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Developmental vs. Academic Curriculum Organization Every curriculum articulates what children should learn from both theoretical and organizational perspectives. In early childhood, two different approaches predominate. In some curricula, goals, concepts and activities are designed and organized in terms of academic content areas such as math, science, social studies, reading, and writing. In other curricula, these […]

What Is DAP? More From the Field In this clip Diana McGawley, an intervention specialist, emphasizes the importance of a developmental perspective. Critical Thinking Question Why should teachers be concerned about “pushing” children academically? DAP is not a curriculum but a framework for how to think about curriculum in a way that takes into account

The Big Picture: Developmentally Appropriate Practice In this section, we consider the relative position of early childhood curriculum within the larger framework of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP). The early childhood period from birth to 8 years of age is unique in life-span development in terms of growth and learning. Curriculum for young children reflects and

Transmissional, Transactional, and Transformational Views of Education In short, the transmissional view is traditional, in that students are expected to master information delivered by the teacher. This reflects a teaching method that was standard around the world until the twentieth century. The transactional perspective is more egalitarian, and people with a transformational orientation believe that

The Importance of Our World View The goals, foundations, and characteristics of curriculum can be directly affected by changes in our societal world view, or the way individuals and groups of people perceive reality and how those perceptions affect the way they function in their day-to-day lives. For example, during the Great Depression of the

How Has Thinking about Curriculum Changed over Time? The theories and ideas of the individuals profiled above, as well as those of others, continue to affect our thinking about early childhood curriculum. Other factors that influence curriculum development today include society’s values, standards, accountability systems, research findings, community expectations, culture and language, and individual children’s

Table 1.1: Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences Dimension of Intelligence Example of Profession Interpersonal Counselor Politician Salesperson Intrapersonal Researcher Novelist Entrepreneur Bodily/Kinesthetic Athlete Firefighter Actor Musical/Rhythmic Musician Composer Disk Jockey Verbal/Linguistic Journalist Teacher Lawyer Logical/Mathematical Engineer Programmer Accountant Naturalist Environmentalist Farmer Botanist Visual/Spatial Navigator Sculptor Architect Existential Philosopher Theorist Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences (MI)

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory can be visualized as a series of concentric circles that represent increasingly larger spheres of environmental influence. Loris Malaguzzi Loris Malaguzzi (19201994) founded the municipal early childhood programs in Reggio Emilia, Italy, immediately after the end of World War II; he is therefore known as the father of the

  Friedrich Froebel Source: http://www.froebelweb.org/gifts/ Many of Froebel’s gifts, including various blocks and tiles, can be found virtually unchanged in preschool classrooms today. Friedrich Froebel (17821852) is generally credited with proposing the seminal idea that young children need a systematic program and materials specifically designed for their unique learning style. Froebel likened children to seeds

A Cast of Influential Thinkers Many scientists, theorists, and philosophers have contributed to the current view that children should be respected as individuals in their own right. Further, these thinkers continue to help us understand how children learn and the methods and environments that best encourage the learning process. The following brief profiles describe individuals