Affective Development Affective development describes how children behave and feel. Social competence, emotional character, and personality develop in highly individualized patterns influenced by the interplay of nature (biological processes) and nurture (environmental influences). Over time and as children acquire language, their affective responses become less outwardly focusedon physical needs (e.g., crying when hungry, tired, or […]
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Physical Development From infancy throughout the early childhood period (birth to age 8), physical development typically progresses from the head downward (cephalocaudal) and from the center of the body outward (proximodistal). As the body lengthens and the head assumes a smaller proportion of the rest of the body, the child’s center of gravity gradually rises.
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Typically Developing Children iStockphoto / Thinkstock Children in any particular age group exhibit generally similar developmental characteristics, but with many variations for which teachers must adapt. Typically developing children are those considered to be representative of most children in a population. The developmental progression of typically developing children is often expressed in terms of
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Universal Expectations vs. Individual Variations You already know that developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) addresses both the general characteristics of groups of children as well as unique variations from child to child at any particular point in time. A good curriculum will be one that is flexible enough to allow the teacher to use insights and
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Teaching from a Developmental Perspective One of the primary goals of teachers as decision makers is to make sure that the curriculum “opens the door” to learning for all children in the group or class (Hull, Goldhaber, & Capone, 2002). Excellent teachers evaluate and adapt curriculum to respond to the interests, abilities, needs, and culture
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Curriculum and Development Wavebreaker Media / Thinkstock Learning Objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to: Describe the general characteristics of typically developing children. Explain what special needs are and some of the ways in which teachers make adaptations to meet those needs. Describe, from social and cognitive perspectives, how children’s play develops
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References Ackerman , D. J., & Barnett, W. S. (2005, March). Policy report prepared for kindergarten: What does “readiness” mean? National Institute for Early Education Research. Retrieved from http://nieer.org/publications/policy-reports/policy-report-prepared-kindergarten-what-does-readiness-mean. Administration for Children and Families. (January 16, 2012). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families. Retrieved from the Office of Planning,
Recommended Readings There Are No Children Here, by Alex Kotlowitz.(1992). New York: Anchor Books. This is the true story about how two brothers, Lafayette and Pharaoh, navigate and survive the “other world” of the housing projects in South Chicago. Farmington, PA: Plough Books. The Hurried Child, by David Elkind. (2001). Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books. This
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What is your image of the young child? What experiences or ideas influenced the construction of this image? How do you imagine we will perceive the child of the future, and how will curriculum adapt? Using the description of the seventeen imaginary children from the opening vignette, describe how you would prepare for and welcome
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Connecting Children with the Natural World Last, part of our image of today’s children involves their need to be protected from a dangerous world. Children are constantly supervised in commercial outdoor spaces that are created especially for them and include plastic, brightly colored structures, clearly defined boundaries, and artificial turf. Gone are the days when
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