playful, imaginative, delightful– Observations confirming this?
Physical Development• Preschoolers - extremely physical – moving, jumping,
running
• Goal-quarter school day - physical activity
• Viewed clumsy, spills (body changes)– Ouch Reports– Book- (Band-Aid Will Help)
• 3-year-olds/uncoordinated
• 4-year-olds/greater control, not fluid
Physical Development continued• Able to perform basic gross motor skills
• Gross motor– lowered center of gravity-hop, balance
• Fine motor – still developing; handedness by 4– Paper/pencil activities less useful than hands-on!– Types of grasp (pincer, fist)– Short pencils
• Girls-advanced fine & gross (skipping, hopping)– Findings surprise or confirm?
Physical Development continue• Boys –advanced – force & power, running,
jumping
• Nutrition-5-6 meals (List)– energy, less headaches, more focused, enjoy play
• Physical growth varies– per year/3-4 inches, 5-6 pounds– Prominent in trunk & legs
Physical Development continue
• Childhood obesity– Involve pediatricians– Scope of practice
• Sensation/perception-well developed – sense of taste compared to adults
Social & Emotional Development
• Great advances-still struggles.
• Positive social and emotional foundation = cognitive competence.
Social Development• Social interactions
• Relationships/teachers and peers• Are teachers “friends” to the teachers?
• Levels of Play:• Solitary• Onlooker• Parallel• Associative• Cooperative (4-5 years of age)• Teachers give ideas, help with rules of pretend
play, then back away
• Prosocial behavior developing
Social Development• Understanding other’s perspectives
• Aggression –physical, relational• Looking at gender – girls? Boys?• Anticipate consequences of physical actions • Strategies: turn taking, using words, using empathy, self-
regulation skills
• Sense of self in relation to others• Who are they?
– Younger-I have two fish– Older-I’m nice to my friends
• Research Study-Supports Play• Free-choice activities, variety of equipment and materials• Findings: better cognitive (and language) abilities
Emotional Development
• Positive and negative impact development domains
• Express and talk about their emotions
Emotional DevelopmentContinued
• Development of emotional competence.• Development of conscience.• Stress, coping and resilience• Saying good-bye to parents
– Group activity– Parent sneaks out
each day– What might you say
to parent?
Investing in the Emotional and Behavioral Development of Preschoolers
(6 minutes)• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4txcMjlzH8 • Young children who can interact well with
teachers and peers are more likely to succeed in preschool and beyond. This six-minute video, produced by The MacArthur Foundation, profiles MDRCs Foundations of Learning Project, a demonstration in Newark and Chicago that is testing an innovative program that combines teacher training with in-class clinical consultation to support children's emotional and behavioral development in preschool.
Cognitive development• Important changes-influence all other domains
• Form representations world - future and past tense
• Create fanciful scenes– make-believe
• Piaget “preoperational” stage: illogical, egocentric
.
Cognitive development continued
• Brain – cerebral cortex – functions regulate attention and memory not fully developed – limitations
• Attention – short, distractible, better over time – Attention improves so does memory – Practice strategies (recall events)
Cognitive development continued
• Mental representation (internal depictions)– Mind manipulates images or mental pictures – Later advances – objects serve both as an object or as a
symbol of something else.– Age 3-pictures serve as symbols
• Teachers start labeling even scribbles– “Worms wrestling” or “Me and mommy playing”
• Reminder-holistic view of learning – When teacher talks to family what developmental domains would be
emphasized using a holistic view?
Promoting cognitive development• Teachers can help by:
– Cues, modeling, questions (open/closed), positive guidance, ample play time-choices, plan/review work
• Teach math and science in preschool
Math• Best math develops language/ vocabulary
• Sequencing concept: if wear red, get coat first
• Promote math skills• Page 139 – 4 bullets
• Different ways to solve problems• Math, social situations; share play dough on table
• Question: children riding tricycles get stuck on incline. How do teachers help connected to allowing children an opportunity to solve problems
• Terms • Compare/contrast, more, less, tallest, numbers,
one-to-one correspondence
Science
• Science table is a start
• Embedded in children’s daily work/play
• Builds on prior experiences, backgrounds
• Draws on children’s curiosity
• Engage children in in-depth exploration of topic over time
• Reflect on experiences, document experiences
• Provides access to science experiences
Language and Literacy Development• Language & communication
• Role oral language in all domains– Imagine a 4-year-old limited language abilities friendships– Early Intervention
• Sustained conversations– Adult expands thoughts– Child: A white bear. – Adult: Yes, there’s a white mama bear with her baby, her little cub.
Language and Literacy Development
• Predictor-reading success
• Private speech – Connected to problem solving
• English language learners– Importance of family’s primary language– Under age 10 – best time to teach other
languages
• Promote by reading!!!!!
Examples to Consider Chapter 5
•Creating a caring community of learners
•Teaching to enhance development and learning
•Planning curriculum to achieve important goals
•Assessing children’s development and learning
•Establishing reciprocal relationships with families
Maria Montessori
"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can
succeed."